From the Lafayette Journal and Courier:
There might be second thoughts brewing on the West Lafayette City Council about giving a blessing on tax-exempt municipal bonding authority totaling $7 million for a $12 million project Faith Church wants to building on Northwestern Avenue.
Earlier this month, the city council voted 6-1 in favor of at least keeping the idea alive. As a 501(c)3 organization, Faith Ministries’ array of student housing, fitness center, counseling and more would qualify for the tax-exempt bonds, provided it can get the municipality to sign off on it. West Lafayette wouldn’t be on the hook for the Faith West bonds – a point Faith Church officials have been stressing as the project goes from concept to neighborhood meetings to zoning approval to this bonding authority request.
But since that vote on the first Monday in May, there have been growing questions from some in the community. The skepticism, outlined last week during a West Lafayette Economic Development Commission public hearing, came as a mix of those who tend to disagree with at least some part of Faith Church’s ministry (read: the stance on gay/lesbian issues) or who doubt whether a project that will add 17 or 18 jobs will provide the kind of economic development worth the city sanctioning $7 million in bond authority.
There even has been the implied threat of a First Amendment-based, church-state lawsuit if the city signs off on the request on a final vote scheduled for June 4.
Faith Church used similar bonding authority six years ago to build its Faith Community Center east of Lafayette. The Tippecanoe County commissioners gave the OK on that one. For Faith West, quite a sum of interest savings is on the line this time – more than $50,000 a year to start, a church official said, on a 20-year loan.
In Faith West’s corner is Mayor John Dennis, who sees the project as a good way to put a blighted piece of property back to use. Also in the project’s favor is that tax-exempt municipals bond for similar projects have become fairly common. It would be difficult for the West Lafayette City Council to get sucked into a fear of a lawsuit on this one.
The church didn’t help its cause last week when the bond attorney boldly stated that a negative vote would amount to bias against Baptists. That was an unfortunate statement that didn’t help Faith Church’s cause.
But this really comes down to a question of economic development and finally finding a project that fixes a troubled lot. Faith West meets those tests.
http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012305300006&nclick_check=1
Here are links to some earlier posts on this issue:
http://indianapropertytaxreporter.blogspot.com/2012/05/faith-west-bond-issue-continues-to.html
http://indianapropertytaxreporter.blogspot.com/2012/05/west-lafayette-votes-to-issue-bonds-for.html
http://indianapropertytaxreporter.blogspot.com/2012/05/despite-reservations-fort-wayne-city.html
