California megachurch kicked off land by city seeking Costco's tax revenue
It sounds like a joke, or some contrived sermon illustration about Christianity versus consumerism. But the town of Cyprus, California, really did vote unanimously to seize 18 acres from megachurch Cottonwood Christian Center so the city could bring in a Costco discount store. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which is representing Cottonwood in its legal fight against the city government, says the action "is an extraordinary … abuse of governmental power and cavalier disregard of basic constitutional rights."

The Cyprus City Council still doesn't get it. "Everybody says 'Gosh, how can you stand up against a church?'" Councilman Tim Keenan tells the Los Angeles Times. "You need to look at this as a land-use issue and take the church out of it. Everyone needs to follow the rules. I don't see why a church needs special treatment."

Even more than that, the council members are setting themselves up as martyrs in the battle. "We've been the object of a nationwide and, frankly, a worldwide propaganda campaign that can only be described as malicious," Keenan told the Los Angeles Times yesterday. "My conscience is clear."

Let's be clear: This is about money. A Costco, the Times says, "can generate as much as $900,0000 in sales tax revenue annually, according to city projections." A tax-exempt church generates none. "Our reasons are to protect the city's vision for Cypress—the creation of jobs and revenue," David Belmer, the city's economic-development director, told The Orange County Register.

Propaganda campaign or not, the case is receiving widespread attention. "An Oklahoma firm recently sent 50,000 glossy mailers lambasting Cypress officials, ...