LDS Church ranch making big impact in Florida

KSL.com ^ | May 18, 2011 | John Hollenhorst

[OldNewYork]

Very interesting; thanks for sharing local knowledge.

[JerseyHighlander]

Not quite true, Deseret Ranch LLC and “the Church” has forced the area to remain unincorporated for much of the last 20 years, significantly reducing the value of adjacent land as there are almost no municipal services.

The whole ranch will some day become a metroplex (with upwards of a half millino residents) according to the State of Florida master plan called Project 2060. Figure 6 on page 15:
http://www.1000friendsofflorida.org/PUBS/2060/Florida-2060-Report-Final.pdf

That plan was made during the peak of the RRE bubble... however the Deseret Ranch LLC was/is on board eventually turning the ranch into MCsuburbia.

[NonValueAdded]

Brevard County, Florida "192" ping.

Let me know if you want on or off this ping list.
(not associated with the county government)

[NonValueAdded]

Rather than pumping precious groundwater, ranch managers capture and use surface water almost entirely. The ranch is currently battling a lawsuit that's aimed at turning over some of that water to surrounding communities.

Interesting conundrum. Sounds like they are interfering with watershed replenishment but are doing so in lieu of drawing from the watershed.

[OldNewYork]

“Although the LDS church is a tax-exempt organization, its for-profit entities generate “unrelated business income” that is subject to federal, state, and local income and other taxes.”

Thanks for the information. If that’s true, it lessens the outrage, but still leaves me with many questions about them.

[Elsie]

“highly frowned upon son for outsiders to come here snooping around”.

[3D-JOY]

It seems all the land from the power lines along I95 all the way to St. Cloud is in this parcel.

When they bought the land no one wanted it and it was largely swamp. They escavated and drained it before all the environmental controls we now have went into effect. ( Disney did much the same thing and is a city in control of their own standards.)

Large squares where the cattle are held have no fences and animals are moved with portable bridges when necessary. (Cowboys in trucks can be seen from the main highway.)

They purchase locally and their people support our local businesses when they shop. It is not all bad, but secretive.

Do not let your hot air balloon cross into their property when landing. You will have to walk in and carry it all out! We were warned and made a fast and wet landing to avoid it one time!

For those reading and not familiar with this area...this is bordered by the new city of Viera. Central Brevard and soon to be the largest community in the county.

[Vigilanteman]

Who do you think you are?

Trying to counter the caterwauling of libtard lynch mobs with facts!

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***...Now that’s a real healthy physical and spiritual mission field for the Mormons!***

Just curious, but do the Mormons still require city Mormon teens to “volunteer” to do a day’s hard labor on the church owned lands?

[MARTIAL MONK]

The Church does own a number of farm properties. As you know, we have some welfare properties whose produce is used to supply food for the needy. These are operated strictly for charitable purposes and legally qualify for tax-exempt status.

Then we have some commercial farm properties. I spoke earlier of the reserves of the Church. Prudent management requires that this money be put to use. In that process, we have purchased and hold some good, productive farms. They are well operated under capable management, and they yield a conservative rate of return. We have felt that good farms, over a long period, represent a safe investment where the assets of the Church may be preserved and enhanced, while at the same time they are available as an agricultural resource to feed people should there come a time of need.

Again, all such commercial properties are taxed under the government entities where they are located. Not only do they pay property taxes, but also income taxes on any profits. So it is with all of the commercial operations of the Church.

This was from Gordon Hinkley in 1991.

FWIW farmers and ranchers like these enterprises. Good neighbors and properties are kept up. A phone call to them in times of distress will garner more volunteers than you could ever use.

[Colofornian]

“Although the LDS church is a tax-exempt organization, its for-profit entities generate “unrelated business income” that is subject to federal, state, and local income and other taxes.” [Oremites]

Sort of puts to the lie your contention... [Vigilanteman]

Thanks for the information. If that’s true, it lessens the outrage... [OldNewYork]

These are operated strictly for charitable purposes and legally qualify for tax-exempt status....Again, all such commercial properties are taxed under the government entities where they are located. [MartialMonk, quoting Hinckley the "prophet"]

Some of Lds' ranches & ag properties are indeed tax-exempt as Martial Monk, citing the Lds "prophet" indicated. Others are not.

It doesn't change what I quoted earlier from another article: LDS, Inc. has more than $1 billion in for-profit property in Florida.

So, a non-profit entity runs for-profit businesses -- with for-profit property worth over $1 billion just in FL alone. Now replicate my all its other holdings in Utah, Hawaii, Idaho, Washington, etc.

Just as for-profit businesses are able to make donations with its grant-giving to liberal entities (abortion, homosexuality, etc.) -- my guess would be that if you look under the hood -- these "for-profit" entities wind up "donating" much to the Lds umbrella.

Hence a chunk of it washes back to "non-profit" Lds, Inc.

[OldNewYork]

“... but still leaves me with many questions about them” was the end part of what you quoted from me above.

You’ve hit on a few of them there.

[Vigilanteman]

Asking Colofornian for information on Mormons is sort of like asking Julius Streicher for information on Jews.

[MARTIAL MONK]

That obviously isn't as stupid as it sounds.

Can't be.

[Vigilanteman]

BFD! You are free to buy your potato chips from somebody other than Frito-Lay. And I’m free to buy my car insurance from somebody other than Progressive.

[MARTIAL MONK]

They own it.

After tax profits go to the owner.

[svcw]

So what is it that bothers you about C’s info, since they always use lds sources?

[Vigilanteman]

The same thing which bothers me about Julius Streicher’s information on Jews, quoted from mainly Jewish sources.

[svcw]

So you are bothered by lds information - I so get that. I am also bothered by mormonISM.

[Vigilanteman]

If you still don’t get it, try googling “Julius Streicher” and “Der Strummer”. I can’t make it any clearer than that.