Printed in the Herald-Times, November 27, 2013
To the Editor:
The Monroe County Council's decision to give another handout to Planned Parenthood shows a fundamental lack of seriousness about the community services grant program and a lack of respect for both taxpayers and other social service agencies.
In the application PP submitted to the council, they admitted they took in $160,000 more than they spent up to that point in their fiscal year. PP's revenue over expenses was 160% of the total the council distributed on November 12.
This is shameful. Planned Parenthood clearly does not need the money they got from the council, and that money could do much more good elsewhere. If we are going to subsidize social service agencies, the money should go to organizations that actually need it, not organizations that have a huge budget surplus.
Since PP did not need the money, why are they asking for a handout? They already get a grant every year from the city of Bloomington's social services funding program. This handout was a political endorsement, nothing more.
Finally, Planned Parenthood performs the barbaric act of abortion, and pro-life taxpayers should not be forced to fund such an organization, regardless of whether or not the grant goes to "abortion services."
Scott Tibbs.
