LAKE FOREST – Councilwoman Marcia Rudolph on Tuesday night will ask her colleagues to consider displaying “In God We Trust” in the City Council chambers.

Rudolph said at a League of California Cities conference she heard about the effort by Bakersfield City Councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan to have the national motto displayed in City Halls across the country.

In May, Rudolph and Councilwoman Kathryn McCullough took the proposal to their council colleagues but did not get the needed consensus.

“I wasn’t going to give up on it,” Rudolph said about bringing back the idea. “It was also an opportunity to find out where the new council member (Scott Voigts) stands.”

Other cities including Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo, Buena Park, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Tustin, Cypress, Yorba Linda, Westminster and San Clemente have voted to have “In God We Trust,” displayed at their city halls.

The Orange County chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State is encouraging people to speak out Tuesday night against adopting the motto.

“We need our members to show up on Tuesday January 18th to criticize this measure, not just as a violation of the Establishment Clause, but because it divides the community,” reads a statement on the group’s website. “It treats Christianity as the dominant political voice, and detracts from the principles of equal access to our government.”

“It will be interesting,” Rudolph said about the council discussion. “It’s all kind of centered around the Constitution.”

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in council chambers, 25552 Commercentre Drive.

Contact the writer: 949-454-7307 or eritchie@ocregister.com