After an eight-year battle, the Ohio Supreme Court has determined that the parent company of 104.9 The River (WCVO, Gahanna, OH) is, indeed, tax-exempt. In a 4-3 vote, the decision was made that Christian Voice has “dedicated all its land and building to charity and religion” thereby giving The River “the necessary attributes of a church”.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, WCVO had argued before the justices that “Christian radio is public worship” and that the station’s music “encourages a vertical relationship to God and serves as a ministry to 60 percent of its 55,000 daily listeners.”
Christian Voice’s attorney says they will seek a $400,000 refund for property taxes paid over the last eight years.
