Since abortion became illegal in Missouri two years ago, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Coalition Life has fine-tuned its strategy. Because there are no abortion clinics in Missouri, Coalition Life operates largely outside clinics in other states where the procedure is still legal. The group’s website says it operates at one location in Kansas and five in Illinois including in Fairview Heights, about 13 miles east of St. Louis.
On its website, Coalition Life has called itself “America’s largest professional sidewalk counseling organization.” The group’s revenue has surged in recent years, thanks in part to a lucrative Missouri tax credit for pregnancy resource centers, of which it is one. Following a massive expansion of the tax credit program by the state legislature in 2019, donors to Coalition Life and similar nonprofits can receive tax credits worth 70% of their donation amount, significantly boosting the groups’ fundraising efforts across Missouri.
The tax credit has led to a growing financial cost to Missouri taxpayers, with over $11.2 million in tax credits authorized in the past year alone. Before the change, the tax credit had been capped at $3.5 million a year. When combined with the $8.6 million the state directly allocates to pregnancy centers, Missouri has become a leader in per capita investment in anti-abortion centers.
While Missouri does not contribute the most overall to anti-abortion groups — Texas, with its much larger population, leads the nation with a $140 million outlay over two years — it stands out for the investment relative to its size. Still, it pales in comparison with this year’s nearly $52 billion budget.
Okay but that’s kinda how democracy is supposed to work… Blue states should also have organizations going into Red states to spread factual information… I’d probably start by letting them know how much money they are being forced to give to these other orgs, and how to stop it
The issue is more that MO state funds are leaving the state, and other states are being directly influenced by said extra-state funds.
It’s like when Russia tries to influence US elections.
I get the initiative to help red states, but democracy also works where if your an asshole shithead who makes sure their state is run by asshole shitheads, then you live in an asshole shithead state.
If blue state voters want their tax dollars educating red states, yay democracy!
If blue states want to spend that money on themselves and watch as Red states become horrible places to live, yay democracy!
The only downside is that federal budgets will continue to help red states. We need someone at the top willing to play the Republicans game and deny red states everything until they come crawling back, or use all those private business tax free profits to replace the shortfall.
I don’t want my state funds leaving the state. Missouri needs money for infrastructure, schools, and basic needs, yet we are bankrolling this mess. State funds should only be used to improve conditions in that state. In no way is this improving anything for the people of Missouri, it’s just further proof that the gerrymandering is working.