GaryP

From Americans United;

Excerpt;

According to published reports, the city plans to deduct $325,000 from the price of 63.5 acres of land that it is selling to the Graham ministry, which is moving to Charlotte from Minneapolis. Americans United, a church-state watchdog group based in Washington, D.C., charged that the price reduction is a government subsidy to a religious organization at taxpayer expense.


Whole article at <a href="http://www.au.org/press/pr071902.htm" target="_blank">au.org</a>

Toto

I could only find a reference to this in the <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:MbhVBnYa31gC:charlotte.bizjournals. com/charlotte/dailyedition.html+charlotte+63.5+acres+%22Billy+Gr aham+%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">Google cache</a> for the Charlotte Business Journal (I don't see a date on the page):

I'm sure that they are justifying this as a normal corporate subsidy based on the many economic benefits this business will bring to the area. They are really just paying for road and utility improvements. The adjustment in the price is just an accounting device, they will argue. I guess this will depend on how Charlotte usually treats businesses that relocate.

Buffman

Billy Graham is just one more CEO in the Religious Belief Selling Industry. It is a huge business in Orlando, Florida.

There are 98 Religious Organizations in the area.

There are 1692 Churches in the community.

<a href="http://orlandofl.flo.myareaguide.com/religion.html?goto=%2fyp%2fyp.jhtml%3fmkt%3dORFL" target="_blank">http://orlandofl.flo.myareaguide.com/religion.html?goto=%2fyp%2fyp.jhtml%3fmkt%3dORFL</a>

The City is interested in increasing revenue. It it already taxing tourists to the max. I suspect that Toto has it on the "money." It's a business deal...not a break just for religion.

[ July 20, 2002: Message edited by: Buffman ]</p>

mac_philo

This is routine procedure for luring an employer to your area. Though the parties won't admit it, the behavior shows that this is all business.

It makes me uncomfortable, but I don't think it's illegal just because this organization is a tax-exempt nonprofit.

GaryP

The article also states;
'.....Americans United Legal Director Ayesha Khan and AU attorney Allison Pierce assert, "The courts have uniformly held that the transfer of public land to a religious organization at less than fair market value impermissibly advances religion. Accordingly, the City Council’s plan, which would result in the transfer of public land to the [Billy Graham Evangelistic] Association at a price that is $325,000 less than fair market value, is likely to be found by a court to be unconstitutional."

You are right that they will argue that it is just the same as any business deal. But there must be some case law that draws a distinction.

AU, IMO, would not bring suit unless they felt they had a good chance to win.

<a href="http://www.au.org/press/pr071902.htm" target="_blank">au.org</a>

[ July 21, 2002: Message edited by: GaryP ]</p>