If Christ Church is approved in Rockaway Township, why does the tax base have to be 100 percent tax free. Why can't the church pay real estate tax on items that are not religious based. With the size of the mega church, I am sure there are parts of the property where this could apply.
Problem is that cc will simply claim that it is all 100% religious based. How do you debate that issue? He will make the rules about his own religosity not RT. Nice to be a church!!! The solution would have been to take the property by ED to protect that tax base. That would have worked and ireland would be looking for a different town to destroy at this point in time.
We will have to wait and see if the town has the guts to tax them. It has been done before and I believe there is at least one other church in town that pays partial property tax on some of its land.
12/15/05 - Posted from the Daily Record newsroom Mega facility not wanted in town To the Editor:
This is in regards to a letter by Ted Doty. To say that the Christ Church congregation is not wanted in Rockaway Township, because of its color is a preposterous statement in this day and age.
The simple truth is that a mega church, school and sanctuary etc. does not belong in any small community such as our, be it white, yellow, black, Hindu or Muslim.
The Highlands Act was made necessary to stop further damage and the size and scope of such undertaking would most likely cause an environmental disaster in the area.
Traffic exiting onto Route 513 from Route 80 and Morris Avenue from Denville is already overburdened.
The way I see it, the only people who would benefit from this type of undertaking would possibly be the Christ Church officials, a few merchants, and about five percent of the township's population.
