Pulaski County Tax Assessor Sparks Outrage After Exempting Nine Pastors, including Former Black Mega-church Pastor Steven Arnold, from Property Taxes

Pulaski county, Ark., tax assessors grants special property tax exemption to nine pastors, including black mega-church pastor, Steven Arnold.

Bishop Steven Arnold & Wife (Democrat-Gazette)

Here's the latest outrage involving a black pastor.  At least nine ministers who own houses in Pulaski County, Ark., are exempt from property taxes, thanks to assessor Janet Troutman Ward. According to the Democrat-Gazette, the residences in question range from a $10,000 mobile home to a $600,00 house complete with pool and tennis court in west Little Rock. Some of the pastors included in this "windfall" include some who lead the county's largest churches, such as Bishop Steven Arnold, who is black. Arnold abruptly resigned Sunday as pastor of St. Mark Baptist Church in Little Rock, citing "personal indiscretions." Pastor Lawrence Braggs is also named as one of the "lucky 9."  Ms. Ward is defending her outrageous exemption, even though a 1940s state law limits such exemptions to church-owned parsonages, the newspaper said. If this isn't an egregious miscarriage of justice, then I don't know what else is. Why the residents of Pulaski County aren't up in arms over this latest move is beyond me.

Stay tuned. More to follow. We are doing more research on this story to bring you the names of all the pastors involved.