The Nashville Metro City Council may cut jobs to create a new fund to help Planned Parenthood abort more unborn babies.
On Thursday, Tennessee began enforcing a new law that protects unborn babies by banning abortions. The pro-life law is expected to save thousands of unborn babies’ lives every year.
However, at least six Nashville city council members oppose the law, and, in response, they announced a new plan to spend $500,000 to fund abortion travel and sex education through a grant to Planned Parenthood, The Tennessean reports.
City leaders told several local news outlets that there is not enough money in the budget for the plan, and they may have to cut staffing positions and delay other projects to fund it.
The city council has not voted on the proposed funding yet, but Mayor John Cooper and council members Delishia Porterfield, Freddie O’Connell, Sandra Sepulveda, Ginny Welsch, Emily Benedict and Bob Mendes support it, according to Main Street Nashville.
ACTION ALERT: To oppose the pro-abortion plan, contact Nashville Metropolitan City Council members.
At a press conference Thursday, they criticized state lawmakers for enacting the new pro-life law and promised to keep fighting for abortions for Tennessee women.
“Our city has the potential to put our money where our mouth is,” Sepulveda said.
Their plan includes $150,000 for gas cards and other travel costs for Nashville women to go to other states for abortions, $200,000 for sex education and $150,000 for “safer sex supplies,” according to The Tennessean.
Representatives of Tennessee Right to Life were unhappy with the proposal.
“It sadly comes as no surprise that Metro Nashville would prioritize funding for abortions over essential items such as education and transportation. Just last month, these same City Council members turned away millions of dollars in tourism revenue just to spite the Republican party and turn away its presidential convention.” commented Will Brewer, Legal Counsel/ Director of Government Relations for Tennessee Right to Life.
“It is tragic that Nashville City Council would consider using tax dollars to allow its most vulnerable citizens to be transported across state lines where their lives will be ended. If City Council members want to support Nashville women, they will work to protect them from unregulated, out-of-state abortion facilities that will profit financially from the deaths of their children. Instead of paying to transport women to unregulated abortion facilities in other states, Council members would better serve the people of Nashville by working to create a safe environment for all citizens, including unborn children and their mothers.” added Stacy Dunn, President of Tennessee Right to Life.
Council members said they are working with the mayor’s office and city financial leaders to figure out how to pay for the plan – including by potentially cutting jobs and delaying other city projects, WPLN reports.
Here’s more from Main Street Tennessee:
Funds for abortion travel would be distributed in the form of a grant to Planned Parenthood, which is already providing gas cards and hotel vouchers to patients seeking abortions outside of Tennessee. …
Mayor John Cooper’s office supports the proposal and is helping to identify funding that could be redirected to the initiative, Director of Legislation Mike Jameson said — a complicated task.
“Every penny is spoken for in the budget — quite literally every penny of nearly $3 billion. So finding a half million dollars — it’s not the flip of a hat,” Jameson said. “That’s a difficult assignment, but we’ll do it.”
But Stacy Dunn, president of Tennessee Right to Life, said government leaders have a responsibility to protect unborn babies from violent abortion deaths.
“The right to life is the most fundamental right of any human being,” Dunn said Thursday when the abortion ban went into effect. “To protect that right for our unborn children is a responsibility that we take seriously. Tennesseans should be proud of what our state has accomplished for our most vulnerable citizens.”
The pro-life law was a major victory, but Dunn said pro-life advocates’ work is not over. They will continue to work to pass legislation to protect babies in the womb and support families in need through the nearly 200 pregnancy resource centers and other charities across the state.
“And we will continue to educate the citizens of our state about the precious gift of life in all its ages, stages and conditions,” she said. “Our goal is not only to make abortion illegal but to make it unthinkable.”
ACTION ALERT: To oppose the pro-abortion plan, contact Nashville Metropolitan City Council members.
