" Devine, the Watchtower spokesman, suggested it would be wrong to judge Watchtower by the property taxes it doesn't pay. The group makes huge contributions to the communities where its members live by helping the local economy, he said.
Jehovah’s Witnesses helped the hospitality industry by renting hundreds of hotel rooms to house volunteer construction workers building the world headquarters, Devine said. Those people purchase food and consume local goods.
The construction actactivitycreated 200 to 300 jobs, he said, and the group was hiring buses to transport workers, and buying stone, concrete and steel for the building.
Once the headquarters is complete by the end of 2016, thousands of tourists will come every year and patronize local businesses, he said.
“We have a very large impact on the well-being of the community,” Devine said. “That’s a very tangible way people are being assisted.”
Towns like Warwick and Shawangunk prefer to look at the positive contributions by Watchtower rather than dwell on lost tax revenue.
Warwick Supervisor Mike Sweeton praised Watchtower for helping build two ball fields in the town. He estimated the town saved about $100,000.
Shawangunk Supervisor John Valk said Jehovah’s Witnesses helped the town by building a football field at Galeville Park, a softball field, and two soccer fields. They also did about $100,000 worth of work on the rail trail.
Town Hall’s furniture was donated by Watchtower, and its workers helped demolish Shawangunk’s previous town hall in 2009, Valk said. They wash the new building’s windows and wax the community room floor."
They ...... built a football field, a softball field and two soccer fields....did $100,000 worth of work on a trail...gave the Town Hall furniture...helped demo the previous Town Hall in 2009.... they wash the new Town Hall's windows......they wax the community room floor....??????????????????????????????
I'm sure all those congregations sending their bank accounts to WT will be happy to hear how the money is being used for the worldwide work.