Dynamic of City Council meetings with Scientology leader a rarity

[Heddi]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/dynamic-of-city-council-meetings-with-scientology-leader-a-rarity/2316128

CLEARWATER — It's not unusual for an elected official to venture into the community to meet with a citizen, but a major organization summoning each city council member out from City Hall to lobby a single issue? That almost never happens.

In a rare dynamic where the constituent is beckoning each City Council member to his headquarters, instead of going to theirs, Scientology leader David Miscavige will host formal one-on-one meetings at the church's Fort Harrison Hotel on Tuesday to discuss his downtown retail strategy.

Miscavige has not announced plans for a presentation to the general public, prompting one City Council member to decline her private meeting.
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City Council member Doreen Caudell initially accepted a private meeting with Miscavige when it was added to her calendar on Feb. 27. But after the Tampa Bay Times published an article Monday detailing the scope of Miscavige's plan, which involves the church controlling the downtown core, Caudell said she will not attend unless the public is included.

It was common knowledge the church had been working on a general plan to recruit retail for years, but City Council members said they did not know the extent of the church's vision to manage a business district until the Times report.

"I welcome Scientology to present their intended plan before us all at a public hearing," Caudell said. "We need transparency and communication."

Scientology spokesman Ben Shaw did not respond to requests for comment for this article.
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He said he is open to the idea of Scientology being in control of economic development if they can deliver a retail district that benefits the entire community, not just parishioners. Cretekos said Shaw told him two years ago the church was recruiting a Whole Foods, but "here it is two years later, and I haven't seen a Whole Foods in downtown Clearwater."

"If Jeff Vinik were trying to buy up property and didn't want people to know he was buying property and he wanted to have a meeting, am I going to say no?" Cretekos said, referencing the Tampa Bay Lighting owner who launched a $2 billion redevelopment project in Tampa. "I'm not going to make a difference between a Jeff Vinik and a Church of Scientology until we see what the plans are, and then I'll make a determination if it's in the best interest of the city of Clearwater."
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It is only the second time in Miscavige's 30 years leading Scientology that he has called for formal meetings with each elected official.

The first time was in July to emphasize the church's interest in a 1.4-acre vacant lot across the street from City Hall that is owned by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The City Council is expected to vote Thursday on whether to buy the lot.

Horne said Miscavige will also present the retail plan to a group of select downtown business owners at the Fort Harrison on Monday.

City Council member Hoyt Hamilton said he won't skip the meeting with Miscavige because as downtown's largest landowner, city officials must keep open communication with Scientology.
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"We can't take the property back, we don't have that ability," Hamilton said. "They technically don't even have to come to us to do what they want to do. So we've got to play the hand we're dealt. I have no problem telling Mr. Miscavige the church as the property owner needs to be transparent and work with the organizations that have already been established concerning the downtown."

[Lordquinton]

1. Landowners, business managers

Why is this group given tax exempt status?

They part where the council members attempted to justify their corruption was good too.

[Act_of_Reparation]

2. Because under a microscope, scam religions and "legitimate" religions look strikingly similar.

That'd be my guess, anyway.

[Lordquinton]

3. The only difference is "because I said so"

No one has been able to sufficiently answer why the satanic church, or pastafarinism are not legitimate beliefs, aside from making other religions look bad.