Michigan: Detroit Vindicated on Payments

May 28, 2009. THE NEW YORK TIMES (US). A federal appeals court said the City of Detroit did not violate the Constitution when it partly reimbursed churches for renovations before the 2006 Super Bowl and other major sporting events. The city created a development program in 2003 to reimburse up to half the costs of refurbishing downtown buildings and parking lots. Three churches received $737,000 of more than $11 million allocated for projects. The group American Atheists sued, claiming that the city could not include religious organizations in the program.