HomeMy WebLinkAbout091023 Any funding for a church violates your oaths of officeALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Commissioners,
Item #2 [**] in your Consent Agenda for Monday, September 11, 2023 is asking you to sign a contract that is in clear violation of the Washington State Constitution, Article 1 Section
11.
“No public money or property shall be appropriated for or applied to any religious worship, exercise or instruction, or the support of any religious establishment:”
The contract at issue would use public money (in the form of a grant from the state) to fund physical upgrades to a church building. Regardless of the purpose of such upgrades (improved
accessibility in this case), it is unquestionable that such expenditures by any public agency in our state would be unconstitutional.
Your oaths of office require that you “support the Constitution and Laws of the United States and the Constitution and Laws of the State of Washington”.
You are bound by oath to not approve the request.
Thank you,
Tom Thiersch
[**] 2. AGREEMENT re: ADA Accessibility Upgrades; In the Amount of $5,678.52; Public Health; Trinity United Methodist Church
NB: None of the members of the Accessible Community Advisory Committee (ACAC) recommending this expenditure are elected officials, so they may not be fully aware of the separation of
church and state required by our US and State Constitutions.