March 16, 2018 Florida Constitution Revision Commission The Capitol 400 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32399 Dear Commissioner: As leaders in our faith communities in the State of Florida, we believe taxpayer dollars should never be used to support private religious organizations or schools not even our own. Therefore, we urge the members of the Constitution Revision Commission to reject Proposals 4 and 45, which would allow public funds to benefit certain faith communities over others. Together, these two proposals would strip away fundamental and longstanding religious freedom protections and threaten the integrity and autonomy of our houses of worship and religious schools: Proposal 4 would fully repeal the No-Aid Provision of Article I, 3 of the Florida Constitution, which ensures that taxpayer dollars do not fund religion. Proposal 45 would effectively repeal the Uniform Public Education Provision of Article IX, 1, which ensures that public dollars fund public schools that serve all our students and are not funneled into private and religious schools. For 130 years, these constitutional protections have allowed houses of worship and religious schools to flourish by ensuring they remain truly independent from the government. These provisions also have protected the religious freedom of Floridians by guaranteeing that the State will not force any taxpayer to support someone else's religious education, institutions, or beliefs. Under the current Constitution, the state can and does partner with religiously affiliated organizations to provide publicly-funded social services while simultaneously providing important safeguards that ensure taxpayer dollars are not used to fund religious programs, education, or discrimination. Passage of Proposals 4 and 45 could lead to the government funding religious education, as well as religious indoctrination, proselytization, and discrimination in publicly funded services. That is likely why 55% of Floridians rejected a similar proposal in 2012. Our Constitution s current No-Aid and Uniform Public Education Provisions are the foundation for the freedom of religion and belief for all Floridians faith leaders and nonbelievers alike. Thus, we urge you to reject Proposals 4 and 45. Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. Russell Meyer, Executive Director Florida Council of Churches Rev. William Morgan, Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Sharon Harris-Ewing, Retired United Church of Christ Rev. Dr. Kathleen Kircher, Retired, Current Supply Priest Rev. Dr. Deborah Kaiser-Cross, Minister for Congregational Care Naples United Church of Christ Rev. Rachel Gunter Shapard, Associate Coordinator of Florida Rabbi Merrill Shapiro, President St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society Palm Coast, FL Rev. Michael Junkroski, Senior Minister FCC Naples (Disciples of Christ) Rev. Timothy Sizemore, Pastor and Teaching Elder Beacon Hill Fellowship Rev. Richard Phillips, Pastor Rabbi Gayle Pomerantz, Rabbi Temple Beth Sholom Miami Beach, FL Rabbi Danny Marmorstein, Rabbi Ahavat Olam Rabbi Sharon Steinberg, Rabbi Temple Beth Shira Rabbi Alan Litwak, Rabbi Temple Sinai of North Dade North Miami Beach, FL Rabbi Cookie Lea Olshein, Rabbi Temple Israel of West Palm Beach West Palm Beach, FL Rev. Paul Werner, Pastor St. Andrew United Church of Christ Rabbi Rachel Greengrass, Rabbi Temple Beth Am Rabbi Moshe Ginsburg, Rabbi Synagogue Carriage Club South Miami Beach, FL Rabbi Yaacov Laredo, Head Rabbi Bnai Sephardim Synagogue Fort Lauderdale, FL Rabbi David Steinhardt, Senior Rabbi Bnai Torah Congregation Rev. Ann Fuller, Retired Affiliate Minister Unitarian Universalist Society of Community Ministers Melbourne, FL Rabbi Dr. Steven Newman, Rabbi Village Reform Congregation Pembroke Pines, FL Rabbi Moshe Heyn, Rabbi Temple Israel of Greater Miami 2
Dr. Barry Howard, Retired Senior Pastor of Pensacola, Florida Pensacola, FL Deacon Janis Courson, Deacon, Education Coordinator, Musician Ebenezer Baptist Church (Jefferson County, Florida) Monticello, FL Rev. Alex Gallimore, Senior Pastor Bayshore Baptist Church Mr. William McCall, Recording Secretary Cooperative Baptists Celebration, FL Deaconness Jean Bass, Bible Teacher, Lay Leader Vero Beach, FL Dr. Randall Payne, Bible Study Teacher, Worship Committee Member Beacon Hill Fellowship (Cooperative Baptist and Presbyterian USA) Sebring, FL Deacon Floyd Mather, Deacon Gainesville, FL Rev. Sam Schlegel, Pastor Emeritus, Retired of Florida Saint Augustine, FL Rabbi Mark Gross, Spiritual Leader Jewish Congregation of Marco Island Marco Island, FL Mrs. Evelyn Payne, Bible Study Teacher, Worship Team Member, Discipleship Team Member Beacon Hill Fellowship (Cooperative Baptist and Presbyterian USA) Sebring, FL Mr. James Neill, Lay Leader Bayshore Baptist Church Rev. Andrew Creel, Pastor Ebenezer Baptist Church Monticello, FL Rev. Kevin Collison, Pastor Island View Baptist Church Orange Park, FL Celebrant Keith Becher, Humanist Celebrant Humanist Institute Melbourne, FL Rev. Dr. Jim Remington, Retired Former Minister and Missionary American Baptist Convention Key West, FL Deacon Richard Atkins, Lay Leader Church on the Drive, Orlando Winter Park, FL Rabbi Michael Churgel, Rabbi Temple Sinai Deaconess Ann Carter, Hendricks Ave. Baptist Church Rev. Ruben Ortiz, Latino Field Coordinator Deltona, FL Peter Nicholls, Lay Leader and General Board Member American Baptist Convention Dowling Park, FL Chaplain Douglas Harrell, 3
A. Loraine Harrell, Lay Leader Deacon Aubrey Ducker, Director of Community Groups Church on the Drive, A Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Rabbi Greg Weisman, Rabbi Temple Beth El of Boca Raton Dr. Ned Couey, Retired Layman Pensacola, FL Rev. Thomas LeVines, Retired Virginia Baptist Arcadia, FL Sen. George Stuart, Church on the Drive Former Florida Sate Senator Rev. Candace McKibbon, Pastor Tallahassee Fellowship Tallahassee, FL Rev. Joyce Cleary, Pastor Emeritus Colin McClay, Religious Liberty Leader Seventh-day Adventist New Port Richey, FL Rev. Wallace Webb, Retired Baptist Minister Baptist Dunedin, FL Dr. Steven Reed, PhD, Elder, Missions Board Chair CityGate Ministries Fort Myers, FL Rabbi Andrew Rosenkranz, Rabbi Temple Beth Torah Wellington, FL Dr. Ron Rowe, Retired Deermeadows Baptist Church Pastor John Hayner, Retired Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Clearwater, FL Rabbi S. David Kane, Rabbi Congregation Bnai Torah Ormond Beach, FL Rev. Cn. Dr. W. Frank Hull IV, Retired West Palm Beach, FL Rabbi Steven Engel, Senior Rabbi Congregation of Reform Judaism Rev. John Denmark, Pastor United Methodist Church Rev. James T. Golden, Esq., Social Action Director 11th Episcopal District, African Methodist Bradenton, FL Rabbi Dr. Barry Altman, Faculty, Religious Studies Stetson University DeLand, FL Dr. Gary Poe, Professor, History. Religion & Church History, Former Pastor Palm Beach Atlantic University Lantana, FL Mrs. Patricia Strawn, Management Team 4
James Scott, Vice Chairman Florida Atheists and Secular Humanists Delray Beach, FL Rabbi Barry Silver, Rabbi Temple of Understanding, Congregation L'dor Va-dor Boynton Beach, FL Douglas Walker, Lay Leader Mt. Zion United Methodist Church Clearwater, FL Cantor Jacqueline Rawiszer, Cantor Congregation of Reform Judaism *Congregations included for indentification purposes only. 5