The Travis County Healthcare District (TCHD) is a taxing authority created by voters in 2004 to fund health care for low-income residents. Texas Alliance for Life has learned that the governing board of managers will have a special meeting on Thursday, Dec. 10. At the meeting the board will vote on proposed contracts with three local abortion providers to use $450,000 in property taxes to pay for approximately 1,000 abortions for the next 12 months.

The meeting will be on Thursday, Dec. 10, in the Travis County Commissioners Courtroom located on the first floor of the Granger Building at 314 W. 11th St. in Austin. Click here for the Board Packet.

The three abortion providers are Planned Parenthood at 201 E. Ben White Blvd., Whole Women's Health at 8401 N. IH 35, and Austin Women's Health Center at 1902 S. IH 35.

The abortions would be performed on demand on healthy women with healthy unborn babies. No medical reason or referral is required.

For updated information, visit: http://www.texasallianceforlife.org/Issues.aspx?str=TravisCountyAbortions.

Please immediately contact the Travis County Healthcare District to oppose the proposed $450,000 in abortion contracts. Here are three ways:

1. Send a message by email or fax to each of the nine members of the board of managers:

Online form: http://www.traviscountyhd.org/contact_us.html

Fax: 512.978.8156

SAMPLE MESSAGE (please use your own words):

Dear   (name of board member)   (see list below)

I understand that you and other members of the board of managers of the Travis County Healthcare District will consider authorizing contracts with three abortion facilities totaling $450,000 per year for abortions on demand. I ask you to oppose the contracts because I do not want my property taxes to pay for abortions. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Your name and address

Let us know you contacted the board members. Send comments to info@texasallianceforlife.org.

2. Attend the meeting:

Please consider attending the meeting of the board of managers at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10, in the County Commissioners Courtroom on the first floor of the Granger Building at 314 W. 11th St. in Austin. Here is a map. The meeting is open to the public as required by the Texas Open Meetings Act. Your presence is needed to show opposition to property tax-funded abortions. There will be a person from Texas Alliance for Life there to help you.

You may also wish to give a short (3 min. max) testimony during the Citizens' Communication (here are guidelines). Sign-up begins at 5 p.m.; arrive as early as 4 p.m. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m.

The meeting will be televised live on Travis County Television, local cable station 17, and streamed online.

3. Spread the word and help promote the petition:

• Forward this email to church and personal lists.
• Help promote the "Petition Against Property Tax-Funded Abortions by the Travis County Healthcare District." To download and print a copy, click here.

• The TCHD is governed by a board of managers, which must approve the abortion contracts with a separate vote. The board has nine members -- four appointed by the Travis County Commissioners, four appointed by the Austin City Council, and one jointly appointed. Each serves a four-year term. (Click on each for more information):
  
  
  Thomas B Coopwood, M.D., Chairperson
  Rosie Mendoza, C.P.A., Vice-Chairperson
  Frank Rodriguez, Treasurer
  Bobbie Barker, Secretary
  Clarke Heidrick, J.D.
  Donald Patrick, M.D., J.D.
  Brenda Coleman-Beattie
  Anthony Haley
  Katrina Daniel
  
  
• Texas Alliance for Life's research has revealed that the City of Austin has funded elective abortions since the 1970s. In 2004, the Travis County Healthcare District was created by voters to use county property taxes to pay for health care at local hospitals and clinics for low-income residents. The TCHD took over the City's abortion contracts and renewed them at least three times.
• In August 2009, the TCHD approved its 2010 annual budget, which includes a $450,000 line item for "Women's Services" (abortions). The Travis County Commissioners approved the TCHD budget at their Sept. 22 meeting, as required by state law.
• To see how much property taxes you are paying to the Travis County Healthcare District, visit the Travis Central Appraisal District at www.traviscad.org.