The Boston Herald’s official editorial position, as opposed to the opinion of columnists and reporters, is that a proposed law to require financial disclosure by churches to the state should not be passed.
An ill-conceived effort aimed at forcing greater financial disclosure by the Catholic Church is so sweeping it would take in every church and synagogue in the state and impose on them the financial burden of compiling and filing annual forms with the attorney general’s public charities division.
Yes, there is enormous anger within the Boston Archdiocese, especially over the ham-handed handling of recent school closings. But to add what archdiocesan officials estimate would be a $3 million burden to comply with the legislation is beyond self-defeating - it’s government-imposed wastefulness.
