Connecticut City Councilman Wants Abortions Banned in Waterbury

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Feb 12, 2005   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Connecticut City Councilman Wants Abortions Banned in Waterbury Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 12, 2005

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A city councilman wants Waterbury, Connecticut to be a town where abortions are not performed and is suggesting that the city council take up a resolution making that happen.

Independent Party Alderman Frank Caiazzo will bring up his proposal at a February 22 meeting suggesting that Waterbury be an "abortion-free city."

Caiazzo says Joe Zdonczyk, of Wolcott, the leader of the Concerned Citizens Party, brought the idea to him. He said he thinks local residents will back the idea, especially those in his district.

"What we want to do is invoke community standards," Zdonczyk said. "We’re saying this kind of activity is out of place in the community, in Waterbury."

Caiazzo, who is in his first term, says he’s Catholic and opposes abortion. He’s also the father of two adopted daughters.

J. Paul Vance, Jr., president of the council, told the Waterbury newspaper that he’s "not a proponent" of the resolution.

"Roe v. Wade is the law of the land, and I think we’re better off focusing our attention on things we can do in the city of Waterbury, like balancing our budget," he said.

Vance said he doesn’t want the aldermanic board to debate issues over which it has no control and criticized the city of New Haven for adopting resolutions on a number of national and global issues.

The Waterbury Republican-American newspaper says the item isn’t likely to make it any further on the agenda than in a "received and placed on file" motion. That’s how the city board quickly disposes of agenda items it doesn’t want to debate.

The newspaper says the idea could also be placed on the agenda of an aldermanic board subcommittee, where it will receive little attention.

However, local Catholic leaders are discussing how to present the agenda item and may bring it up during a public comment part of the city council meeting where any topic is open for consideration.

There is no abortion business in town, though Waterbury Hospital does perform a limited number of abortions, typically in cases when the unborn child has severe or life-threatening disabilities.