The ship, which will features an animatronic Noah and lifelike models of animals including bears, giraffes and even dinosaurs, will be the center piece of the Ark Encounter theme park, which is scheduled to open July 7 in Williamstown
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3663211/If-build-come-Huge-100m-life-size-Noah-s-Ark-complete-baby-dinosaurs-aboard-prepares-finally-open-Kentucky-s-newest-tourist-attraction.html#ixzz4CqVW8QP0 Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
It was constructed by Amish woodworkers with donations, junk bonds and tax rebates from the state of Kentucky.Kentucky later tried to claw back its rebates after learning that Ham would require employees at the park to sign a 'statement of faith' that would exclude people who were gay or did not accept his particular Christian creed.Ham, originally from Australia, took the state to court and in January, he won.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3663211/If-build-come-Huge-100m-life-size-Noah-s-Ark-complete-baby-dinosaurs-aboard-prepares-finally-open-Kentucky-s-newest-tourist-attraction.html#ixzz4CqVbHuso Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Discrimination against gays: bad. Punishment of taxpayers: good.
The theory is that a partial rebate on sales taxes paid at a new tourist attraction will stimulate a net increase in government revenue. Even with the rebate, Kentucky gets more tax revenue than if the attraction had been built in Ohio. You can argue about whether such a rebate plan is a good idea, but excluding an organization from a tax incentive simply because it adheres to a certain religious creed violates the First Amendment.
ReplyDeleteBut the real problem with asking whether this is a good use of "government money" is the implied notion that revenue inherently belongs to the government. Money belongs to those who earn it, and letting them keep it does not constitute government spending.