Two Texas-based affiliates of the Planned Parenthood abortion business, located in Austin and Waco, appear to have sealed an agreement to merge in what pro-life groups say is likely a cost-saving move at a time when the abortion business faces de-funding.
The Austin Market Examiner indicates the boards of directors of both groups have approved an agreement whereby the senior staff of the Austin Planned Parenthood abortion business would oversee the merged entity, which will be evaluated from now until next year as a prospective move.
“As a merged affiliate, the combined $11 million nonprofit would expand its impact and ability to provide health care and education in Central Texas,” Planned Parenthood said of the proposal.
Pam Smallwood and Sarah Wheat, interim co-CEOs of Austin-based Planned Parenthood of the Texas Capital Region, will now lead the Waco affiliate in anticipation of the merger. The move, the newspaper reports, came after Felicia Goodman resigned July 8 as the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Central Texas in Waco to take a position heading up its community affairs.
The move comes after the Waco affiliate closed up centers in Groesbeck and Marlin, Texas.
For pro-life advocates, there’s no aporia when it comes to an analysis of why the two local affiliates are merging, as the Texas pro-life groups point to financial reasons.
“This may be a another sign that Planned Parenthood in Texas has fallen on very difficult times,” says Joe Pojman of Texas Alliance for Life.
“The Texas Legislature has defunded Planned Parenthood by as much as $58 million over the next two years. The Texas sonogram bill promises to substantially reduce their abortion business by raising the standard of care for informed consent for women considering abortion,” he told LifeNews. “Two of their chapters, in Amarillo and in Corpus Christi, have disaffiliated in recent years. And, two years ago their affiliate in El Paso abruptly closed its doors and went out of business, reportedly under investigation by the State of Texas.”
John Seago, the legislative director of Texas Right to Life, drew the same conclusions.
“In the wake of an extremely successful Legislative Session, Planned Parenthood affiliates in Texas are looking for ways to brace themselves for huge financial losses,” he said in comments to LifeNews.com. “Not only did we make sure they were last in line to receive federal funds for family planning services (a funding stream that we greatly limited), but we also completely banned Planned Parenthood and affiliates from the Women’s Health Program, a Medicaid-Waver program.”
“After such a Pro-Life session where State Officials worked tirelessly to keep tax-payer funds out of the abortion industry, the abortion giant is set to lose more than $47 Million in state and federal funds this biennium. With that kind of financial hit the abortion-minded giant is looking for ways to function on a drastically smaller budget for the next two years,” he explained.
