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John Hopkins social services funding

By Scott Tibbs, May 18, 2009

Every year for the past ten years, the city of Bloomington has given Planned Parenthood a handout from taxpayer money. Every year, local abortion opponents have tried in vain to convince the City Council not to fund the local branch of America's #1 abortion provider. I was expecting to fight this battle again this summer, but was surprised when the City Council's attorney told me that PP didn't even apply this year. Obviously, this is great news. But why would Planned Parenthood, which had the support of 8 of the 9 City Council members and was never in danger of being denied funding, suddenly change direction and decide not to ask for corporate welfare?

I am convinced that the reason PP did not apply is that the Bloomington branch was nationally embarrassed late last year when Live Action Films caught Bloomington's PP on videotape trying to cover up the sexual abuse of a 13 year old girl by a 31 year old man. UCLA student Lila Rose went undercover as a 13 year old girl pregnant by her 31 year old "boyfriend" and filmed a Planned Parenthood "nurse" trying to help her cover up the abuse. I think Planned Parenthood did not want that fight again this year, with the sex abuse scandal still fresh in everyone's minds. While this is excellent news, I have no doubt that PP will be back next year asking for even more corporate welfare from city government.

That said, I am still opposed to the idea of government giving money to social service agencies. With government money comes government strings, and social service agencies that take money from government are then subject to following the government's rules as a condition of taking the money. I think it is unfortunate that a church has applied for money this year. Churches and parachurch organizations should be especially careful to avoid taking a subsidy from government at any level. Private charities should be privately funded.

Below is a list of the proposed distribution of the social services fund this year.

AgencyAmount
Mother Hubbard's Cupboard$28,656.51
Martha's House$25,000.00
Stepping Stones$20,044.00
Habitat for Humanity$18,366.00
Shalom Community Center$18,000.00
New Leaf - New Life$16,584.00
Boys and Girls Club$15,000.00
Middle Way House$10,554.70
Harmony Education Center$10,060.00
Monroe County CASA$8,789.00
Citizen Advocacy of South Central Indiana$7,200.00
Girls Inc.$3,745.00
My Sister's Closet$2,503.92
First United Church$2,500.00
The Villages of Indiana
Monroe County Healthy Families
$1,878.00
Community Kitchen of Monroe County$1,005.00