Austin, TX (LifeNews.com) -- Travis County officials in Austin, Texas are set to discuss, at a December 10 meeting, whether or not they will spend $450,000 to directly pay for abortions. The county has paid for abortions in prior budgets and the Texas Alliance for Life pro-life organization hopes to stop officials this time around.

The Travis County Healthcare District (TCHD) Board of Managers will decide whether to continue to fund abortions with property taxes.

"The TCHD will consider proposed contracts totaling $450,000 for approximately 1,000 abortions a year with one or more abortion facilities," TAL president Joe Pojman told LifeNews.com over the weekend. "Despite repeated requests, the TCHD has so far refused to make available the proposed contracts."

The TCHD is a taxing authority that collects property tax dollars and spends those dollars by contracting for health care for low-income residents of Travis County.

Pojman says the abortion funding issue is nothing new, but he hopes to raise new interest this year.

"The TCHD has funded abortions since its creation in 2004. Contracts with two abortion facilities totaling $450,000 (for approximately 1,000 abortion per year) expire in December," he explained.

The abortion facilities receiving the significant taxpayer funding are Whole Women's Health at 8401 N IH 35 and Austin Women's Health Center at 1902 S IH 35.

"The abortions are performed on demand on healthy women with healthy unborn babies. No medical reason or referral is required," Pojman explains.

In August, the TCHD approved its 2010 annual budget, which includes a $450,000 line item for abortions. The Travis County Commissioners approved the TCHD budget at their Sept. 22 meeting, as required by state law.

Pojman fears the proposed contracts will include Planned Parenthood, which runs that state's largest chain of abortion facilities.

Texas Alliance for Life is urging state residents to call or email the TCHD and to make plans to attend the December 10 meeting.

ACTION: Contact TCHD officials at http://www.traviscountyhd.org/contact_us.html

Related web sites:
Texas Alliance for Life - http://www.TexasAllianceforLife.org

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