From a lengthy story in the Lafayette Journal Courier:
The public hearing at noon Thursday on whether to issue municipal bonds for Faith West’s development is shaping up to be a lively discussion on the First Amendment and the role of church and state.
Freedom From Religion Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Madison, Wis., issued a letter Monday opposing West Lafayette’s involvement in securing up to $7 million in funds for Faith West’s development.
“This proposal would subsidize a harmful and exclusionary religious ministry and violate the constitutional principle of separation of state and church,” wrote Dan Barker, the foundation’s co-president.
“Ordinance 11-12 compels the citizens of West Lafayette to erect and support a place of worship that will maintain a ministry. The Indiana Constitution is clear: ‘No person’ can be compelled to support such an endeavor. This city cannot continue with the proposal, as it would violate the rights of conscience of some residents who oppose government resources from being used to support a fundamental ministry.”
“There’s only one fundamental flaw,” West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis said of the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s points. “We’re not funding any religious programs.
“If we were funding the faith-based programs, it would be illegal. We are assisting them in the nonfaith part — day care, fitness facility, residential facility.”
The practice has been upheld in court, Dennis said, citing many religious schools and colleges that have used municipal bonds to fund construction projects.
If approved Thursday by the Economic Development Commission, the ordinance would still need to pass a second reading at next month’s city council meeting. It passed this month’s council meeting by a 6 to 1 vote. Councilman Peter Bunder, 2nd District, was the only council member to vote against the proposal.
If approved, the city would issue up to $7 million in bonds. The city would sell those bonds to JP Chase Morgan Bank, and the proceeds from the bond sale will go to Faith West for construction of nonreligious portions of its project. Faith West, not the city, is responsible for paying back the bonds over 30 years, so taxpayers have no risk or investment in the venture. Faith West also brings $5 million of its own money to the development. Those funds will finance the construction of facilities with a religious purpose.
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Read the full story here:
http://www.jconline.com/article/20120522/NEWS02/305220034/Faith-West?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE&nclick_check=1
