Back to News & Commentary

A Bad Deal for South Bend: Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Gift to Religious School

Daniel Bullard-Bates,
ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief
Share This Page
August 17, 2011

The American Civil Liberties Union, ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û of Indiana, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed a lawsuit yesterday against the City of South Bend, Indiana. The city spent taxpayer money to buy a piece of land in South Bend they intend to sell to the Catholic Diocese that runs St. Joseph’s High School, a private religious school.

The amount of taxpayer money that the city spent on the land: $1,200,000.

The cost to the Catholic Diocese: $1. (Coincidentally, a "Family Dollar" store sits on this land.)

By giving preference and direct aid to a religious institution, the City of South Bend has violated both the U.S. and Indiana constitutions. Residents of South Bend should expect that public funds will go toward public needs on a religion-neutral basis. Instead, their tax dollars are being used to make a million-dollar gift to a Catholic school.

Learn more about government-funded religion: Sign up for breaking news alerts, , and .

Learn More ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û the Issues on This Page