City Council Votes To Subsidize Presence Health
The Chicago City Council voted 31-18 to approve a $5.5 million TIF subsidy to Presence Health, a move angering many due to the company’s anti-abortion stance and alleged anti-union activity. Proponents of giving TIF money to the Catholic healthcare network say the subsidy will improve access to healthcare for residents on the city’s South and West sides, but opponents did not want to subsidize the company because it does not provide contraceptive, abortion, and other reproductive services to women. “Communities of color have the highest of diabetes, obesity and unplanned pregnancy,” said Alderman Leslie Hairston, who voted no. “The issue here…is not about that. It’s about using public dollars to support religious institutions that don’t support the right that we, as women, have in this country.” The ACLU called the vote to approve ‘disappointing.’ “We will be tracking this closely and will continue to bring to the light the many ways Presence blocks access to reproductive health care, including contraceptive pregnancy prevention care, tubal ligations, miscarriage treatment and other abortions,” the group said in a statement. (Sun-Times)