12/17/2009 1:42:00 PM Letter: Let Planning and Zoning know how you feel about statue
Editor:
I wanted to take this opportunity to pass along some facts to my fellow citizens in Cottonwood, Cornville, Sedona and Oak Creek. These facts were extracted directly from the Yavapai County Government website; specifically, the County Assessor's property tax records.
These records are public, so check them out for yourself! Here's some of what I found:
The sculpture park is located on property owned by a company named: Oasis Arabians LLC. Oasis Arabians has a mailing address in Sedona. Oasis Arabians owns at least nine pieces of property in the area, some in Cottonwood. The sculpture garden is situated on three parcels totaling 6.4 acres and is currently valued at approximately $1,830,000. Oasis Arabians paid property tax of $3,022 on these three properties.
The Mago Retreat is located on 160 acres in Yavapai County. The land under the Mago Retreat is owned by a corporation named Tao Fellowship. Tao Fellowship owns at least eight pieces of property in the area totaling approximately 180 acres. They continue to purchase residential land in the county. Their last recorded purchase was two weeks ago. The approximate value of these properties is $9,800,000. Here's the part that really shocked me - the Tao Fellowship pays ZERO property taxes.
This confused me because when I visited the Mago Retreat website, what they are advertising is a luxury resort. The Mago marketing people estimate that over 10,000 people visit their resort each year and generate between $8 million and $10 million a year in sales to tourists from around the world.
Now, I may be a simple man, but I could not understand how this was possible. So, I visited the County Assessor's Office in Cottonwood, and was told that they are not taxed because they have a "religious designation."
I believe that the sculpture garden was placed next to the Catholic Church to help convince us that they are a religion, just like the Catholic Church.
I invite you to call the Cottonwood Planning and Safety Building at 928-634-5505. The office informed me that there will be a public meeting on this issue on Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. to discuss the future of the plastic statue, and hopefully the future of other giant plastic statues in our community.
Peter Nelson
Sedona
Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, January 14, 2010
Article comment by:
ralph lou
Well, it sure doesn't seem like Ms. Mago is bringing very much peace to our area at this time!!! I can "see and get the simple and important message that we keep forgetting in our lives to love respect each other as humans and Mother Earth..." by looking at the natural (not man-made!) beauty of the desert, the red rocks and the greenway of the the Verde River that surrounds us!
Posted: Thursday, January 14, 2010
Article comment by:
alena stankova
Mago Statue should stay for its peaceful purpose. It's purpose is not religious and I am sure that place was chosen not to convince Catholic Church of anything or make some other ppl upset, but place is just perfect for all ppl passing by to see and get a simple but important message we keep forgeting in our lifes: to love, respect each other as a humans and Mother Earth as a source of life.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
A tourist attraction
I think reasonable people can agree that Taoism is a religion, but the management at the Mago Retreat (which is in my neighborhood) told me to my face that they do not practice religion at their luxury resort. In fact, if you go to the Spa Finder website, the Mago Retreat is listed as 'non faith based - open to all'. I assume this is so they will attract more tourists.
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
concerned
The statue is an eyesore and should not be allowed. How did it ever get a conditional permit? Once in place, and with Mayor Joens blessing, how can it ever be torn down? If I tried to erect a statue anything like that I would be turned down flat!
Posted: Friday, December 18, 2009
Article comment by:
P & Z needs to make sure the statue stays right where it is
People should learn the distinction between religion and spirituality. At any rate, what Tao Fellowship and the Mago Earth Park advocate are truly universal principles. How could any reasonable person argue against loving people and loving the Earth? Where, in that philosophy, does it say anything at all about worshiping or serving any one deity, or the supremacy of any one group of people over another. It's time for people to open their eyes.
I hope that more of the people who love the new Mago Earth Park every day will be more vocal (even though, of course, this website is certainly NOT of paramount significance) about how much we all WANT the Mago statue and all the other statues to stay at the Mago Earth Park, and how thankful and happy we are that they are there.
Posted: Friday, December 18, 2009
Article comment by:
John Neville
Two things: 1. Taoism is a religion, but a luxury resort is a luxury resort and should pay taxes. 2. A huge plastic statue does not honor the Earth; it defaces it.
Posted: Friday, December 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Jan Thompson
I didn't like the giant Kokopelli when it went up. Let them have it at their retreat. I vote for it to come down.
Posted: Friday, December 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Richard McCarroll
To. Cottonwood Planning and Zoning.... This Mago Statue MUST GO.
Posted: Thursday, December 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Very Valuable Information
Very valuable information thank you.
Posted: Thursday, December 17, 2009
Article comment by:
It is a religion
TAO, in one form or another, has been a Religion for a very, very long time. At least as long as Catholicism has existed.
