39% of all Minnesota abortions now funded by taxpayers

Minnesota Concerned Citizens for Life is highlighting new numbers from the state Department of Human Services that show another spike in abortions financed by Minnesota taxpayers.

According to the report, nearly 4,000 elective abortions were tax-subsidized in 2014, or 39 percent of the state’s total abortions, an increase from 2013’s 34.2 percent. Forty-five percent of taxpayer abortion claims in 2014 were filed by Planned Parenthood.

Since 1995, when the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled there was a right to elective abortions at taxpayer expense, Minnesotans have paid more than $22.5 million for over 73,000 abortions.

“Aggressive promotion of abortion to economically vulnerable women is enriching the state’s abortion industry,” Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life executive director Scott Fischbach said. “Polls continue to show that most Minnesotans and most Americans are opposed to taxpayer funded abortions, yet they continue to be forced to pay for them.”

Minnesota permits direct financing of abortion; but according to the Susan B. Anthony List, even funds for abortion providers ostensibly limited to other purposes result in more abortions. From 2000 and 2013, federal subsidies to Planned Parenthood increased by $326,400,000, which coincided with their annual abortions rising by 130,583, an increase of 66 percent.

Last year, pro-life lawmakers introduced legislation that would prohibit subsidizing abortions with tax dollars; it is currently pending before both chambers of the state legislature.