​Supervisor Disagrees Over Abortion Rights Resolution In Newtown

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors has directed its solicitor to draft a resolution supporting abortion rights and to oppose any state legislative efforts to curb those rights.

Supervisors Dennis Fisher, Elen Snyder and Phil Calabro voted in favor of the motion while Supervisor Kyle Davis voted against. Supervisor John Mack was out of town and did not attend the board’s August meeting.

Davis, the only Republican on the board, argued against the motion, contending that the issue of abortion rights “is not in the purview” of the board of supervisors.

“We have done this four times on controversial issues,” he said referring to previous resolutions passed by the board on state and national issues. “I don’t want to bring the controversial issues from the state and federal level to Newtown Township … I’m here for the same reason you guys are here and that’s because we care about Newtown Township and that’s what we should focus on,” said Davis. “I don’t think we should be bringing these issues in here to essentially fan the flames.”

Davis told his fellow board members that he wasn’t “looking to make waves and make problems,” but called this and previous resolutions passed by the board “symbolic on very sensitive topics. I don’t think we should be doing it,” he said. “We should focus on Newtown and the things we do have control over.”

After listening to Davis, Snyder, who proposed the resolution earlier this summer, said she understood his argument, but disagreed.

“I never thought we would ever need to consider this,” she said of the resolution, “but because of recent events in the country, which are going to trickle down to Pennsylvania, simply what we are doing is supporting our elected officials and the fight for women’s rights and to keep them in the Constitution as they already exist,” she said. “Not to expand them, not to take them away, but to keep them as they are. We’re just telling them to please fight for women.”

Davis responded, “I do understand your position and the feelings are strong for you. My point is also this. I don’t know where everyone (in the township) is on the topic. I don’t think everyone here on the board of supervisors) does, but presumably there’s a portion of the township that has serious problems with this (resolution). And I don’t want to take a position as a board to tell them that they are wrong. That’s not our place to do.

“We’re literally taking a portion of our township and telling them we disagree with you, we don’t care and we’re taking a stand,” said Davis. “I don’t want to tell either side that I disagree and I think you are wrong. And we shouldn’t have to because it’s not in our purview.”

Supervisor Phil Calabro agreed with many of Davis’ points, calling them “spot on,” but added that “we do make controversial decisions here with 50-50 splits on a lot of things. Is this a symbolic gesture? Yes, but aren’t we here to make symbolic gestures? I think yeah, in some cases. I’m not opposed to what this stands for,” he said of the resolution. “I may be opposed to some of the terminology, but as a man, it’s not within my purview to tell a woman what to do with her body.

“If we don’t do anything at the local level, even though it’s symbolic, what are we saying?” asked Calabro. “Yes, we have done symbolic gestures in the past, but I believe for the betterment. I don’t like the term abortion. I do like the term pro choice because I believe a woman has the right to have a choice.”

The resolution is expected to appear on the board’s next agenda.