Wisconsin city sells park property with Ten Commandments monument
By The Associated Press
08.25.02
A Wisconsin city has sold a piece of park property where a Ten Commandments monument stands, but the move didn't satisfy a group that objected to the religious symbol on public property.
The 20-by-22-foot piece of land was sold on Aug. 22 to the Eagles Club, which owns the property adjoining Cameron Park in La Crosse.
The Madison-based Freedom from Religion Foundation and 22 area residents filed suit against the city claiming that having the monument in the downtown park violated the First Amendment separation of church and state.
The Common Council had voted to fight the suit and directed city officials to sell the property.
James Friedman, an attorney for the foundation, says the fight isn't over.
"I think the fact the city has gone through with this farce of a sale makes clear that the city recognizes the monument is unconstitutional in its current location," he said. "The sale doesn't make it any less so. It's still in a city park."
City Attorney Pat Houlihan said he didn't expect the foundation to withdraw the suit as a result of the sale.
"This should alleviate any allegation that it is contrary to the Constitution," he said.
Meanwhile, a Georgia city commission has agreed to remove a Ten Commandments plaque from City Hall to avoid exposing taxpayers to an expensive lawsuit.
"We have budget problems, the economy has seen better days, and we have to watch our spending," Trenton Mayor Paul Rollings said.
The Trenton Commission's Aug. 19 decision followed the Ringgold (Ga.) City Council's recent removal of a Ten Commandments plaque, along with a plaque displaying the Lord's Prayer and an empty frame "for those of other beliefs."
Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union had filed a lawsuit against Ringgold, saying the display violated the constitutional separation of church and state.
Georgia Lord, the lead counsel for the Georgia Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said on Aug. 19 that local governments should follow Ringgold's lead, and cities not doing so "may face litigation."
While Rollings' office had not been contacted by the ACLU, he said the plaque was removed to avoid potential legal costs.