In God We Trust

The City Council wants to join more than 30 other cities across the state by having the national motto "In God We Trust" emblazoned below the city seal in City Council chambers.

A proposal goes before the Council on Tuesday for supporting the display of the motto and other patriotic themes within Council chambers.

The city of Chino is also studying the possibility of displaying the "In God We Trust" motto in its Council Chambers. A meeting date has not been set for action on the proposal.

In God We Trust - America, a Bakersfield-based nonprofit promoting patriotism by encouraging elected city officials to display the "In God We Trust" motto in every city hall in America, has been sending informational packets out to all California cities, and hopes to go national soon, said Jacquie Sullivan, organization founder and president and a Bakersfield City Councilwoman since 1995.

Bakersfield became the first city to have the motto  adorn its City Hall in 2002.

The nonprofit is pushing to have 40 California cities on board by the end of the month, Sullivan said.

In San Bernardino County, In God We Trust - America has so far sent informational packets to the cities of Adelanto,  Apple Valley, Barstow, Big Bear Lake, Chino, Chino Hills and Colton, Sullivan said.

She was surprised to hear about Highland, and said it's an example of how the message is spreading through word of mouth and the media.

"This is definitely promoting patriotism, and that is very good for our country," Sullivan said.

In 1956, Congress and the Supreme Court voted in favor of declaring "In God We Trust" as the national motto. Therefore, it is Constitutional and should present few legal challenges, Sullivan said.

But if the issue is challenged in court, the nonprofit is backed by the Pacific Justice Institute, a Sacramento-based nonprofit that defends cases "threatening our religious liberties and our nation's religious heritage."