New Jersey Taxpayers Not Obligated to Fund Planned Parenthood

Contact: Marie Tasy, Executive Director, New Jersey Right to Life, 732-562 -0562

MEDIA ADVISORY, July 23 /Christian Newswire/ -- For far too long and without voter approval, NJ taxpayers were forced to fund Planned Parenthood in the state budget under "family planning services." In Governor Christie's FY 11 budget, he proposed completely eliminating $7.5M in funding to Planned Parenthood/family planning clinics. A group of pro-abortion lawmakers endorsed by Planned Parenthood's Political Action Committee, pushed a supplemental bill through the legislature in June which would have restored $7.5M to these centers. By vetoing the bill, Governor Christie freed NJ taxpayers from complicity with the nation's largest abortion provider.

Planned Parenthood Affiliates of NJ administers control over the operations of the NJ family planning clinics. Every NJ family planning center under Planned Parenthood's control counsels and refers for abortion. Despite assertions to the contrary from some lawmakers that none of the money will be used for abortion, the funds will be used for abortion because these centers have the mutual financial advantage of referring pregnant clients to one of the three "Planned Parenthood/family planning" centers that perform abortion. Planned Parenthood also operates a Political Action Committee and lobbies for funding for its clinics.

In its most recent annual report for the year ending June, 2008, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its affiliates list the following pregnancy services: 305,310 abortions, 4,012 adoption referrals and 10,914 prenatal care services. These statistics and their disproportionate ratios confirm that they are the largest provider of abortions in the nation, and that contrary to many of their supporters' assertions, they are indeed all about abortion and not about saving lives.

Planned Parenthood claims their services are saving the state money and actually preventing abortions, but the statistics indicate otherwise. They show that more than half of teenage pregnancies ended in abortion in New Jersey in 2005 and NJ currently has the second highest rate of teen abortions in the nation. STD rates continue to rise steadily in NJ as well. Their sexually explicit and inappropriate materials and presentations provided to children during classroom presentations continue to elicit numerous objections from parents.

Ignoring these grim realities and the responsibilities entrusted to them by the people they serve, a handful of legislators endorsed by the political arm of Planned Parenthood have been clamoring to defy the Governor's decision and award $7.5M of our taxpayer dollars so Planned Parenthood can continue to push its radical and harmful social agenda in our state. It is time to stop the absurdity of funding an industry that has failed miserably and has a financial self interest in keeping the status quo, especially when it comes to young girls and women in NJ.

The taxpayers of New Jersey are under no obligation, statutory or otherwise, to fund the radical and failed social agenda of Planned Parenthood. We commend Governor Christie for his steadfast opposition to restoring these funds and for working to promote the best health care for all NJ citizens.