Tax Incentives By Tennessee County For Bible Park Questioned

Last May, Tennessee's Attorney General issued an opinion ruling that state law permits the use of public funds to support the development of Bible Park USA, but left open the question of whether public funding for the theme park would violate the Establishment Clause of the federal constitution. (See prior posting.) Now that plans for the theme park are moving ahead, others are raising the Constitutional questions, according to today’s Tennessean. The ACLU of Tennessee has asked Wilson County for copies of the application for assistance and correspondence relating to the Bible Park along with copies of all applications for tax increment financing filed with the county over the last ten years. ACLU is seeking to determine whether similar tax incentives are available to all, or whether county officials acted to promote religion in dealing with the Bible Park.