JaxNative you took the words right out of my mouth. I was going to ask, how many "South Beaches" are there that have a megachurch smack dab in the middle of their downtown district, halting development, and owning about 5 or 6 city blocks of property? I've been to Seattle, Portland, grew up in New York City and Orlando, Richmond, D.C., and a few other large cities. I don't really recall seeing their urban core's development revolve around the agendas of a church. It'd be one thing if they were paying taxes, but of course they are free and clear in that department.
When the government and the citizens of Jacksonville realize that Baptist is a bust for further development in our downtown maybe then we can progress. Until JSO and city officials stop sleeping with the church members, I don't think that is going to happen.
Although I don't like the church myself, there are plenty of people out there that do and I respect that entirely. But they are already getting off tax free. Then what do they do with that saved money? Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't they buy vacant lots, buildings, and parking lots in downtown, purchase those hard-to-comeby liquor licenses, and pay off police and city officials to keep everything in check and hush hush? Can't the city give them some incentive to move their church to a location not so close to the government buildings and the rest of downtown? Hell, I know I'd be willing to allocate tax dollars to get them their own private retreat outside of the urban core. I'm sure we could steal a few dollars we're supposedly "saving" from Trail Ridge and the new courthouse and throw it their way.
