Tacoma Dome Parking Scandal

by VM44 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  VM44

  Remember the Tacoma Dome Parking Scandal?
  

  It was reported a few years ago that the WT would charge witnesses for parking at the Tacoma Dome even though the contract with the Dome stated that no parking charges were to be made. Of course the people in the Kingdom Halls were not told that, only reminded to be sure to pay for their Parking!

  A local paper exposed the whole thing.

  This deception shows that the WT really does not think much of its people!

  Did anything come from this scandal? I hope it is not another in a long line of incidents that will be swepted under the rug!

  --VM44

  P.S. I believe the person DF'd over this is the Dad of a poster to JWD!

  From http://www.macgregorministries.org/nvweb/oct00.html

  Tacoma Parking Scandal

  Tacoma citizens found out the Jehovah's Witnesses were ripping them off for parking fees.

  Apparently, the Watchtower Society's contract with Tacoma Dome specifically states that the Watchtower Society cannot charge for parking. Not only were Jehovah's Witnesses told at their assembly halls that to not pay a parking "contribution" would be a sin, they went on to make a "per-day suggested parking contribution". A ticket could be acquired in advance for all three days. Pardon?? A ticket for a voluntary contribution? What gives?

  Parking volunteers were given a letter which stated in part, "...Parking Department attendants should be on hand in full force when the lots open each morning. Otherwise delegates park and do not contribute, which is unfair to those who come later and make a contribution".

  With over 10,000 attending, the Watchtower Society collects over $120,000 in "donations" from parking. This is all money that would have gone into the local economy had the parking been handled by the City as usual. Score one for the dishonest WT Society who once again skimmed off money on their phony "donation" scheme and didn't pay one cent in tax! When will the governments wise up to them? The JW whose conscience prompted him to question this dishonest practice has been disfellowshipped and his family will no longer speak to him.

  A Watchtower devotee who gave 50% of his stock to the WT Society put them in the embarrassing position of partly owing a "Bomb" parts Factory! Greedy is as greedy does! The WT Society is really all about money! Bye for now,
• 

  VM44

  Two links about the parking scam found using Google:

  "No Free Parking for Jehovah's Witnesses"

  http://www.pfo.org/freepark.htm

  "Stealing The Collection Plate", the newspaper article revealing the scam

  http://www.watchtowernews.org/tacomapark.htm

  --VM44
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  Mulan

  Yes.................VeniceIT. Her Dad wasn't df'd over this issue, but he is the one who broke it to the newspapers.
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  happy man

  This is very unbelevebel, I have been on hundreds assambleys and never have to pay anything ore the parking, this must be some sort of special arrangment, beacause why have we not this system all over if it was money involvd???
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  SYN

  Happy Man: The answer is, different groups of high-ranking Dubs were involved. $120,000 is a large sum of money, and it's absolutely no surprise that the Tower made an effort to collect it.

  But hey, they did it for Jehover, so that's OK!
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  Gadget

  From what I remember, in the UK it was only the district assemblies where charges were made for parking. So it would be possible to go to many assemblies without having to pay. The last da I was at there was a 'suggested contribution' for when you received your parking ticket, and they checked for your ticket before they let you in the car park. Except I went on my motorbike and just rode past the people checking and parked right next to the main entrance.
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  ball.

  Gadget, us bikers park everywhere like that, don't the game away!

  (just heading off to Tesco to park by the main entrance)
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  nobody told me

  I remember thinking it was strange to "pay" for parking tickets at a District convention at Amherst Ma.(Mullins center) years ago. Especially since the parking lot was mostly dirt and it was quite a hike.
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  Hapgood

  The DA assembly that we went to last year we didn't need a parking ticket to park our car . I questioned my hubby about this as to why we didn't need a ticket. He just told me that it was "suggested" that an extra donation be made for parking along with our regular donations that were made for the assembly expenses. Another words, just drop more money into the contribution boxes. All in the name of simplification :-)

  Hapgood
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  DIM

  I've never been to the DA out here, but I remember when we went to Veterans Stadium in Philly that you had to buy your tickets in advance, then your tickets would come in....although I think Philadelphia made the JW's use city employees for parking, so I don't believe it was a scandal.