Arizona Planned Parenthood Pumps Tax Credits for Donations

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Dec 23, 2010   |   1:12PM   |   Phoenix, AZ

Planned Parenthood Arizona is promoting tax credits intended for organizations that assist poor state residents for donations that would benefit the abortion business.

In a promotional released last week, the southwestern abortion organization issued a fundraising appeal taking advantage of a federal tax rebate.

“Your generous donation can be applied to the Arizona Working Poor Tax Credit,” it says. “What this means to you is that, in addition to a federal tax deduction, if you itemize your deductions and you contribute to Planned Parenthood in Arizona, you may be eligible for a dollar-for dollar state tax credit.”

The tax credit, the abortion business says, can return “up to $200 for an individual filer and up to $400 for a married couple filing jointly.”

According to the Arizona Department of Revenue, the tax credit is designed “for contributions that provide assistance to the working poor.”

“Services is defined as cash assistance, medical care, child care, food, clothing, shelter, job placement and job training services or any other assistance that is reasonably necessary to meet immediate basic needs and that is provided and used in this state,” it says.

The fundraising appeal was posted on the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona web blog, which is the political arm of Planned Parenthood Arizona, which makes the tax credit-based appeal appear even less likely to meet the criteria for which it was intended.  The ADR web site providing a list of qualified recipients merely lists “Planned Parenthood” as eligible.

The PPAA web site specifically indicates it “promote[s] a political agenda” that involves “educating voters, public officials and candidates for office.”

Jill Stanek, a pro-life nurse and blogger, noticed the tax credit and said pro-life groups should work towards making sure it can’t be applied to an abortion business.

“This is a pro-abortion tax loophole pro-lifers should strive to close, if possible,” she told LifeNews.com.

ACTION: Contact your elected officials to ask that Planned Parenthood be removed from the tax credit list. Also contact the Arizona Department of Revenue here.