REDLANDS, Calif. —  For the past 40 years, the cross has been a part of the city logo of Redlands, Calif. (search) It appears on government buildings, official stationary and police uniforms, but according to the American Civil Liberties Union (search), it has to go.

"For a city seal to contain a sectarian religious symbol that reflects the views of only one segment of the community reflects an endorsement of a religion, and it's not constitutional," said Ben Wisner of the ACLU.

Faced with the threat of a lawsuit, the city backed down, covering the cross with blue tape and erasing it from business cards.

"The city council has a budget crunch, it could run up to 50 to 60 thousand dollars in costs so the city council made the decision that the manager ought to continue removing the cross. It was just not worth the money or the effort," said Dan McHugh, Redlands city attorney.

This case is just one of many similar battles the ACLU is fighting around the country, forcing cities to remove religious symbols (search) from civic life.

Click here to watch a report by Fox News' Anita Vogel.