FL Lawmakers Threaten To Defund St. Pete Over $50K Abortion Grant

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Two Florida lawmakers are threatening to oppose state funding for St. Petersburg unless the city drops its consideration of a $50,000 grant for the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund.

In February, the St. Petersburg City Council’s Health, Energy, Resilience and Sustainability Committee moved forward a motion by city councilor and committee member Richie Floyd to give money from the city’s general funds to the organization, which financially assists low-income individuals seeking abortions in several counties in the Tampa Bay area.

If approved by the full city council, money from the city would be used solely for practical services, which include travel-related expenses for those seeking out-of-state abortions after 15 weeks, such as flights, gas, hotels, rideshare services, gas reimbursement and food.

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The grant will go before the city council for discussion and a vote on April 6.

In a March 22 letter to Mayor Ken Welch and council Chair Gina Driscoll, state representatives Mike Beltran (District 70) and Berny Jacques (District 59) wrote that they “will consider voting against any budget that includes any funding earmarked for the city” unless the council drops the TBAF grant.

“Not only is the city’s contemplated assistance to TBAF unlawful, it is a wasteful and frivolous use of tax dollars,” they wrote. “As such, the undersigned will oppose any appropriations for the city until the city disavows any effort to provide economic assistance to TBAF.”

They said money given by the city to the organization would be “in violation of state law.”

Welch said their threats wouldn’t prevent the conversation about the $50,000 grant from taking place.

“I, as mayor, the St. Petersburg City Council, and the St. Pete residents we serve, embrace our responsibilities to our great community, including our duty to review and debate all issues of importance to our city without regard to threats and attempts to intimidate,” he tweeted Friday.