Cradle of Liberty council sues Philadelphia

[Merlyn_LeRoy]

 

I don't think they have a chance of winning; they're saying that the city, by not giving them subsidized rent, is infringing on their first amendment rights:

http://www.bsalegal.org/downloads/Cradle_of_Liberty_v_Philadelphia.pdf

 

[scoutldr]

It's also alleging disparate treatment. If you're going to discriminate, at least do it to all who are similarly situated.

[skeptic]

They actually claim unfair enrichment and exhorbitant rent request based on the history of the building and its maintenance for the first, and the fact that apparently no other building in the city business environment has that high of square foot rental charges.

According to "scouts-L" National has already indicated support of the suite.

 

 

[Merlyn_LeRoy]

Their examples of other organizations that limit membership or services to particular groups is pretty poor. One is a home for seniors (the government can discriminate on the basis of age; it can't on the basis of religion). One looks like a bogus example (Women for Greater Philadelphia says their membership is open to anyone, and their newsletter welcomes a new member "Carl Nittinger"). The Colonial Dames of America restricts their membership to women who are descendants of people who held leadership positions in the original 13 colonies, but the only Philadelphia property they list is a national historic landmark building that's a museum which is open to the public, so I don't see any problem with a free lease (and I'd bet that lease would end if the CD of A decided to use the building for their HQ and stopped allowing the public to tour it as a museum). I couldn't find any information about the church in Pennypacker Park.

 

I don't know about building rental rates, but the BSA admits that they spend $60,000 a year on maintenance, so $200,000 a year for rent doesn't sound out of line. In any case, it's irrelevant. If the city can't lease it at that rate and come up with a lower rate, the BSA will be able to lease it at the lower rate just like any other potential tenant.

 

[Gold Winger]

"the government can discriminate on the basis of age"

 

Interesting, I can't discrinate on the basis of age but the government can. I guess that just goes along with the basic idea of American government that we only have to follow the rules that we want to follow.

 

" newsletter welcomes a new member "Carl Nittinger" "

 

Does the newsletter state that this person is a man?

(This message has been edited by Gold Winger)

[Merlyn_LeRoy]

Gold Winger asks:

Does the newsletter state that this person is a man?

 

Who claimed he was? Maybe he's a big deer. (This message has been edited by a staff member.)