Legal fight on religious grounds cost city $40,000 -- for a $635 tax claim

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.pioneerlocal.com/evanston/news/2609994,evanston-alleyfight-081710-s1.article

August 17, 2010

By BOB SEIDENBERG [e-mail]

A family's steadfast refusal to pay a $635.02 special assessment tax for an alley paving project because it violated their religious beliefs has run up an estimated $40,000 in outside legal bills for the city, with no apparent end in sight.

Padma Rao, of 2246 Sherman Ave., said she plans to keep fighting the judgment, even though the U.S. Supreme Court recently declined for a second time to take her petition for appeal on the case. snip

Rao and her mother fought removal of a tree in the project, saying the action ran counter to the basic precepts of their Hindu religion. Hinduism forbids the needless killing of any living thing and also requires practitioners from not participating or acquiescing in such acts, Rao said.

The tree stood at the exit drive of the condo and served as a kind of a "sentry" to people as they drove away from the premises, Rao and her mother said.

[Lance_Boyle]

1. How do you keep appealing after the court of last appeal refuses you?

Something doesn't make sense, here.

[elleng]

2. You don't. Have to live with the 'assessment,' and following $ claims.

[rfranklin]

3. I think they were probably just cheap...

the religion thing was an excuse. (Looks to me like typical Republican cynicism.)

[Lance_Boyle]

4. The religion angle should have been easily dismissed in court.

P "Defendant - has your home been treated to prevent termite infestation?"

D "Yes, it has - as required by local laws and/or neighborhood association policy."

P "Did this conflict with your religious views about respecting all life?"

D "Yes it did, but it was required by..."

P "No further questions your Honor."