Tyler Fingert

The Republic | azcentral.com

The Secular Coalition for Arizona and several other organizations are asking Gov. Jan Brewer to prevent her newly formed Office of Faith and Community Partnerships and state council from using taxpayer money to promote religious content.

In a letter sent to Brewer on Wednesday, the organizations asked for oversight of the funds that get distributed to religious organizations and that programs funded by taxpayers be open to all, regardless of their religious affiliation.

With a backdrop of the Arizona Capitol an Arizona Legislature, a congressional candidate and representatives from organizations that signed the letter spoke Wednesday about why these safeguards should be implemented.

"We support the use of tax dollars to provide critical services to those in need," said Zenaido Quintana, chair of the Secular Coalition for Arizona. "We believe the state has an obligation to promote the well-being of all of its residents."

"As a secular organization however, we are categorically opposed to tax funded faith-based initiatives as fundamentally unconstitutional," Quintana said.

Brewer signed an executive order Aug. 29, creating the Governor's Office of Faith and Community Partnerships, as well as a state council.



Officials say both entities will promote and strengthen the collaboration of faith-based nonprofits and state agencies that offer services to more vulnerable populations.



The governor will appoint a director to lead the office, which will be permitted to accept funding from government and outside agencies.

The Secular Coalition, ACLU of Arizona and others say they want Brewer to make the office free of religious bias.

"Our tax dollars shouldn't be used to discriminate," said Democrat James Woods, a candidate for congressional District 5.

Woods said that St. Mary's Food Bank in Phoenix was created by a religious organization, but when it comes to distributing food, they don't discriminate based on religion. He went on say that's how the Office of Faith and Community Partnerships should be operated.

The letter also asks Brewer to appoint members of different religious beliefs to the council to ensure it's balanced.

"We are specifically calling on Governor Brewer to appoint a truly diverse Council, including representatives from the 30% of Arizonans that profess no faith and from the charitable non-profit community that possesses the capability to deliver needed services to those in need," Quintana said via e-mail.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.