A Texas county tax assessor doubled down Friday on his decision to add the phrase “In God We Trust” to his office’s stationary, telling a “Fox & Friends” host that he’s not changing his mind no matter how many complain.
“Absolutely not,” Tarrant County tax collector Ron Wright said when asked by host Steve Doocy if he would take off the national motto if pressured. “It helps define us as a people … helps define us as a nation.”
Mr. Wright also said the “beauty of the motto is it speaks to all religions.”
Currently, Tarrant County tax assessment envelopes carry the motto. But come next year, the tax statements themselves will include the phrase, Mr. Wright said, Christian Today reported.
Response from the community has largely been positive, he said, though one woman complained the printed motto violates the separation of church and state standard and she didn’t want her tax dollars being used for such purpose.
Mr. Wright said the total cost to include the motto was about $3, to cover the cost of the printing plate, Fox reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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