2009-07-06
Contact: Peggy Hamill, State Director, (262) 796-1111, Cell (414) 416-0489
Or Virginia Zignego, Communications Director, (262) 796-1111, Cell (262) 370-3993
Wisconsin counties funding Planned Parenthood
An open records request, made by Pro-Life Wisconsin, revealed that Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is receiving county taxpayer funds from five Wisconsin counties – Dane, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Outagamie and Sheboygan. An open records request was made to each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, asking for copies of any payments made to Planned Parenthood in 2007 and 2008. All counties fulfilled the open records request.
“Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is the state’s number one abortion provider, both surgical and chemical,” said Virginia Zignego, communications director for Pro-Life Wisconsin. “County budgets are cutting public services and unemployment is reaching an all-time high. I cannot believe Wisconsin taxpayers would want their hard-earned money supporting Planned Parenthood.”
In 2008, the five Wisconsin counties wrote checks to Planned Parenthood for the following total amounts: Dane County, $50,660.04; Fond du Lac County, $1,052.50; Manitowoc County, $13,589; Outagamie County, $10,872.59; and Sheboygan County, $11,903.51.
“I encourage Wisconsin taxpayers to contact their elected county officials to express their displeasure at how their tax money is being spent,” Zignego said.
In addition to these county funds, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin received $5,450,448 in 2007 under Wisconsin’s Family Planning Waiver Program. Through this federal/state program, minors as young as 15 receive free birth control, without their parents’ knowledge or consent.
The contact numbers of the counties funding Planned Parenthood are as follows:
Dane County, (608) 266-4114; Fond du Lac County, (920) 929-3155; Manitowoc County, (920) 683-5107; Outagamie County, (920) 832-1522; and Sheboygan County, (920) 459-6400.