Plano Councilman Raises Concerns Over Funding Rape Crisis Center Because It Administers Plan B Pills

Supporters of The Turning Point rape crisis center in Plano will speak out at Monday’s City Council meeting after a Plano councilman raised concerns earlier this month over city funding for the agency. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Anthony Ricciardelli said at an Aug. 1 work session that though he believed 99% of the work The Turning Point does is “tremendously important and excellent,” he couldn’t support funding for an organization that administers the Plan B pill, a form of emergency contraception. In some circumstances, Ricciardelli said, “the Plan B pill destroys a human life.” “Plan B” is the brand name for an emergency contraceptive pill, a single dose of levonorgestrel that can be taken after unprotected intercourse to prevent pregnancy. It’s available over-the-counter and is sometimes called the morning-after pill.The manufacturer says the pill works by delaying the release of an egg from an ovary, but it can also work by preventing fertilization of the egg or preventing the egg from implanting in the uterus. It does not affect an existing pregnancy, according to manufacturer documents on the federal Food and Drug Administration website. Ricciardelli’s comments followed a discussion of recommendations for community services grants. In an email Monday, he said he supported using all of the proposed funding to help sexual assault victims, "even if not necessarily through this specific organization."Council member Shelby Williams also spoke at the work session, saying he shared Ricciardelli's reservations on the issue.Plano's Community Relations Commission recommended providing $57,542 in funding for The Turning Point in the coming budget cycle, up from $47,348 in 2018, according to city meeting materials.   Continue reading...