You, the taxpaying Austinite, could be forced to finance the killing of pre-born children.
Recently, Austin City Council members proposed using up to $150,000 of Austinites’ cash toward funding abortions. Your money would cover associated costs such as rides to and from an abortion facility, lodging, and ironically, childcare.
In the past, council preferred to give your cash directly to abortion businesses, such as the special $1-a-year lease deal they give Planned Parenthood on a downtown plot of land. However, a new state law (Senate Bill 22) now protects citizens’ money from being funneled directly to organizations that kill pre-born babies.
Austin City Council, however, is determined to sidestep that new law. Council members said this plan is a direct response to SB 22, and by paying for the associated abortion costs of travel and lodging, they have found a different way to funnel citizens’ cash toward abortions.
On Monday, several city council members, standing amidst several abortion groups, spoke at a press conference to support the plan.
“These far right-wing, anti-abortion extremists have created barrier after barrier trying to make abortion impossible to access for our constituents, and we refuse to let that happen,” said council member Greg Casar, announcing that Austin is “fighting back” against those trying to protect children from being killed in the womb. Casar said the “barriers” to the killing should be removed, and that Austinites should be forced to fund anyone who wants to take the life of their child.
“I am proud to support this . . . to make it so that our constituents can access abortion care regardless of the size of their bank account,” he said.
“Any opportunity that comes across my desk to continue to support a woman’s right to an abortion is something I will always support,” said Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza.
“I just wish we didn’t have to do this again, but we have to,” said council member Leslie Pool, referring to the council’s fight against state laws that protect pre-born children. “Here we are, just a mile apart from the state Capitol, yet we are worlds apart when it comes to a woman’s right to access safe, affordable healthcare.”
State Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels), the author of SB 22, released a statement on council’s plan.
“I have not read the amendment to the City of Austin’s budget yet, but on its face, it defiantly violates the spirit of Senate Bill 22, if not an outright violation against the law,” Campbell wrote. “I will be working with the attorney general’s office on this issue.”
Austin City Council will further consider their plan in the coming weeks, leading up to their expected approval of the city’s 2020 budget on September 10.
