Florida County Backs $8 Million Bond for Planned Parenthood Abortion Ctr

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Apr 12, 2007   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Florida County Backs $8 Million Bond for Planned Parenthood Abortion Ctr Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
April 12
, 2007

Sarasota, FL (LifeNews.com) — The county commission in Sarasota, Florida has voted unanimously to authorize an $8 million bond for Planned Parenthood to build a new abortion business. The 22,795-square foot abortion facility will be built at 736 Central Ave with the money the county will issues by selling bonds to the public.

During the hearing leading up to the vote, Commissioner Nora Patterson told fiscal planning official Richard Gleitsman that the commissioners "got a lot of e-mails saying don’t give tax money to Planned Parenthood."

But, according to a Sun Herald newspaper report, Gleitsman told the commission that the county would not be giving Planned Parenthood any taxpayer funds but merely selling bonds on the abortion businesses behalf.

"Sarasota County has no responsibility or liability whatsoever for repayment of the debt," Gleitsman said, according to the paper.

He indicated that Florida counties and municipal areas are allowed under state law to issue bonds for nonprofit groups in order to promote growth and revenue in the county.

"The funds are raised by issuing bonds that are purchased by the public," Gleitsman said. "Those funds are then used by Planned Parenthood for the construction of the building and what pays them back are the dedicated revenues of Planned Parenthood. There are no taxpayer funds (involved) at all."

The vote comes after a neighboring county, Manatee County in southwest Florida, voted last June against a $10,000 grant for a local Planned Parenthood abortion business.

A voter-approved property tax created in 1991 brings the county about $9 million in funds and a children’s services advisory board suggested funding the abortion business.

The board ended up voting 5-1 against the Planned Parenthood grant.

ACTION: Go to https://www.scgov.net/ElectedOfficials/ElectedOfficialsMap.aspx to find phone numbers and email addresses to use to voice your complaints about the Planned Parenthood bonds.