Here is the Miami Org tax bill on their “ideal org” building that awaits renovation.
Last year they paid upwards of $200,000 and were refunded $70,000 due to reevaluation of the appraisal.
The current tax bill for 2013 is $140,000.
This is a building that is making NOTHING. I believe it was purchased in May 2012. The only use it is being put to is holding “Ideal Org fundraisers” (probably not even raising enough to cover the taxes they are incurring).
You will also note on the tax bill that the “legal name” is the Church of Scientology of Florida. Thus, the local church is responsible for the taxes, and only when it has been fully renovated and occupied does the “mother church” take ownership of the property and become “on the hook” for anything.
The Ideal Org scam rolls on….
Buy into the dream, live the nightmare!
“there’s none so blind as them who will not see” George Nunn.
This describes Monique and Marty Rathbun:
Mike, DM believes that the reason no one comes to these “Ideal Orgs” is that we didn’t give enough to the IAS so the social programs they promote would fill them up!!!! It’s all
your fault. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
Wow!
Looks like it’s time for another IAS “loan” to save face, Auckland-style.
These “loans” are going to start piling up quick.
Who’s paying the bill? If CSI central is paying the bill, why did they let the Tucson Mission go under? $11,000 (one months’ tax for Miami) would have kept Tucson Mission open for another year!
http://possiblyhelpfuladvice.com/?p=16160
“Funny, I never read anything Marty said where he claimed to be “an LRH”. You certainly can believe anything you want, but I don’t tend to cotton too well to those who take potshots at him or my other friends. Especially when it is gratuitous. Dont have time to debate with you the position that EVERYTHING about psychiatry is evil. That is an impossible position to support — but it is what every fundamentalist Scientologist is taught to believe.”
That was just school yard taunting. No big deal.
I’ve read all his books, and am reading them again. I’ve watched every youtube I could on the guy. You and Marty’s “fishing” conversations are a “must see”
Every one on this blog should read “The Scientology Reformation”.
OT3 and above (yes, I’m old school):
“What Is Wrong With Scientology?” Fantasic. His description of the grades are better than anything the church put out.
and his Masterpiece, a book I cannot praise enough: “Memoirs of a Scientology Warrior.” I’m going to read it again, and again, and again.
Scientolgy ended in 1986 when The OLD MAN died. A few years ago, I came back and gave Davy boy’s stuff a shot but found it lacking.
I’m sorry if I offened, My Friend. I’ll try and keep my school yard antics to a minimum
9/11 Psychs did it ! I didn’t know Mike
I believe they are getting orders from Farsec.
I don’t think they are far wrong, I thought it was well presented.
Just because Miscavge is a psycho and and the church is dead, does not mean everything about scientlogy was corrupt. CCHR used to one tough group, Now they are used as IAS fund-making prop while their members stuggle to get by on their own money or what ever crumbs they can beg off the public.
Just because I left the church does not mean I have view 180 degrees to theirs.
Psychiatry is one bloody handed profession (Yeah I’ve read all of Rathburn’s bullshit about “us against them” mindset and how Hubbard’s ethics is wrong, etc. etc etc. “Hay Marty: Miscavage ain’t no LRH and neither are you”.)
Check out “Jolly West” or “MK-Ultra” from non-scientological sources and tell me you want to jump in bed those those bastards
Funny, I never read anything Marty said where he claimed to be “an LRH”. You certainly can believe anything you want, but I don’t tend to cotton too well to those who take potshots at him or my other friends. Especially when it is gratuitous. Dont have time to debate with you the position that EVERYTHING about psychiatry is evil. That is an impossible position to support — but it is what every fundamentalist Scientologist is taught to believe.
Believe it or not, this is exactly how Hitler set Germany up to lose the war. They just ran out of money. He burdened the army with maintenance of the conquests. Every area he took over he pillaged to feed his own machine, until resources ran out. They actually lost the war because they went broke. Deep in trenches, the Americans felt so sorry for the German soldiers in their trenches, half starved to death, at night the Americans would throw cans of food across into the German trenches just so the soldiers facing them didn’t starve to death in their trenches. Hitler set EVERYONE up for losses. Just like David Miscavige is doing right now.
In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy tells Charlie Brown:
“I have examined my life and found it to be without flaw. Therefore, I’m going to hold a ceremony and present myself with a medal. I will then give a moving acceptance speech. After that, I’ll greet myself in the receiving line.” She then says, “When you’re perfect, you have to do everything yourself.”
It sounds like DM.
(Laugh !!)
My dad was king of the jack-mormons. He donated a book to the library about the “Mountain Meadow Massacre”; There’s monument up there now commemorating it.(I about got ran off the road by a wild turkey that flew in front of my truck the last time I there.)
Jack- mormon
“A person who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but seldom or never practices their religion. Jack Mormons usually support the goals and beliefs of the church and maintain friendships with practicing Mormons, but for reasons of their own choose not to attend church
Did not know this term…thanks
Slightly off-topic…but, anyone out know the whereabouts of Fred Figueroa, of the Miami Org? Lost touch ages ago, don’t know if he’s out or in.
Thanks.
StatPush
He’s out somewhere on the west coast of Florida- was once in the Tampa area but I think moved further away. I met his brother at Flag some 5 yrs ago.
As for in or out – I recall after meeting his brother, either via him or someone else, I heard that Fred’s wife, once the Miami Qual Sec was going to school to become a psychologist! She was also a Cl IV auditor.
Thanks Starman. Geez, a psychologist? Hmm…don’t know if that’s in the Ethics Codes. Oops.
Actually, Transpersonal Psychology seems like a valid area of study and practice for a trained auditor to go mainstream.
See https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=cr&ei=sRvrUqPALMSolQXd9IHYAg#q=transpersonal+psychology
Goblimey, it’s a booby-trap!
Waste. Just like David Miscavige.
Mike, I am trying to understand all this and am not a realtor or legal expert. If the owner is Church of Scn of Florida, wouldn’t that mean that they are responsible for taxes too? How is it that they don’t have to pay taxes or fines for unoccupancy but then only take over when it is occupied and only then pay for stuff. Who pays in the beginning before they take over? Just whales?
C of S of Florida is responsible. When the building opens then they will transfer it to CSRT or CSI or some other entity controlled by the “mother church.” Until then the liability rests with C of S Florida.
If what Mike says is right, then it’s different than how the Phoenix Idle Org was acquired and renovated. Phoenix’s Idle org building was acquired in a sneak move by a Scientologist-owned California real estate investment company, then was “sold” to the Int Landlord for $1.
An IAS “grant” was used to repay the California real estate investment company.
All the Idle Org “donations” were gifted to the IAS who actually paid for the building and the renos. THE WEEK BEFORE THE PHOENIX ORG’S GRAND OPENING, THE INT LANDLORD (“BUILDING MANAGEMENT SERVICES”) DID A “QUIT CLAIM” TO THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY OF ARIZONA, thus turning the deed over the the “board” of cowed OT8s operating the “church” of Scientology of Arizona.
The tax bills, insurance, and utilities are all the problem of the “church” of Scientology of Arizona these days.
At least on paper.
http://possiblyhelpfuladvice.com/?p=11816
http://possiblyhelpfuladvice.com/?p=13445
What I don’t get is why a tax-exempt organization is paying property tax. All it takes is sending the IRS exemption letter to the Assessor’s office. And if they get cheeky about it, there’s plenty of legal precedent on the books to support property tax exemption. Am I missing something here, or is OSA too busy chasing shadows and conducting cover-ups to do its actual job?
All these problems come about for two reasons. 1. David Miscavige must personally approve everything of any consequence in Scientology, and he is notorious for delays of 3 or 6 months on even the most banal of decisions.This puts everything in slow motion. 2. David Miscagive operates on the greatest good for the greatest degree of pressure and manipulation.
It is facinating to examine David Miscagive logic compared to normal business activities. For example David Miscavige logic goes like this. “Sir, we have the money for the building but not the money to renovate”. DM “Buy it! It will force those c***$****ers to come up with the rest of the money”. In his mind, a building standing empty is great because it ups the pressure on the already exhausted local field for more cash. So we look and see a white elephant that no logical person in their right mind would dream of creating or condoning. David Mis-gag-ige looks at the same building and sees a massive asset that he can grab at any time, that also puts massive pressure on the local area to cough more money.
So in David Miscaviges mind, this is pure genius. It is only to the outside world that this looks like insanity.
Insanity or genius depends entirely from which direction you are looking in this instance. Because it is true. If you could go back to 1984 and tell someone that over the next 30 years Scientologists would donate several billion dollars to various “causes and programs” and there would be no accountability of any kind, that the money would just go to the control of one man (not LRH’s control) – people would laugh.
From David Miscavige’s perspective what he has done IS genius. It has of course burned up all the accumulated good-will and energy that LRH devoted a lifetime to accumulating. It has left the Scientology religion an empty shell. But by god who could imagine that you could squeeze that much money from so few people.
All the things that bloggers comment on as completely insanse and abusive, when you look at them in terms of greatest good for the greatest degree of pressure and manipulation, well then they make perfect sense.
I agree, it’s utterly genius, amazing and nearly unbelievable this scam is still running 30 years later. But I’m also reasonably sure it’s almost game-over at this point.
“It has of course burned up all the accumulated good-will and energy that LRH devoted a lifetime to accumulating.”
And you still can’t get a puff out of the cigarette. Anybody got a match? The “accumulated good-will and energy” like, for only one thing, infiltrating the Federal Government? Holy Moly, I’m speechless! The good-will L Ron built up with the medical profession?
Those who infiltrated the Federal Government to exposed COINTELPRO criminality back in the day are now finally being recognized as heroes – at least some of them. See http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_amazing_true_story_of_8_ordinary_americans_who_blew_the_lid_off_governm
Holy crap! I wonder if they’re even raking in 140K in ideal org donations a YEAR. Didn’t they only pull in 10K for the last quarter (per their quarterly report)? One step forward, two steps backward.
“Maybe DM really is a Marcabian sent in to destroy Scientology.” Well he certainly is doing a good job of it. I recall how the Orgs were often located in old buildings that had worn carpet and peeling paint and the course rooms were PACKED. (pre-1983) Any one around long enough can see Scientology has been on a long long road downwards. Well done Miscavige for putting the nail in the coffin with GAT II.
I don’t know.
I’d say, one day when there’s a big big earthquake, like in the next 20 or so years, that the Int Base will be shook to the ground, and they’ll have to find a “new” Int Base locale, so Miami just might long range be a good place to go relocate the Int Base!
With the billions stached, in the foreign bank accounts, for Sea Org reserves and the Hubbard Trust money, and IAS money, that money is the ace in the hole get out of town free card, for corporate Scientology at the top.
Not unless in the years or decades in the future, only if the Feds really nail Scientology, or the IRS changes Scientology’s tax exempt status, this cult is corporately bullet proof even beyond this terror reign of incompetence of David Miscavige their tyrant idiot non leader leader.
Long range, I think mother nature in the form of an earthquake, will ruin all the cult buildings at Int, since it’s known that Gilman Hot Springs is on a fault line.
I’m placing my bets on mother nature, to deal corporate Scientology a setback blow, that some day, this or next century, mother nature will do a tidy smack down of this corporate behemoth that Scientology’s become.
I think wasting money on big buildings in major cities, is sort of a good longer range planning, since then those buildings could be “taken over” in a pinch, like if and when a massive earthquake again hits Gilman Hot Springs, and forces “top management” to mass move to one or another nice big empty building in a major city.
Chuck, although your idea is very possible, I think he’ll be too physically ill to make it 20 more years. His “thinking” will be altered even further and his “reasoning” will become even more psycho due to the self-medicating and the phenomena of not getting any products for the money one has—remember the fate of the minds of the idle rich. He is truly idle even though he promotes how hard he works. He only works on what he wants to work on, which is setting up new ways to take the people around him down. And all the people still shelling out money are making this personal downfall possible.
Whichever way it will go, it sure does seem to be speeding up! The exposure of this kind of info on this blog is one torpedo after another into the dishonesty and the little skinny toothpicks that still hold up the scam.
I think families of staff and sea org members should start planning how to get their family members back home and adapted back into real life. The great majority of them won’t be able to pay for their transportation or probably even any food on their journey back to you. They will need a lot of help and love and compassion.
Yes Gato, I agree. We should start planning how to help the “war refuges” or “concentration camp refuges” because that is what many of them will be like. Their minds and cases will be in bad shape. I think just providing them a safe space to rest, destimulate in and get good nutrition and sleep in would be first order of business. And we treat them all as a kind of a PAB 6 case, as if they’d gone Type III, when they haven’t, but it would benefit them anyway. The big next hurdle would be to find jobs so they could exchange with society and get on their feet. That one may be the more difficult hurdle in this economy.
Good idea.
Great posts.
This is probably too, terribly true Gato. We are never-ins but I’d open my place to a defector if they needed refuge, food or money to get home. As a never-in, they’d probably never take someone like me up on this offer, but there you have it.
As an aside, I live in Manhattan and the gradiose Org building in Mid-town is usually a ghost town, really. I cannot imagine what they are paying to be there. I live in a fairly run-down doorman building near lower East Harlem and it costs a bloody fortune to live here. Can’t imagine what a great building such as they have, costs. I need to be paying the Harlem Org some visits.
Yes, now is the time to start preparing for the end of the C of S and it’s collateral damage. ARC and compassion will be very much in demand.
I can see people in remote locations just being abandoned in place.
I watched the tax rolls for the Ideal Org property in San Diego. They had at least 2 payments of 5 figures annually. Plus the place had lots of open space and needed mowing, and the property was an attractive nuisance. I have pix of a bmx bike ramp out in the back 40. Guess they’re lucky nobody got injured there.
I think they had this property for a grand total of 3 years, maybe 4, I don’t remember. I do remember that the balance they needed was provided by Moby Duggan, the great white whale. But he did not provide them with the money needed to pay the taxes on the property.
Imagine my surprise when a ‘for sale’ sign went up…it’s now been sold for what they paid, $9 million and change, and will be developed into residential property. The neighbors are relieved.
I expect Mighty Miami to follow in Super San Diego’s footsteps eventually. They can’t possibly keep up that money flow without help.
Xenubarb,
I would imagine that has been quite blow to the local SD Scientologists. Do you have any data on what happens with the funds from the sale? Is there talk of buying a smaller space instead?
Sounds like a scenario that will be repeating for many who can’t support the completely illogical practice of supporting an empty building that accrues huge real estate taxes while raising millions for expensive renovations and purchasing testing centers.
Did Moby Duggan (the whale) ever get any of his money back?
The building their in on 4th ave is paid for before the La Mesa property was purchased. Last plan I saw was to convert the parking into the Div.6 F.A.R.T. area thus eliminating what little parking there was. No one in that org would dare question dear leader if they want to stay in good standing. You would think that with the $$$ from the sale of the other buildings that there would be enough for the renovations? It’s really fucking sad. There are a lot of good people letting themselves get screwed continuously in this scam.
Quite a clever scheme/scam – “How to Get Rich Buying Real Estate for CASH, Using Other People’s Money” – By Captain David Miscavige, “Black Heart” Leader of the Church of Scientology!!
This is happening in other Cities across the Globe for the “Ideal Org Scam” of Scientology.
Buildings sitting vacant since 2007, taxes owed due to “no occupancy” and parishoner’s on the hook for the tax bills, utilities, maintenance, fines etc.
The Church of Scientology will not take any responsibility for these properties – but they will take the money when the buildings are sold due to failure to raise funds for renovations.
I believe there will be a whole new slew of lawsuits hitting the fan in our near future for this fraudulent scam!
Do a little research of “Money Laundering” – seems to fit the description here with the Ideal Org Scam:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&ved=0CDwQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Flegal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com%2FMoney%2BLaundering&ei=ZdznUqHWMoW-sQSf74HYBw&usg=AFQjCNGJCvMSAIVVH3LFRTmsvNNRmQkHig&sig2=ndttpr2Mw3dpyP4rOja5Lw&bvm=bv.59930103,d.cWc
I would love to see the big donators band together, and sue to gain ownership of these buildings. It might be easier before the renos. Then indie Scn could use them if they wish, to provide a location where real Scn could occur.
By saddling every org with tax bill such as this one for Miami (“make EVERY org Ideal!”), when DM finally blows to Columbia, taking all control of Sea Org Reserves and IAS funds with him, the resulting destruction of the Church through financial ruin will be fait acompli.
The grim joke is that DM also caused the financial ruin of individual parishioners by coercing them to take on huge personal debt in order to purchase these expensive buildings, buildings that will become the very means used to destroy the church.
Maybe DM really is a Marcabian sent in to destroy Scientology.
What an incredibly precise post, JD! You hit the nail on the head!
Read “Mission Earth”. It’s the Old Man’s last book. The “church” in it’s Victorian mindset sure as hell aren’t going to promote it, It is downright raunchy. (And funny as hell).
That book(s) can be read on many, many levels. I finally figured out who “Jettero Heller” really is.
(Five bucks for Kindle. You might be able to find used hardcover for less. And use Mike’s Amazon button at the top of the page.)
Love that JD. And as I think of it, weren’t Marcabians short in stature? And they typically had a slightly asymmetrical face, with the left side of the smile being weaker so it looked like a half-sneer. Plus, their inability with some languages, like English, led them to always used speech writers, since they could read really well, but couldn’t really get their thoughts down in English — a language that was really a branch of Proto-Marcabian derived from the Venusian operas of some millions of years ago. That dialect was laden with phrases like, “and even more, and beyond that, and besides that, and if that were not enough” — the Venusians were full of hot air and hyperbole. (That’s why Venus heated up in runaway greenhouse effect and turned into a frying pan.)
So the real plot is to front a Marcabian buy up of Earth real estate — invade economically, not with force.
Who is in Charge ? would be my first words.
This building is headed for “RED Tagged” and Tax Lien Sale.
That’s my second comment.
They could rent out the first floor for public events and turn a profit.
Churchies could move into a corner office on the top floor and still have room.
But if the real purpose is to ruin generally rational people , OOPS.
Find some MORMONS to run the place( serious advice,not joking)
Make them take David Miscavige in exchange for a bail of cleaning rags .( Bonus free serious advice)
That’s hilarious Jose….but I am afraid Dave would blow it with the Mormons in the first five minutes by exclaiming, “ Fuuuuuuuuck Brigham Young! The only really leader you cocksuckers ever had was William H. Dane who had the good sense to order the massacre of 120 men, women and children out at Mountain Meadows, Utah. Now there is a guy who understands what fair gaming is really all about!”
Word. (sadly)
Kristi
Scientology’s financial planning is nonexistent. Those in charge of it are uneducated fools. They are guilty of fiduciary malpractice.
Interesting that you mention fiduciary malfeasance…….I wonder if those members of the “Board” realize that they can be held personally liable for any breach of fiduciary duty. I am mostly referring to the Garcia case here. As we all know, there is no true Board of Directors for any Co$ entity, however, four or five fools are going to sign affidavits attesting to the fact that they are directors in order to protect cob. And, if it malfeasance, fraud, etc are found (again this is for Garcia), those nitwits will be liable.
I wonder how much jail time and/or fines will it take for someone to actually tell the truth? Is everyone willing to bankrupt themselves financially and morally in order forDavid Miscavige to have three meal choices for his 5 small meals per day?
At least in prison they’d probably have access to the Internet.
Well said, DollarMorgue. In prison, they’ll have freedom, ironically. The Apostle Paul said that he was ‘”.. an ambassador in chains…”‘, so some truly believing Scientologists may someday find themselves. But at least they can *think* freely from prison.
Once in prison, they could decompress, and get help with the Stockholm syndrome. (it is one way out of the hole)
Or, they could start their own Criminon chapter. (just kidding)
“Uneducated Fools,” is the norm for the cult. Nobody really knows what they’re doing.
Exactly. If such blatant breaches of fiduciary responsibility aren’t grounds for a class action for removal of top management and refund of all scammed donations to everyone similarly situated, I don’t know what is. Aren’t there some enterprising public interest attorneys out there willing to make a small fortune in contingency fees?
Good points.
Un-fuckin-believable… (well, quite believable actually)
I concur 🙂
wow! That’s well over $11,000/month in property taxes alone. I assume they have some utilities turned on there if they are holding events? And all of this for a building that is not even delivering.
I would be interested to know if the money they got refunded was set back aside to go toward this tax bill, or if it got put into the weekly income figure and is now spent.
Wow? Are they going to afford that, or are we seeing the slow bleeding to death of the local scene?
I can has foreclosure?
Right?! Major ouch!!
It’s a large building. 7500 sq.m. or 82,000 sq ft. Plus all of that parking. It doesn’t have that old stone look that they seem to like best, but that has to be difficult to find in Miami.