County Denies Funding to LGBT Support Group

BRADENTON — During a Tuesday board meeting, Manatee County Commissioners approved roughly $15 million in public funding to local organizations that provide services to vulnerable children and families in the community. Despite the approval, two organizations that were recommended to receive funding by the county’s Children Services Advisory Board were questioned by some commissioners, and one organization’s request for funding support was denied by the board.  

The CSAB makes recommendations to the county regarding its public funding program in support of qualified organizations offering services to children and families within the community. In order for an organization to qualify for recommended funding it must complete an application and review process, and, once approved by the board, enters into a contract that includes stipulations, spending reports, and continued review of the services it is providing with the support of the funding. 

On Tuesday, commissioners were presented with the list of organizations recommended to receive funding by CSAB. Though commissioners declined a presentation from county staff about the organizations that the CSAB were recommending—and what services they provide—Commissioner Amanda Ballard opened the discussion by expressing concern about one of the organizations appearing on the list. 

Ballard said that while she had personally attended meetings of the CSAB and agreed with most of its recommendations for funding, she disagreed with the advisory board’s decision to recommend ALSO Youth for funding.

According to the recommended funding list, as attached to Tuesday’s meeting agenda, ALSO Youth had applied for $27,500 for its "mental health counseling program."

"This is an LGBTQ charity," said Ballard. 

ALSO Youth’s website describes the nonprofit as an organization that was created in response to high rates of suicide among gay and lesbian teens. According to its website, the organization—first established in 1992—provides advocacy, educational outreach, and support, as well as counseling services for LGBTQ youth and families. 

Ballard said that after having conversations with representative members of the organization, she was not convinced that approving public funding for its counseling programs was "an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars."

"I’m not convinced that the counseling ALSO would provide will not be focused on helping or encouraging children into a gender transition, or making them more uncomfortable with their gender situation," Ballard explained. 

Members of ALSO Youth were not present during Tuesday’s meeting to address the commissioner’s expressed concerns in person. 

Commissioner James Satcher agreed with Ballard’s position concerning ALSO Youth and raised his own concern about an additional organization on the recommended funding list. 

While Satcher was vague in his remarks initially, avoiding naming the specific organization he was referring to, he expressed his belief that the organization may use public funding approved by the commission in payment to Planned Parenthood. Satcher’s comments resulted in some confusion among board members because the county’s CSAB had not recommended the board’s approval of any funding to Planned Parenthood. 

As the meeting discussion progressed, however, Satcher eventually revealed that his concerns were with the PACE Center for Girls Manatee—a regional organization that includes 20 center locations throughout Florida. 

PACE’s mission is to "provide girls and young women an opportunity for a better future through education, counseling, training, and advocacy." 

The organization provides free year-round middle and high school academic services, counseling, life-skills training, career preparation, and teen pregnancy prevention programs. Manatee’s PACE had applied for $243,124 in county funding for FY24, specifically to help support its teen pregnancy prevention program/services.

Satcher told commissioners that on a recent trip to the local PACE center, he spotted a display that listed some of the services provided to girls through PACE. Satcher said among the services listed, he saw a reference to its pregnancy prevention program that led him to believe PACE may be passing funding onto Planned Parenthood by sourcing supplemental educational or support services through a partnership with Planned Parenthood. 

"Here you have an organization that only makes its money—no significant portion of its budget is covered by anything other than—abortion services," Satcher alleged, adding, "That or liberal politicians writing them checks with government money." 

Satcher told the board that after seeing the display, he approached the executive director of PACE with his concern. The commissioner said that he told PACE that having an organization "who only makes money off of abortion" as one it would have "talk with girls about that" was unacceptable. Satcher said that in response to his expressed concerns, he was told that he was "naive and wrong" and that he did not "understand the lay of the land."

Commissioner Satcher explained to his colleagues that while he does not have the authority to dictate how PACE runs its organization, he also cannot support any recommendations of public funding in support of the organization. 

He went on to assert that he believed PACE’s program for the prevention of teen pregnancy may not be about "prevention" but rather about "partnering with an organization" (Planned Parenthood) in order to "end pregnancies."

Amy Wick Mavis, Executive Director of PACE Center for Girls Manatee, addressed Commissioner Satcher’s remarks, confirming that Satcher had directed his concerns to her. Mavis disagreed with Satcher’s retelling that PACE was dismissive in response, or that she did not hear his concerns or take them into serious consideration. 

Mavis told commissioners Tuesday that in response to recent changes from the state legislature, PACE has been actively working to understand new laws and requirements and reviewing how it can best "stay in line" with statutes. 

Mavis then advised the board that since her and Satcher’s conversation, the organization has decided that it would not partner with Planned Parenthood going forward in response to changes enacted by the legislature. 

"We take your concerns very seriously," Mavis told commissioners on Tuesday. "Never once has a single dollar from the PACE Center for Girls budget been given to Planned Parenthood, that has never been the case." 

"We believe that for every year that we keep a girl from becoming a teen mother, it’s another year toward self-sufficiency," Mavis added. 

After the meeting discussion and comments by Mavis, Satcher suggested that the board refrain from approval of funding to PACE or ALSO Youth—referring to both as "woke" organizations. Satcher proposed the board consider instead approving a motion that would put in place a rule that county funds could not be awarded to any organization that partners with Planned Parenthood. 

Commissioner George Kruse questioned Satcher’s suggestion, pointing out the seemingly contradictive nature of a refusal by the commission to provide supportive funding to an organization that works to prevent pregnancy which would, presumably, work to avoid a teen possibly seeking abortion services due to an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy.

Kruse motioned that the board approve the recommended funding as provided by the CSAB. Satcher then followed Kruse’s motion seeking to amend it by first removing ALSO Youth and the PACE Center for Girls from the approval. Satcher’s motion received support from Commissioner Jason Bearden. 

When the vote was taken on Satcher’s amended motion, it passed 4-3 with Commissioners Kruse, Ballard, and Vanessa Baugh in opposition. Because Satcher’s amended motion relied upon Kruse’s first motion to approve the funding recommendations as-is (without denying PACE), Kruse withdrew his original motion. 

"I do not agree with this, and I won’t support this," said Kruse. 

After seeking direction from the county attorney, Satcher proposed a new motion, requesting the board approve the recommended funding as suggested by CSAB minus the two organizations, PACE and ALSO Youth. Again, Satcher received Bearden’s support.

When the board voted again, minus PACE and ALSO, Satcher’s motion failed 2-5, with only him and Bearden voting in favor. Commissioner Ballard then made a motion to approve the CSAB recommended funding, minus only the ALSO Youth organization. 

Commissioner Mike Rahn seconded Ballard’s motion, and the board approved with a 6-1 vote with only Satcher in opposition. 

"Why are we letting the most liberal member of this board steer the ship on this?" Satcher asked his colleagues in frustration. 

Off-camera, other board members could be heard questioning as to which commissioner Satcher was referring to as the "most liberal." Kruse volunteered that he was likely who Satcher was referring to, saying, "It’s because I don’t say the word woke enough." 

With the CSAB funding recommendations officially approved by the board—sans funding to ALSO Youth—Bearden made a motion to direct staff to present the board with a resolution that would prohibit the use of county funds to be spent on abortion services, effective immediately.

Addressing Satcher and Bearden’s concerns about how any organization might use public funding approved by the board, commissioners voted unanimously for the creation of the resolution. 

To replay Tuesday's BOCC meeting discussion related to the CSAB funding recommendations, click the video below.