Statues show cracks at City Council
UPDATE: AJQ has released an official statement in advance of the 2/24 city council meeting.
SECOND UPDATE: The ACLU has disseminated the powerful letter they sent Mayor Koch.
The Patriot Ledger’s Quincy-focused reporter, Peter Blandino, published a very informative report on discussions swirling around the design and purchase of two religious statues to be placed outside the new public safety building. Thank you to the PATRIOT LEDGER for your coverage of this issue.
Action Items:
Plan to attend the upcoming city council meeting this Monday evening (Feb 24) at 6:30 p.m. There you can make contact with other concerned citizens and meet to discuss the issues and next steps.
Contact the MA ACLU to thank them for their expert opinion published in the Patriot Ledger. Let them know you would support any action they deem appropriate on this matter. legalresources@aclum.org
Contact your city councilor and let them know that you want a public hearing in front of City Council.
If you haven’t heard, here are some quick bullet points.
The situation:
Mayor Koch commissioned two statues to be displayed in front of the new $175 million safety headquarters being built at Sea Street and Southern Artery.
The total cost of these statues is $850,000.
These statues depict:
St. Michael, the Archangel, standing over a defeated Satan/demon
A giant-sized Roman centurion identified as St. Florian dousing a building with water.
St. Michael the Archangel defeating Satan
St. Florian pouring water over a building
Concerns about religious imagery at a public building:
Many residents voiced outrage over the religious imagery, but Mayor Koch defended it on AM Quincy, stating, “I don’t view them specifically as religious. Yes, you can look at them from a religious angle, but I think you can also look at them from a different angle.” Earlier, he told the Patriot Ledger that the images were not strictly religious, while also arguing that they would be recognizable across three religious traditions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
I am a lifelong Catholic, not an expert in Judaism or Islam, but I don't think saints or archangels are commonly displayed in Jewish or Muslim contexts. The veneration and depiction of saints is a well-established tradition in Catholicism, however – something that Mayor Koch, a devout Catholic, undoubtedly knows.
In any case, the presence of religious statues outside a police station raises significant constitutional concerns under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from endorsing or promoting religion. Courts often use the Lemon Test (Lemon v. Kurtzman, 1971) to determine whether such a display violates the Establishment Clause. The Lemon Test would consider whether the display has a secular purpose, whether its primary effect advances or inhibits religion, and whether it fosters excessive government entanglement with religion. Mayor Koch seems to anticipate these arguments by repeatedly stressing the secular interpretations of the statues, telling the Ledger they represent bravery, courage and service: “It seemed natural to do those images.”
But what feels natural to a devout Catholic may feel coercive to others. Public buildings serve all citizens, regardless of religious beliefs. A religious display outside a police station – where people go for protection or to handle legal matters – could make non-Christian residents feel excluded or unwelcome.
Indeed, Ward 5 Councilor Dan Minton, a retired Quincy police lieutenant, raised the intimidating posture of the St. Michael statue in a Facebook post. He wrote that the statues evoked images of “brutal force” and an “us versus them” attitude that does not align with the humanitarian parts of police officers’ daily interactions with the public and their “reputation of compassion.” He wrote: “Generally, people don’t want to enter a police station – it is usually something bad that has happened, ranging from an act of violence to a simple parking ticket. The statue may not be a welcoming presence to someone already ill at ease.”
The Patriot Ledger just reported that the Massachusetts chapter of the ACLU has weighed in on this debate. From the Patriot Ledger article:
Freedom of Expression Attorney Rachel Davidson said Article 2 in the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights does not permit governments to erect displays "clearly and primarily religious in nature."
Davidson said Massachusetts courts would look to three factors, collectively known as the "Lemon Test," to determine the statues' constitutionality (The test takes its name from the 1971 Supreme Court Lemon vs. Kurtzman decision):
Do the statues serve a primarily secular purpose?
Do the statues advance or inhibit religion?
Do the statues show excessive entanglement between government and religion?
Davidson said she's "very confident" that the statues, which she called "larger-than-life images of Catholic saints," fail each prong of the Lemon Test.
The figures of the saints could raise doubts as to whether Quincy government serves all residents equally, regardless of their faith or lack of faith, Davidson cautioned.
"We have serious concerns," she said. "We find that really troubling."
Concerns of cost:
The safety building was approved in 2021 with a budget of $120 million, a price tag that raised concerns for some councilors and residents.
In October 2022, an additional $23 million to cover cost increases fueled by steep inflation was brought to the council for approval. Representatives from the project team said they were trying to get the number down, “but this is where we are.”
In February 2024, the project was brought before the council for final approval.
All told, the project included $32 million in land purchases, $120 million in initial construction/infrastructure costs, and $23 million in overages caused in part by inflation. $32M +$120M +23M = $175 million.
Neither the statues’ price tag, $850,000, nor subject matter (patron saints of police and firefighters) were brought before the city council for discussion. It is noteworthy that Councilor McCarthy claims he was made aware of the statues “a long time ago,” bringing up questions of open-meeting law compliance.
Mayor Koch said that these projects evolve and there was no need to go before council for a small line item when the overall cost stays the same. He elaborated on AM Quincy, “anytime we go to the city council for major building projects, the building always is a little different than when it first came in. You're dealing with plans, and plans evolve, and that could be said of any school building or any major project that goes on. The reality is the bottom line has not changed in the budget. I think the cost is half a percent of the entire project.”
The mayor’s argument seemed to resonate with some city councilors.
James Devine (Ward 4) said: "We budgeted for the project. Once it's budgeted, there is always going to be changes. As long as they stay within their budget, I don't see what the difference is."
Scott Campbell (At Large) suggested the ornate and costly statues would match the grandeur and expensiveness of the building. "You wouldn't wear a new suit with old shoes," Campbell told the Ledger. "Is that where I land on this? I don't know."
Some councilors seemed to support the depictions.
David McCarthy (Ward 1) told the Ledger the statues contain "a great message” and “will bless our first responders…. It might help them. They might say a little prayer before they go out on duty."
William Harris (Ward 6) said: "If they give (emergency responders) a sense of pride, strength and comfort, then I'm all for the statues.”
Councilor Minton (Ward 5) said he was not in favor of more statues in the city or at the new station, but if one was necessary, he suggested “a Police Officer (of normal size and less expense) welcoming the public,” with a tone similar to Norman Rockwell’s “The Runaway.” You can read Councilor Minton’s full statement here.
Norman Rockwell, The Runaway
When asked about Councilor Minton’s opinion, Mayor Koch told Joe Catalano on AM Quincy that Minton “doesn't speak for the retired police nor the active police department members." The mayor later quipped sarcastically that no one will miss the old police station aside from possibly Councilor Minton.
Councilor Cain (Ward 3) seemed to be of two minds, per his own statement: “...statues of St. Michael and St. Florian were selected due to their long-standing association with police officers and firefighters...these figures have been used for centuries as symbols of protection, courage and service--values that our first responders embody every day. “
He also acknowledged that some may not agree that the statues meet the standard of secular or historical purposes (Lemon Test). He then mentions that the cost and process should be discussed as well. He said he will be engaging his fellow councilors to see if adjustments should be made.
Cracks form between the city councilors
The Ledger asked city councilors if they had heard from Ward 3 Councilor (and current City Council President) Cain about further discussions. The resulting story paints a picture of extreme dysfunction at the council.
William Harris (Ward 6) said Cain stopped communicating with him after Harris declined to accept the 50% raise the council gave themselves. Harris seemed annoyed that Councilor Cain never notified him that the Feb. 3 council meeting was being canceled due to a lack of business to discuss, leading him to needlessly fly home from Florida, where he was vacationing at Disney World with family. "If I had known (of the cancellation), I would have changed my flight," he said. "I was having one heck of a good time with my grandson."
Councilor-at-large Nina Liang provided a brief statement saying she "will work with (Cain) with any conversation we need to have on this."
Councilor-at-large Noel DiBona said, "No comment" and "I don't know," and deferred to Cain as council president to set the agenda.
Citizens seek to be heard
As of the writing of this article, a Change.org petition opposing the statues had over 1,100 signatures. The petition allows for the public to leave a comment. Here is a sampling:
The separation of church and state is VITAL to democracy, and progress in general. Mayor Koch has to know this. The question is, does he care? It’s beyond insulting to use our tax dollars for religious statues.
I don't agree with religious statues on public buildings in general. But I am appalled at the proposed cost – especially when every road in Quincy is in desperate need of repair. The idea that we can spend almost a million dollars on these and aren't spending that money to pave the roads we use every day is unacceptable.
Was this voted in? If it’s being bought by taxpayers we should have been asked. We need some oversight. Our taxes keep going up. We don’t need luxuries and especially religious. We have a very diverse city and they are not all Catholic.
The Quincy city government needs to be more transparent about how they are spending taxpayer money. If they are willing to spend $850k on two statues, how else have they used our money unwisely?
This administration need to stop spending our money on needless things. In addition, we the people of Quincy, should have a say in how our money is being used.. Transparency!
Upcoming City Council Meeting
This coming Monday (Feb 24) the city council has “Public Safety Headquarters Update” as its first agenda item. No public hearing on any matter is currently scheduled. However, A Just Quincy is encouraging all concerned to attend the 6:30 city council meeting. We would like to make our presence felt and be available to any press in attendance.
We have several concerns regarding this issue:
The religious themes of the statues commissioned for the public safety headquarters.
The substantial cost of these statues ($850,000).
The lack of oversight and council approval in adding such a large expense to the project.
The Mayor and some councilors’ view that as long as spending remains under a cap, it is justified.
The breakdown in communication among council members.
The Mayor’s dismissive and disrespectful attitude toward Councilor Minton, a former lieutenant in the Quincy Police Department.
Plan to attend the upcoming city council meeting this Monday evening (Feb 24) at 6:30 p.m. There you can make contact with other concerned citizens and meet to discuss the issues and next steps.
Contact the MA ACLU to thank them for their expert opinion published in the Patriot Ledger. Let them know you would support any action they deem appropriate on this matter. legalresources@aclum.org
Contact your city councilor and let them know that you want a public hearing in front of City Council.
