Sarasota County cuts all funds to United Way, including employee payroll deduction
The Sarasota County Commission voted unanimously at Tuesday’s meeting to cut ties with United Way due to its 211 helpline listing Planned Parenthood as a resource.
The first resolution removed a payroll deduction program for county employees which had allowed participants to have their money go directly to United Way or to other charities and nonprofits in the area, which United Way would facilitate.
The program’s termination affects not only United Way Suncoast – which operates in five counties, including Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto – but also the United Way of South Sarasota.
Chris Johnson, United Way of South Sarasota’s vice president of community impact, said that stopping the payroll deduction program will affect not just the United Way organizations but also the groups they facilitate donations to.
"All these other agencies with funds from the county employees will also feel that hit. They will have to absorb that somehow within their budget and operation,” Johnson said. “If they’re offering services, they will have to decide: ‘Do we have to cut services? Do we have to lessen what we do? Are we going to have to cut an employee?’”
Although commissioners framed their opposition to the payroll deduction program as a separate issue from the links to abortion providers, Johnson said commissioners never raised an issue with it until they began to make noise about public funds used to support the 211 helpline.
United Way Suncoast CEO Jessica Muroff told the Herald-Tribune in a statement that the organization's commitment to Sarasota remains unchanged.
"United Way Suncoast will continue to serve Sarasota Community members with a focus on early learning, youth success, and financial stability," Muroff said.
The second resolution passed by the commissioners terminates county funding for “any organization that provides referrals to organizations which provide abortion services and information” and mentioned 211 as an example.
“Abortion services are incompatible with the values of Sarasota County, and the Board of County Commissioners of Sarasota County has determined that it will not support any organization that makes referrals to Planned Parenthood or any other organization for abortion services,” the resolution said.
Unless United Way Suncoast were to remove Planned Parenthood as a provider the resolution would seemly cut off county funds in perpetuity. Since the Heart of Florida United Way - based in Orlando - includes Planned Parenthood among its accredited service providers, its inclusion is not decided by United Way Suncoast.
The commissioners were muted in their comments. Neil Rainford said he encouraged county employees to donate privately to charity and added that the abortion resolution fits into the commission’s mandate to “protect people.” Joe Neunder seconded both motions and added no further comment.
Despite the commission’s recent opposition and Rainford’s use of the episode to shore up his conservative record as he readies for a primary election in August, a United Way Suncoast spokesperson told the Herald-Tribune that 211 in Sarasota made zero referrals to Planned Parenthood during the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Sarasota developer Hugh Culverhouse Jr. agreed to privately fund 211 in Sarasota County through 2024.
Contact Sarasota Herald-Tribune Local Government Reporter Christian Casale at ccasale@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @vanityhack.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota County to cut ties with United Way over 211 helpline
