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Kelsey Questions Pork for Certain Churches

House of Representatives

State of Tennessee

Press Release

For Immediate Release    Contact: Rep. Brian Kelsey: (615) 741-4415

June 6, 2007   

Kelsey Questions Pork for Certain Churches

NASHVILLE – Representative Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) requested an Attorney’s General opinion today regarding whether it is constitutional to use state taxpayer dollars to further religion by providing so-called Community Enhancement Grants to certain churches.

Members of the House of Representatives have asked the state to disburse more than $85,000 of taxpayer funds to twenty churches in the Memphis area.  No instructions are offered on how the taxpayer money is to be spent by the churches.

“I can’t imagine how members chose to give money to certain churches in their districts but chose to give others nothing,” stated Rep. Kelsey.

If it passes both chambers of the legislature, the Community Enhancement Grant legislation will allot $100,000 to each state representative and $300,000 to each state senator to spend in each district on pet projects of the member’s choice.  Rep. Kelsey, Rep. Beth Harwell (R - Nashville), Rep. Susan Lynn (R - Mt. Juliet), Rep. Donna Rowland (R - Murfreesboro), and Rep. Jimmy Matlock (R - Lenoir) were the only members of the House of Representatives to refuse to file requests for the Community Enhancement Grants.  Republicans in the State Senate have also opposed allowing individual members to dictate where the funds should be spent.

A copy of Rep. Kelsey’s request for an Attorney General opinion is attached.

# # #

June 6, 2006

Attorney General Robert E. Cooper, Jr. 
State of Tennessee
Post Office Box 20207
Nashville, TN 37202

Via Fax to (615) 741-2009 and Capitol Hill Delivery

Dear General Cooper:

I respectfully request an expedited Attorney’s General opinion on the following:

Is the State of Tennessee providing Community Enhancement Grants to the following organizations without specific instructions regarding how the funds are to be spent a violation of the United States Constitution or the Tennessee Constitution?

Antioch Baptist Church  $2,500  Shelby Co.     
Vollintine Baptist Church       $2,500  Shelby Co.     
Golden Gate Full Gospel Baptist Church  $2,500  Shelby Co.     
Breath of Life Church   $2,500  Shelby Co.     
Greater Middle Baptist Church   $2,500  Shelby Co.     
Greater Abyssinia Youth Club    $5,000  Shelby Co.     
Cane Creek Youth Club   $5,000  Shelby Co.     
New Friendship Youth Club       $5,000  Shelby Co.     
New Hope Youth Club     $5,000  Shelby Co.     
Macedonia Youth Club    $5,000  Shelby Co.     
Pentecostal Youth Club  $5,000  Shelby Co.     
Shiloh Baptist Youth Club       $5,000  Shelby Co.     
Norris Avenue Youth Club        $5,000  Shelby Co.     
New Little Rock Youth Club      $5,000  Shelby Co.     
Alcy Ball Youth Club    $5,000  Shelby Co.     
New Growth Youth Club   $5,000  Shelby Co.     
Christ Baptist Youth Club       $5,000  Shelby Co.     
Mt. Gilead Youth Club   $5,000  Shelby Co.     
St. Peter’s Youth Club  $5,000  Shelby Co.     
Center Chapel Youth Club        $5,000  Shelby Co.     

Sincerely,  

       

Brian Kelsey

State Representative