Judge sides with ark-building group on tax incentive

[doggie]

 

right this has a secular side too sure it does and they will hire secular people too sure they will.

http://bigstory.ap.org/urn:publicid:ap.org:88ab94c9af864c5ba35b7f67c0e8602a

Quote

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A religious group building a massive Noah's Ark tourist attraction in Kentucky has won a legal battle over the state's withdrawal of a potential tax incentive worth millions.

A federal judge ruled Monday that Kentucky officials violated the ark builders' First Amendment protections by blocking it from the sales tax tourism incentive that could have been worth up to $18 million.

The Ark Encounter, being built by Christian group Answers in Genesis, is due to open in July.

U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove ruled the state's Tourism Cabinet cannot exclude the ark attraction from the incentive based on its "religious purpose and message." The state initially celebrated the project but reversed course in late 2014.

Answers in Genesis founder Ken Ham says the ruling is a "victory for the free exercise of religion in this country."

"The state gave us no choice but to bring this legal action," Ham said in a release Monday night. "We, along with our attorneys, tried for many months to show these officials why their actions were blatantly violating our rights under the federal and state constitutions."

State tourism officials, under former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, said they chose to block the $90 million attraction from the incentive in late 2014 after seeing statements from website postings and investor meetings that indicated the park would "be an extension of (Answers in Genesis') ministry."

Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, who took office in December, has said that he supports tax incentives for the project.

Answers in Genesis filed the federal lawsuit in February.

Lawyers for the group argued in a court hearing in July that they should not face different treatment for the incentive just because the attraction would have religious themes. They asked the court to grant a temporary injunction against the state.

Van Tatenhove agreed, writing in the Monday ruling that because the tourism incentive "is neutral, has a secular purpose, and does not grant preferential treatment to anyone based on religion, allowing (Answers in Genesis) to participate along with the secular applicants cannot be viewed as acting with the predominant purpose of advancing religion."

 

[HereticHick]

I am still hoping that some fundy couple we follow decides to have a destination wedding at the Ark when it opens.

[doggie]

2 hours ago, HereticHick said:

I am still hoping that some fundy couple we follow decides to have a destination wedding at the Ark when it opens.

rutting with the animals just like in the bible

[gustava]

Shit.

[HereticHick]

Nathan Bates, please make this happen!

[warriorblade8857]

I thought the group had stated somewhere (on a blog or website or press release?) that they will only be hiring Christians to work at the Ark Encounter. The tax break was blocked due to potential discriminatory hiring practices.

[doggie]

I thought the group had stated somewhere (on a blog or website or press release?) that they will only be hiring Christians to work at the Ark Encounter. The tax break was blocked due to potential discriminatory hiring practices.

Yes it was but no problem lying for jesus. Kentucky said they won't fight it.