Boy Scouts’ Lease OKd Despite Protests
Over objections from the gay and lesbian community and the threat of an ACLU lawsuit, Orange County supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a 30-year extension of the Boy Scouts’ lease on a Newport Beach sea base under county authority.
The Scouts have operated the base rent-free for 63 years and have raised $4.5 million in recent years for its renovation.
Opponents of lease renewal argued that the county should not “subsidize” a group that discriminates against people because of sexual orientation.
“It is clear that the Boy Scouts do not have the right to receive any government subsidies, sponsorship or special privileges, such as sweetheart deals on rent of government lands and buildings,” said Martha Matthews, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union.
In response to a question Tuesday by Supervisor Todd Spitzer about whether the ACLU intends to sue Orange County, Matthews responded, “It’s likely that we would.”
Supervisors Tom Wilson and Jim Silva argued that the sea base benefits a variety of groups, and that under the contract the Scouts cannot discriminate against anyone else using the sea base.
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