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Scientology
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PRIAM-AUG. 4,1 992
Now Is The Hour For Change
RICHARD G. ANDICH
For West Bloomfield Township Trustee
HONEST • EXPERIENCED • TRUSTWORTHY
Personal Profile:
• Age 59
• Advocate to be fair to all.
• 17 years resident of West Bloomfield
• President & Owner of Chemical
• B.S. in Public Health, Indiana University
Systems Corp.
School of Medicine
• Jewish - Member of B'nai Israel, Member
• Master's in Public Health on fellowship
of Rock Island, Ill. Hebrew Cemetery
from University of Michigan
Assoc. A committed Jew all my life.
• Yearly sponsor Little League Hockey Team, • Married daughter Stephanie
Lakeland Arena.
residing in Broomfield, Colorado
• Dog Alexis
My Goals:
—To eliminate insensitive antisemitic overtones from the Township Supervisor's office.
—To eliminate political cronyism.
— Fight for special tax incentives for senior citizens with depressed income.
—To eliminate the elected position of the Township supervisor and replace with a
Township superintendent that is appointed by and reports to the Township Board.
—To eliminate the township govenment's wasteful spending of hard earned tax dollars
by exercising very strict budgetary constraints.
— There is a need for sensible environmental controls for West Bloomfield.
"Township should function like a business"-Andich . . . Observer & Eccentric
"I am sensitive to residents — and their problems — and want a 'kinder, and gentler'
township board . . . Richard Andich
To Answer All Your Political Questions Please Call Me At 682-3335
ELECT RICHARD G. ANDICH AS WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE
Together let's clean up West Bloomfield Township Hall
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Richard G. Andich Township Trustee, West Bloomfield, Michigan
UP TO
60%
Off
SPORTS
WEAR!
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elect Group Of Shirts & Ties .
Men's furnishings and accessories
MINT
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30
19011 West Ten Mile Road
Southfield, Michigan 48075
(Between Southfield & Evergreen)
FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1992
313-352-1080
Now through August 1, 1992.
Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Everything always 20%-35% off retail
PARKING AND ENTRANCE IN REAR
Saperstein, co-director of the
Washington-based Religious
Action Center for Reform Ju-
daism. "About 40-50 million
dollars, the government reg-
ulation of religious activity,
the government deciding
what constitutes quid pro quo
and the value of religious is-
sues."
"This decision could seri-
ously impact synagogues,"
said Marc Stern, a lawyer
with the American Jewish
Congress. It could easily dri-
ve away individuals with only
minimal ties to the congrega-
tion, those who regard tax-de-
ductible services, like
membership dues, a neces-
sity, he said.
The case began in 1989
when the Supreme Court
ruled in a 5-2 decision that a
Scientology "spiritual audit"
did not constitute a charita-
ble donation but quid pro quo,
payment for services ren-
dered.
Alexander
Jones,
a
spokesman for the Washing-
ton, D.C., Church of Scientol-
ogy, described spiritual
auditing as pastoral counsel-
ing, "an exact, step-by-step
method" in which an advisor
assists someone during a dif-
ficult time. "It is the central
practice of our religion."
Mr. Jones said church
members make donations for
spiritual auditing, though it
also is available free to those
who cannot afford it.
A number of Jewish groups,
including the National Jew-
ish Community Relations Ad-
visory Council (NJCRAC),
sided with the church in the
1989 case, Robert Hernandez
vs. Commissioner of Internal
Revenue.
After the Supreme Court's
ruling against them, Scien-
tologists challenged the deci-
sion last April in Christopher
L. and Ellen L. Garrison vs.
Commissioner of Internal
Revenue.
In Garrison, the church ar-
gues Scientologists should re-
ceive the same rights granted
other religions.
In most states Scientology
is registered with the IRS as
a tax-exempt church. Found-
ed in 1953 by L. Ron Hub-
bard, the church is "applied
religious philosophy, in 70
countries worldwide, helping
people improve their lives
through spiritual counseling
and through church outreach
programs," according to
church spokesman Susan
Taylor.
In Garrison, Scientology
lawyers said that spiritual au-
diting belongs in the same
category as High Holy Day
seats, which are not consid-
ered quid pro quo.
"The IRS cannot be allowed
to discriminate amongst reli-
gions, but must treat all re-
ligions consistently and
fairly," said Brian Anderson,
vice president of the Church
of Scientology International.
"The IRS's only solution, to
avoid excessive entanglement
into religious matters, is to al-
low members of all faiths to
take deductions for their reli-
gious giving. They have al-
lowed such deductions for
over 70 years and need to con-
tinue that consistency for
everyone."
Spokesmen for the IRS
would not comment on the
case while in litigation.
The issue is further com-
plicated by legislation re-
cently proposed by the Senate
Finance Committee. That leg-
islation would obligate syna-
gogues to make clear, in
writing, to their members ex-
actly which of their services
are tax deductible.
The whole issue of taxation
and religious services would
become "a bookkeeping night-
mare" the AJCongress' Mr.
Scientology lawyers
said that spiritual
auditing belongs in
the same category
as High Holy Day
seats.
Stern said. It's possible syna-
gogues and members would ,-
need to calculate the value of
everything from rabbinic
counseling to congregational
bulletins.
According to IRS regula-
tions, church and synagogue
contributions are tax de--
ductible only if the institution
operates solely for religious
purposes, with no donations
benefiting a particular indi-
vidual.
In recent years, the tax-de-
ductible status of religious in
stitutions — whose collective
assets are said to reach more
than 3 trillion dollars — fre-
quently has been called into
question.
In 1989, Our Lady of the
Roses Wiccan Church was
granted tax-exempt status in
Rhode Island. The controver-
sial decision allowed the
witches' coven to purchase
without paying sales tax such
items as candles and black
robes.
One year earlier, nine pro-
choice groups challenged the
tax-exempt standing of the
Catholic Church. The groups
appealed to the 1 RS to revoke
the church's status on
grounds that its anti-abortion