Austin, Texas County Considering Funding Abortions With $450K in Tax Dollars
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 8, 2010
Austin, TX (LifeNews.com) — Travis County, the home of the Texas state capital, is currently funding abortions with Travis County property tax dollars and the Board of Central Health is considering an annual budget that continues to include $450,000 elective abortions. Pro-life groups are urging local residents to tell elected officials to say no.
The abortions — nearly 1,000 during the next 12 months — will be performed on demand on healthy mothers with healthy unborn babies and no medical reason is required for the abortions to receive taxpayer dollars.
Central Health will take public testimony on Thursday and will then vote on the entire budget on Wednesday, September 15. Following the vote, the five members of the Travis County Commissioners Court will vote on the budget on Tuesday, September 21.
Texas Alliance for Life emailed LifeNews.com today urging pro-life advocates to show opposition to the abortion funding.
The group has a sample message for local residents, "I understand that you and the other members of the board of managers of Central Health will consider spending $450,000 for elective abortions during the next fiscal year. I ask you to oppose the abortion funding; I do not want property taxes to pay for abortions."
Central Health (formerly the Travis County Healthcare District) is a taxing authority created by voters in 2004 to fund health care for low-income residents. Central Health is governed by a board of managers, which must approve the abortion contracts with a separate vote.
No other political subdivision (county, city, or health care district) in Texas besides the Central Health of Travis County funds elective abortions. Nor do the federal and state Medicaid programs.
The City of Austin has funded elective abortions since 1978 and, in 2004, Central Health took over the City’s abortion contracts and renewed them at least three times.
The board has nine members — four appointed by the Travis County Commissioners, four appointed by the Austin City Council, and one jointly appointed.
In August 2009, Central Health approved its 2010 annual budget, which includes a $450,000 line item for "Women’s Services" (abortions). The Travis County Commissioners approved the budget at their Sept. 22, 2009, meeting including the abortion funding.
Three abortion businesses have contracts with the city for abortion funding, including Planned Parenthood, Whole Women’s Health and Austin Women’s Health Center.
TAL is urging pro-life people to attend the meeting of the board of managers at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday in the County Commissioners Courtroom on the first floor of the Granger Building, 314 W. 11th Street in Austin. The meeting is open to the public.
"Your presence is needed to show opposition to property tax-funded abortions," the group says.
ACTION: a message by email or fax to each of the nine members of the Central Health Board of Managers at https://www.traviscountyhd.org/contact_us.html or by fax at 512.978.8156
Related web sites:
Texas Alliance for Life – https://texasallianceforlife.org
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