Scientology finally to open Chicago ‘Ideal Org’ — but it’s been soaking locals for a generation
Now that the confetti has settled in Austin, we’re wondering if Scientology is going to hold to its announced schedule and open Ideal Orgs in Mexico City on Friday and Chicago on Sunday.
We’re hoping to have a report from Mexico City soon, but we really don’t know what kind of shape the building there is in.
In Chicago, meanwhile, we’re still mystified at the lack of activity at the Clark Street building. Our most recent photo from our helper, taken Tuesday, still showed no signs of an imminent opening there.
Meanwhile, Val Ross did some digging for us and found some rather astounding facts about this building and Scientology’s stewardship of it.
“They bought that building on April 1, 2006 for $2,750,000, which is $2,034,000 more than it sold for in 2004, just two years earlier,” Val tells us.
It’s true. Records show that the building was sold for $716,000 in 2004 before Scientology paid almost four times as much two years later. (Scientology leader David Miscavige is not bargain hunting when he goes after properties to turn “ideal.”)
And Val sent us records showing that Scientology had to pay $110,550.53 in taxes on the property the first two years. But in the 17 years since then?
Not a dime.
“One of my granddaughters was born 2 months before they bought it. That girl turned 18 a month ago. She’s got 3 months of high school left. They milked the tax exempt status close to a generation before opening the building,” Val says.
Those early tax invoices were sent to the address of the original org that the new building would be replacing, and Val suspects the locals there got stuck with the bill .
It’s pretty incredible that Scientology could let a building in a key downtown location simply rot for so many years (and the city did complain about it), and without paying any taxes, even though there was no “religious” use of the property in that time.
But hey, this is Scientology, and governments seem to have the hardest time looking into this stuff. So Dave has gotten away with owning an unused building tax-free in one of the best cities in the country, and now they get to have a party as he comes to town to christen the place.
Like we said, however, it sure hasn’t looked ready.
Will everything there get done at the last second? We’re hoping to get a new photo later today.
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In 1989, Tax case is filed in US District court in Tampa (IRS v.Church of Scientology Flag Service Org, Inc.), seeking financial records to determine if they've been involved in commercial operations which should be taxed. The inquiry concerns 1985, 1986, and 1987.
* June -- Pinellas County tells the church that if it does not pay its tax bill for 1986, five of its twelve properties in downtown Clearwater will be auctioned to the highest bidders.
It appears that someone(s) who paid 110k for the first 2 years of ownership didn't understand how easy it was to go tax free. Or the city pissed away 884k in taxes over 17 years. Either way, somebody got screwed and the taxpayers of Chi town would seem to be the screwees. I wonder if the new owners can keep the lights on and heat and cool the place? Chi town gets hot and humid in the summer and cold and windy in the winter. I can see much more fundraising in that city's future.