Salinas cancels vote to grant $100,000 to Compass Church for fireworks show
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) - A hot topic was debated Tuesday night inside the Salinas City Council chambers.
The city was considering donating $100,000 to Compass Church as an event sponsorship, a move that some say could violate the city’s policy.
Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue is postponing a vote to grant a $100,000 to Compass Church, for a fireworks show help this year.
This came after people in the community spoke out Tuesday evening.
"You all were elected to serve the public and not your own special interests," said a public commenter.
The money would fund the church’s Fireworks Extravaganza event held last month. Todd Anderson is the senior pastor at the Salinas Compass Church.
"It's an expensive event. We're talking a couple hundred thousand dollars or more. So basically we have, private donations. So we also have the business community. And we also, asked for the city to help out with that grant, the grant dollars that the city offers to nonprofits," he said.
Last year, Salinas pitched in $15,000 for the event. Yet this year, councilmembers Salazar and Barrera recommended a $100,000 sponsorship even before the church applied for the maximum amount of $50,000.
Some in the community are questioning the recommendation.
"A vote for yes for the 100,000 for the firework event will demonstrate to the people that you are only here to better your own life and network, and not the lives of the Salinas city residents," said a public commenter.
Some in the community are also questioning the division of church and state.
"Was there a promise made by the city council to reimburse this church prior to the event? Since so many influential people belong to Compass Church? Do they have undue influence over city government? I urge you to keep church and state as separate entities," said a public commenter.
Anderson maintains that the money would only go towards fireworks and security, and not the gospel choir or speeches with religious overtones that came earlier in the event.
“I would love to see the city to say, hey, here's what the dollars are for. Here's what you can use it for. Send us the receipts and I'll send the invoices. In fact, the city can pay the invoice directly if they'd like to," said Anderson.
Others worry about what this might mean for other nonprofits.
"The $100,000 should be diverted to youth programs, especially mental health programs. Compass church, like many churches, are tax exempt. The agency I work for makes every cent count. Shame on you. Thank you for tabling this," said a public commenter.
The community sponsorship fund is $150,000 for the fiscal year. This is separate money from the $100,000 that the city had originally considered voting on to give the church.
Pastor Anderson said he wants the church to be treated like everybody else.
The city is set consider the church’s application alongside more than 30 other applications for the same pool of money in September.
