You may have seen political ads on television warning of pending budget cuts targeting services like homecare for senior citizens and assistance to the physically or mentally handicapped in Illinois.  There has also been an intensive phone campaign warning Illinois citizens of falling state revenue and a budget deficit which will impact the most needy in the state.

The bottom line of this political outreach is meant to frighten the public.  The resolution of all Illinois’ fiscal woes would, supposedly, be solved by raising taxes.  Now, the television ads do not call for the public’s support of increased taxation because calling for higher taxes is truly the third rail in today’s political world.  However, households in some legislative districts have received calls — from advocacy groups, supposedly not affiliated with any political party — stating services to the elderly will be cut unless taxes are raised.

“The sky is falling” mantra is designed to give the impression specific services would be cut in the fiscal year 2010 state budget unless the public agrees with the need for higher taxes.  As in all things, there is a modicum of truth in what also may be considered a campaign of deception.

Illinois, like most states, does have a budget deficit.  There is a debate over how many billions of dollars are needed to balance the state budget, therefore, getting into the minutiae of Illinois’ cash shortfall should not be important in this discussion.  But if substantial cuts are necessary regarding state fiscal shortcomings, state Rep. David Reis (R-Olney) has an excellent idea where to begin cutting.

A bill (HR 417) introduced by Rep. Reis calls for state funding of Planned Parenthood to be discontinued.  An official summary of the text of HR 417 reads:

“be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Sixth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, that the State of Illinois discontinue State funding of Planned Parenthood and to more prudently spend our precious tax dollars by helping to pay our current healthcare obligations and to provide healthcare for all Illinoisans.”

If the Illinois General Assembly took Reis’ legislation seriously, Illinois taxpayers would save an estimated $25 million over the next five years, based on past allocations to America’s largest abortion provider.

Drastic budget cuts in vital services to the elderly and handicapped are necessary.  The fact of the matter is there will be a need to trim discretionary spending which, in some cases, is wasteful or politically motivated.  In fiscal year 2007, Planned Parenthood brought in $1.0179 billion in gross revenue.  This hardly sounds like an organization that needs to be subsidized by the tax-paying public.

But the moral component regarding taxpayer funding of the nation’s leading abortion provider cannot be denied.  Why should a majority of Americans who consider themselves pro-life, according to recent polling, be forced to fill the bulging coffers of an entity which ends the lives of innocent unborn?

There are those who would rather not bring the moral questions about the subject of abortion into the discussion surrounding the allocation of state funds.  Yet ignoring the moral debate over abortion would be akin to the old adage regarding not seeing the elephant sitting in the corner of a room.  And with many suffering because of an economy in recession, the debate over public-funding of abortion is even more relevant.

Here is an interesting suggestion for those in favor of increasing taxes so that Planned Parenthood can continue receiving its multi-million dollar stipend from Illinois taxpayers.  How about an ad on television warning the public the state funding of abortion might end if taxes are not increased?  How about a phone campaign directing the public to call their state legislators requesting more millions be stuffed into the pockets of those who provide abortions, including abortions for teenagers without parental consent?  Of course, such an ad and phone outreach campaign would fly like a lead balloon and, fortunately for pro-abortion legislators, the public does not use line-item scrutiny when it comes to where their taxes have gone in the past and where they will go in the future.

Reis’ bill makes perfect sense, both from a moral and fiscal standpoint, whether one buys into “the sky is falling” premise or not.  Should Illinois taxpayers be funding Planned Parenthood?  Let’s hope common sense is used in the resolution of this question.

Illinois lawmakers will be working on the state budget this week. An income tax hike is still being promoted by Gov. Quinn.