Fresno is ‘pro-choice,’ city council says after overriding mayor’s Planned Parenthood veto

The Fresno City Council on Thursday overrode Mayor Jerry Dyer’s veto for the city of Fresno to accept pass-through funding from the state for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte.

The Fresno City Council voted 5-1 to override Dyer’s veto, with Councilmember Garry Bredefeld casting the lone “no” vote. Councilmember Mike Karbassi was absent.

After the vote, Councilmember Miguel Arias declared Fresno a “pro-choice city.”

“I just want to thank all the organizations for showing up for the last few days and just remind our mayor: In our city, we are a pro-choice city, and we will remain a pro-choice city, and we will defend that choice,” Arias said. “Equally important, I look forward to all the great services and improvements that will be made it with these $9.5 million of state resources.”

After the veto override, Dyer said the vote was disappointing but not unexpected.

“I continue to believe the city of Fresno is not the appropriate administrator of these funds,” Dyer said in a statement. “However, I respect the council’s authority to override the veto.”

The issue erupted in mid August when an item appeared on a Fresno City Council meeting agenda. The item proposed making the city of Fresno a pass-through entity for $9.5 million of state funding to go to local nonprofits. Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno, secured the money through the state budget process. Planned Parenthood Mar Monte was slated to receive $1 million. Other nonprofits to receive the state funding included Arte Américas and Neighborhood Industries.

Bredefeld, who staunchly opposes abortion, held a news conference with local faith leaders calling for opposition to the Planned Parenthood funding. Dyer also confirmed he planned to veto the item because the Planned Parenthood funding was included.

The City Council approved the item 5-1 after hearing hours of public comment on the item. As promised, Dyer vetoed, despite the high probability the council would override it.

“I again sincerely appreciate the Fresno City Council’s action today that ensures $9.5 million I secured in state funds will be allocated to the designated recipients: Arte Américas, Neighborhood Industries, and Planned Parenthood Mar Monte,” Arambula said in a statement after Thursday’s vote. “I’m proud to do what I can to support efforts in my district that improve equity and access, including in the areas of cultural arts, employment training, and health care services for the poor and uninsured.”

Socorro Santillan, the public affairs director for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, said the organization was grateful to the five councilmembers who voted to override the veto.

“I think they saw two weeks ago with the many supporters that this is something that will benefit our patients and community and allow us to expand our services,” Santillan said. “We are very disappointed that even though the mayor knew from the very beginning the council had the votes to pass this that he was so strong willed to veto the vote. His actions showed he is more interested in making this political than ensuring to his residents, in a city where we have a deficiency of medical services, that these services would be available to them.”

After Thursday’s vote, the Twitter account for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte called on residents to donate in Bredefeld and Dyer’s names.

Bredefeld said he will continue to fight against abortion.

“The fight to protect the unborn will never end until we stop the genocide of these defenseless, human beings,” Bredefeld said. “We may have lost this battle today but just like with the Supreme Court, no matter how long it takes, we will work tirelessly to stop this infanticide. Despite receiving billions of federal dollars, it’s disgusting and repugnant that this local Planned Parenthood is now fundraising off of this $1 million. There is right, and there is wrong, and killing the unborn is wrong and evil. Period.”

Thursday is the latest example of the council supermajority flexing its power. Last year, Dyer vetoed a project labor agreement, which the council also later overrode.