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Guest
PostPosted: Sat, Nov 15 2008, 9:03 pm EST    Post subject: Re: Cranbury Hindu Swami: Free talk at Princeton Seminary Monday Eve

Yes, but when one considers that the alternative could have been signifigant housing and development with more kids, I'll take the property tax loss with a religous facility. Homes don't cover the cost of education and expense, which is why the burden increases on the town's tax rates when major development occurs. Just see WW.
Guest
PostPosted: Sat, Nov 15 2008, 8:27 pm EST    Post subject: Re: Cranbury Hindu Swami: Free talk at Princeton Seminary Monday Eve

Quote:
I don't mind ANY religion. So long as they don't ask me for money!


They may not ask directly, but we subsidize all religious establishments in town (and in the US, for that matter) via the fact that they pay no property taxes on either their buildings or rectories, if they have one. So being, any children of religious leaders who live in town and live in a church/temple-owned house go to school for free, and any building that used to be a privately owned by a citizen, but is now a religious building, does not pay property tax. So any change of hands from non-tax exempt to tax-exempt increases the taxpayers burden. This is true of ALL religious buildings, I'm not pointing the finger at the ashram. (I assume the previous owner was a farmer paying taxes, but I don't know.)
Guest
PostPosted: Sat, Nov 15 2008, 8:04 pm EST    Post subject: Re: Cranbury Hindu Swami: Free talk at Princeton Seminary Monday Eve

The Ashram is welcome member of our community and is a nice neighbor so far

However, my questions are about what exactly is being buit and what it will look like. The original plans called for something that renovated the existing barn so that from the outside it would still fit the farmstead feel of that area which is smack in the middle of one of our largest and most picture-perfect sections of farm land, surrounded by preserved fields. I later heard they were approved the change the plan substantially and build a new structure. Will it still be low key and fit the look of the farmstead?
joe the plumber
PostPosted: Sat, Nov 15 2008, 7:49 pm EST    Post subject: Re: Cranbury Hindu Swami: Free talk at Princeton Seminary Monday Eve

I don't mind ANY religion. So long as they don't ask me for money!
Raymond Bonwell
PostPosted: Sat, Nov 15 2008, 2:59 pm EST    Post subject: Cranbury Hindu Swami: Free talk at Princeton Seminary Monday Eve

As a former Cranbury resident, I realize the plans to build a Hindu Ashram on Cranbury Neck Road raises questions about Hinduism.

Princeton Theological Seminary is hosting a series of "Conversations on World Religions in America", starting with Hinduism, this Monday, November 17 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Erdman Center (20 Library Place). There is plenty of free parking in the Seminary's library lot.

These conversations are open to the public at no charge.

The first speaker is Swami Shantananda of the Chinmaya Vrindavan Ashram in Cranbury, NJ.

More information, including how to register, is available online at http://www.ptsem.edu/ce/worldreligions.php.

In the spirit of the United Nation's "Culture of Peace" gathering, you are welcome to learn more about, and ask questions to, our neighbors.

Regards,
Rev. Raymond Bonwell
Director of Program, Erdman Center