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Scientology leader meets one-on-one with Clearwater city officials

CommunicatorIC

@IndieScieNews on Twitter
Scientology leader meets one-on-one with city officials over key downtown Clearwater parcel.

Tampa Bay Times: Scientology leader meets one-on-one with city officials over key downtown Clearwater parcel

http://www.tampabay.com/news/scient...with-city-officials-over-key-downtown/2284410

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Scientology leader meets one-on-one with city officials over key downtown Clearwater parcel

Tracey McManus, Times Staff Writer

Wednesday, July 6, 2016 8:02pm

CLEARWATER — Scientology leader David Miscavige has met one-on-one with each City Council member to discuss a key piece of waterfront land — the first gesture of its kind in the decades-long struggle between the Church of Scientology and the city over downtown real estate.

In hourlong meetings held Friday and Wednesday at City Hall, Miscavige updated council members on the organization's activities around the world and emphasized its interest in three parcels on the southwest corner of Pierce Street and Osceola Avenue. Together they form a vacant, grassy lot owned by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

The city, however, also has its eye on the property, having hired consultants to include it in a master plan currently under way to help revitalize the downtown waterfront. The 1.4-acre lot, now used for overflow parking, sits between City Hall on the north and the church's 13-story Oak Cove religious retreat on the south.

Although the city has not yet submitted an offer to the aquarium, the church approached the nonprofit several months ago with a $4.25 million offer and tentative plans to convert it into a "passive park," aquarium executive vice president Frank Dame confirmed on Wednesday. Property records show the aquarium bought the property in 2012 for $2.1 million.

In an email response to the Tampa Bay Times, the church stated: "There are no plans to turn it into a park but rather to fully develop the property for visiting parishioners, which would also result in an increase of the tax rolls."

Mayor George Cretekos and other council members said Miscavige mentioned a potential "open space" in his meetings with them. The fear, according to Cretekos, is the church would end up using the land for religious purposes, thereby exempting it from paying taxes.

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arcxcauseblows

Patron Meritorious
Pretty gross

Why meet one on one?

Probably because he wants to black mail them individually like they did with the IRS

Hopefully they'll record these meetings and leak them
 

lotus

stubborn rebel sheep!
* snipped *

Mayor George Cretekos and other council members said Miscavige mentioned a potential "open space" in his meetings with them. The fear, according to Cretekos, is the church would end up using the land for religious purposes, thereby exempting it from paying taxes.

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Yes..certainly as usual! :yes:
 

CommunicatorIC

@IndieScieNews on Twitter
Scientology leader meeting with city officials over Clearwater land.

WTSP: Scientology leader meeting with city officials over Clearwater land

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/scie...city-officials-over-clearwater-land/266473905

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Scientology leader meeting with city officials over Clearwater land

Sarah Hollenbeck, WTSP 12:20 PM. EST July 07, 2016

Two groups, one prime waterfront property in downtown Clearwater. The Church of Scientology and Clearwater city leaders are both interested in the land next to Clearwater City Hall and the Oak Cove Hotel at the Southwest corner of Pierce and Osceola, currently used as an overflow lot and owned by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

The City has been eyeing the property for years to use as part of its downtown waterfront renovation.

The Church of Scientology wants to buy the land to build a project to house visiting parishioners.



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CommunicatorIC

@IndieScieNews on Twitter
Editorial: Clearwater Marine Aquarium should reward voters' faith.

Tampa Bay Times: Editorial: Clearwater Marine Aquarium should reward voters' faith

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/edi...e-aquarium-should-reward-voters-faith/2284564

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Predictably, the city is not the only potential buyer. The Church of Scientology, which already is the largest taxpayer in downtown Clearwater and casts a long shadow over the entire area, appears eager to buy the land. Tampa Bay Times staff writer Tracey McManus reported Thursday that Scientology leader David Miscavige has met individually with each City Council member to discuss the property. Miscavige ordinarily does not show up at City Hall, and his personal appearance reflects Scientology's keen interest in the land.

So does the $4.25 million offer an aquarium official says the church has made for the property, which is double the aquarium's investment. But the aquarium's decision has to be based on more than money. It is a longtime institution with deep roots in Clearwater, and it should take the long view.

The aquarium's project would have been a game changer for a city that has spent decades trying to redevelop downtown and become less dominated by the Church of Scientology. The need for private development is just as great now as when the aquarium's plans were announced and voters embraced them. And that vacant land is just as key to downtown's future as it was then. The adjacent property won't be occupied by City Hall forever, and there aren't other sites that have such potential for triggering a downtown revival.

It is not even clear what the Scientologists would do with the aquarium property if they bought it. The church suggested to aquarium officials it could be a passive park, then indicated this week the parcel would be developed for their members and placed on the tax rolls. But the church also could use the land in ways that would exempt it from property taxes. The last thing Clearwater needs is more downtown land owned by the church and off the tax rolls.

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