Austin Ex-Councilor Sues Again: 'Defund Abortion'

Austin in the Crosshairs Again: Liberal Council Sues for Abortion Funds

Former conservative Austin City Council member Don Zimmerman is taking the city back to court over its questionable use of public funds to aid Austinites seeking abortions. Texas, being the pro-life bastion it is, only allows abortions in life-threatening emergencies.

In a typical leftist move, Austin City Council approved last week’s budget, which includes a whopping $400,000 one-time expense to expand the city's "reproductive health grant," aka abortion travel money.

A judge now faces the heavy lifting of deciding whether Austin is trouncing over state law and the Constitution by spending taxpayer dollars on bed-and-breakfasts and Uber rides for out-of-state abortions. Zimmerman filed an amended petition in Travis County's 98th District Court on Tuesday alleging just that.

The suit, pointing straight at the city of Austin, Mayor Kirk Watson, and City Manager T.C. Broadnax, seeks both temporary and permanent court orders to stop the city’s mad dash to fund these dubious ventures.

Austin, staying true to its liberal roots, declined to comment on the lawsuit in response to American-Statesman’s request on Wednesday. Zimmerman, likely prepping his best lines, noted he'll have commentary "at a later date."

This isn’t Zimmerman's first rodeo. Back in 2019, he sued the city for allocating $150,000 for similar logistical support. The Travis County district judge ruled against him, and an appeals court backed it up. Determined, Zimmerman took it to the Texas Supreme Court in 2021, which recently vacated all previous rulings due to Roe v. Wade getting the boot.

"In more recent years, the City’s Reproductive Health Grant funding was significantly constrained, limiting funds to education and outreach for contraception and reproductive health care only," the original 2024 budget amendment proposal document stated. "Austinites seeking abortion care in other states need support from the City. Reestablishing logistical support of abortion access is critical to meet the healthcare gaps of City residents."

Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, who pushed the budget amendment this year, had this to say through a written statement: "Efforts to obstruct reproductive freedom in Texas are nothing new or surprising. I remain fully committed to defending our reproductive rights here in our home city. As far as I’m concerned, our resolve remains unchanged.”

Stay tuned for more fireworks from Austin as this battle over taxpayer-funded road trips continues.