- Eight per thousand
Eight per thousand, or "otto per mille", is an Italian law. Under this law Italian taxpayers are able to vote who shall receive 0.8% ('eight per thousand') of the total amount raised by income
tax es. The money may go to areligious confession recognised by Italy or, alternatively, to a social assistance scheme run by the Italian State. [An Italian website describing the law, translated by Google: [http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=http://www.aduc.it/dyn/pulce/art/singolo.php%3Fid%3D93577&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522otto%2Bper%2Bmille%2522%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26hs%3D046|Italy] ] This declaration is made on theIRPEF form. People are not required to declare a recipient; in that case the law stipulates that this undeclared amount be distributed among the normal recipients of such taxes in proportion to what they have already received from explicit declarations. The Church of Waldenses and the Church of Assemblies of God in Italy refused to benefit from the undeclared portion.History
Originally the Italian government of
Benito Mussolini , under theLateran treaties of 1929 with theHoly See , paid a monthlysalary toCatholic clergymen. This money was meant as a compensation for thenationalization of Church properties after the unification of Italy. This salary was called the "congrua". The eight per thousand law was created as a result of an agreement, in 1984, between the Italian Government and theHoly See .Current situation
The last official statement of Italian Ministry of Finance made in respect of the year 2004 singles out seven beneficiaries: the Italian State, the
Catholic Church , theWaldenses , theJewish Communities, the Lutherans, the Seventh-day Adventists and theAssemblies of God inItaly .In 2000 the
Catholic Church raised almost a billioneuro s, while the Italian State received about 100 million euros.ee also
*
Tithe
* [http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_per_mille Italian wikipedia article with references]References
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