By Scott Tibbs, May 10, 2011
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Planned Parenthood's grant request
Date: Thu, 05 May 2011 19:33:01 -0400
From: Scott Tibbs <tibbs1973@yahoo.com>
To: piedmoni@bloomington.in.gov, ruffa@bloomington.in.gov, satterfm@bloomington.in.gov, mayert@bloomington.in.gov, sandbers@bloomington.in.gov, sturbauc@bloomington.in.gov, wislerb@bloomington.in.gov, rollod@bloomington.in.gov, volans@bloomington.in.gov
Councilors,
Back in March, I spoke at a city council meeting and said the social services funding process has become corrupted. Some of you were offended by this statement, but frankly I cannot see another way to describe it. The 8 Democrats on the city council have taken what is supposed to be a program to help local social service agencies provide help to those in need and turned it into an avenue to provide a political endorsement to Planned Parenthood. For this, you should be ashamed of yourselves.
You gave a $5,000 grant to Planned Parenthood last June despite the fact that PP does not need the money and despite the fact that local charities without the backing of a billion-dollar corporation could use it much more. You gave PP this money despite the fact that you know that the national branch and all affiliates combined for a profit of $85 million. Even worse, you gave PP this grant despite the fact that you knew it would be used to cover up felony sexual abuse.
You have repeatedly betrayed the trust that the people of Bloomington have placed in you to wisely and fairly spend the money entrusted to you, and you have insulted and disrespected the other social service agencies that have been denied funds so you can use taxpayer dollars to fund a political agenda.
This year, I invite you to prove me wrong, and demonstrate that the social services funding process is not corrupt by rejecting Planned Parenthood's cynical request for a political endorsement in the form of a $5,600 grant. In their own fiscal report that they submitted to you, Planned Parenthood of Indiana admitted they have more than enough money to fund their request without money from the limited funds available to the John Hopkins program.
It is not even worthwhile to debate the request itself. Even though reduced cost HIV testing is a good thing, this request has nothing to do with detecting HIV or helping the people infected with HIV. This is about getting a political endorsement and Planned Parenthood is cynically using these people as pawns.
It is long past time for the 8 Democrats on the Bloomington City Council to put aside these cynical and irresponsible political games and start acting like a respectable governing body that takes your responsibilities seriously.
Scott Tibbs
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