THE HARRISON PRESS
Harrison, Ohio
Written by Joe Awad, Editor
Tuesday, August 12, 2013 308 PM
They did it.
I had great hope the Jehovah’s Witnesses would not play dirty, but they did. A lawsuit against Harrison was inevitable over conflicting philosophies regarding the purpose of the Joint Economic Development District.
The JWs, backed by county commissioners, contend they have a legal right to build an assembly hall in the JEDD. The city contends they don’t because the JEDD’s purpose is to house industry and commercial enterprises that produce income tax and property tax revenue.
The hall is exempt from property tax because it is a church. And there would be no income tax to speak of because a lone groundskeeper, and perhaps his family, would live on the property.
All chips in
But they did it. The JWs played the religious discrimination card.
General allegation No. 25 reads:
“Upon information and belief, the respondents have colluded to block the development of the Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall because of religious discrimination.”
In all the arguments before various county boards, during council meetings, economic development meetings, and JEDD meetings, city officials demonstrably stated the objection to a house of prayer in the JEDD is based totally on economic reasoning and has nothing to do with the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ faith.
If Mayor Joel McGuire said it once, he said it 50 times, that religious beliefs have nothing – absolutely nothing – to do with the objection. . .
Read the rest of this news article here:
http://www.theharrison-press.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5918:jehovah-may-be-frowning&catid=79:columns&Itemid=141
Read additional articles on Harrison Press about this case here:
http://www.theharrison-press.com/index.php?searchword=jehovah&searchphrase=all&Itemid=1&option=com_search
Here is an article and newscast from WCPO in Cincinnati that describe this case and its issues in more depth:
http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/harrison-twp-fights-planned-jehovahs-witnesses-hall