I'm not sure why this happened, but Finale is actually giving you correct notation in this example. Having a quarter note obscure beat three is incorrect notation. Having both 8th notes displayed with a tie allows the musician to clearly see beat 3, making it easier to play.

Agreed. What Finale is doing is correct notation, at least to my way of thinking.

You may be able to “fix” it once, and use JW Pattern Copy to extend it.

hmmm .... yeah, there doesn't seem to be a way to allow that in Finale. I don't use plug-ins very often, but I think the JW Rhythm Copy plug-in should help.

http://www.finaletips.nu/index.php/download/category/43-64-bit-windows-plug-ins

You can set the time signature as 2/2 displayed as 4/4 and Finale will accept the rhythm you desire.

(But I agree with those above that the notation is non-standard and I would probably not use it. I have seen rehearsal time wasted when I didn't follow the clearest convention.)

Thank you all, I was able to fix it!

I respectfully disagree with the comments, above, that the notation is non-standard. It's used quite a bit in pop and jazz charts, especially for extended passages of ongoing syncopation. You also see it in Brahms (i.e., for over 100 years). J Adrian's suggestion, to set the time signature as 2/2 displayed as 4/4, is the best current work around. 
I have also experienced Finale 'correcting' (i.e., changing) my specific notation (clearly, according the the meter protocol mentioned above). It's understandable, but annoying when it happens. :)

Yes,  I totally disagree with many of the comments above. This nonsense happens to me all the time in my own scores, no matter what I do with the quantization settings. In the end, I use the JW rhythm copy plugin and that often deals with it. But this is pretty annoying overall. 

FWIW as a composer, I think the original notation above makes perfect sense and should certainly be quite interpretable by any competent performer. If not, then the issue probably lies with the performer. I can only imagine what Finale would have done to Morton Feldman's late scores ;-)

Seriously though, this is a long-standing issue in need of a fix. Yes changing the time signature settings may help in some cases, but not necessarily all. When I've taken time to notate rhythm a certain way, only to copy a measure and see the quantization settings screw all that up is frustrating. Maybe there can be a preference to not have quantization override notated rhythms?