By Scott Tibbs, April 29, 2015
After sixteen years, it is time for the Bloomington City Council to end the annual farce of funding Bloomington's Planned Parenthood, which operates an abortion "clinic" on South College Avenue, just a few blocks south of the county courthouse. It is time for the councilors to show they are serious about the purpose of this fund.
When the councilors vote to distribute grants from the John Hopkins Social Services Fund in June, they will be giving away $270,000. That is far below the total amount requested, which is $472,004.38. This means the council will be forced to deny over $200,000 in requests be organizations that do not have the backing of a national organization with over one billion dollars in annual revenue.
Following is my letter to the City Council.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Please do not fund Planned Parenthood
From: Scott Tibbs <tibbs1973@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, April 25, 2015 11:34 am
To: ruffa@bloomington.in.gov, sandbers@bloomington.in.gov, mayert@bloomington.in.gov, sturbauc@bloomington.in.gov, grangerd@bloomington.in.gov, spechlem@bloomington.in.gov, rollod@bloomington.in.gov, neherd@bloomington.in.gov, volans@bloomington.in.gov
Councilors,
Once again, I am asking you to reject Planned Parenthood's request for funding from the Jack Hopkins Social Services Fund. Since 1999, this body has approved $42,767.71 in requests by Planned Parenthood, including $2,440.00 in 2006 for cabinetry, files and furniture to renovate the front office.
The guidelines for agencies requesting Hopkins funding state that this should be for a one-time investment. The council reiterated that with the letter to agencies that may seek funding:
| Hopkins grants are intended to be a one-time investment. This restriction is meant to encourage innovative projects and to allow the funds to address changing community circumstances. While the Committee may provide operational funding for pilot, bridge efforts, and collaborative initiatives, an agency should not expect to receive or rely on the Hopkins fund for on-going costs (e.g., personnel) from year to year. |
Planned Parenthood long ago abandoned any pretense that they were seeking a one-time investment. For the last several years they have been seeking funding for operating expenses and ongoing costs.
This year is a city election year. Now is the time to end these political games and rededicate yourselves to the true mission of the social services fund, and give the money that would go to Planned Parenthood to a worthy and non-controversial organization - one that does not have the backing of a national organization that takes in over one billion dollars every year and runs a huge budget surplus in nine figures.
