Follow us F Y T I R
Tax

Balearic church tax contribution fourth lowest in Spain

The Balearics contribute less by way of church tax than most other regions. | G.P.B.M.

| Palma |

According to the report for the activities of the Catholic Church in 2014, the Balearics was a region where taxpayers made one of the lowest contributions to the church. The average for the country was 34.8%, while in the Balearics it was 29.8%, the fourth lowest. At the bottom of the list was Catalonia (19.7%). Galicia (27.1%) was the second lowest, and the Canaries third lowest (28.1%). The region with the highest contribution - 49% - was Castile-La Mancha.

In 2014, the church received a total of 250 million euros through tax declaration contributions, of which almost 200 million went to the seventy Spanish dioceses. Majorca's diocese received 2.7 million, while Ibiza got 943,000 and Minorca 853,000.

The distribution of the revenue taken in from the church tax is based on an evaluation of needs presented by each bishopric for pastoral and academic activities. A fixed amount is paid for basic general costs, and the remainder varies according to more specific needs, such as liturgical activities.

Pastoral needs take into account the characteristics of each diocese, such as the number of parishes and priests. The Episcopal Conference, which has presented the report, applies a model designed to benefit dioceses with fewer resources and fewer possibilities of obtaining these.

In the Balearics, the report shows that the three bishoprics had a total of 125 centres which provided charitable and welfare assistance to 31,020 people. This assistance, among other things, was for family and child support and tackling poverty.

Most Viewed