Paula Brooks’ Fiscal Reputation?

July 17, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                CONTACT: Mike Gonidakis

DATE: Wednesday July 7, 2010                                            PHONE: (614) 547-0099 ext. 301

 

Paula’s Payback?

Pro-Abortion Group Backs Brooks

(Columbus, Ohio) – Today, the Ohio Right to Life Society called upon on Franklin County Commissioner Paula Brooks, who was recently endorsed by EMILY’s List, to address two specific questions relating to her alleged fiscal prudence. 

A recent General Accounting Office report indicated that six abortion-providing or promoting organizations received more than $1 billion in federal funding between FY 2002-2009.  By far the most funding, $657.1 million, went to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its affiliates, who performed 305,310 abortions in 2007.

Planned Parenthood is far better at feeding from the public trough than convincing individuals to donate to their cause.  In FY 2008, Planned Parenthood affiliates received 88% more from government grants and contracts ($349.6 million) than contributions and bequests ($186 million).

An October 14, 2009 Columbus Dispatch article indicated that Brooks voted to “squeeze” $50,000 out of the county budget for a grant to Planned Parenthood to teach sex education to Columbus kids.  Brooks, at the time of the vote, indicated that Planned Parenthood had been a regular recipient of grants from the county.

Brooks’ campaign website claims that she has “a reputation for strong fiscal prudence.”  However, if she thinks “squeezing” money out of a tight county budget to pay an abortion-provider to teach kids about sex is the best use of public funds while folks struggle to make ends meet, what will she do if she has a say about the huge federal budget?

The Ohio Right to Life Society and its members have two simple fiscal questions for Paula Brooks:

1) Do you support using our tax dollars to pay for abortions? 

2) Would you support limiting government funding to Planned Parenthood to no more than the amount it can raise in donations from private individuals and groups?  

“Why should taxpayers be forced to pay more to an abortion-providing organization than it is able to raise through voluntary tax-deductible donations from its supporters,” said Mike Gonidakis, Executive Director of Ohio Right to Life Society.  “This would seem like a modest request, unless the test for public funding is not really support from the public, but the support of some public officials,” said Gonidakis.

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