City Incurs High Legal Fees Battling Hindu Woman Over Assessment To Remove Tree

WLS-AM 890 reported yesterday that the city of Evanston, Illinois has incurred some $40,000 in legal fees seeking to collect a $635 special assessment against Padma Rao who refused to pay on religious grounds.  The assessment involved an alley paving project, and required the removal of a tree that stood near Rao's condominium.  Rao and her mother say that removal of the tree violates principles of their Hindu religion which bars the needless killing of any living thing and prohibits Hindus from participating or acquiescing in needless killings. Rao has consistently lost in the courts and now may face the condo being auctioned off at a tax sale.