Councilors to Planned Parenthood: Go away - Sentinel & Enterprise

Fitchburg needs a Planned Parenthood (PP) agency like a fish needs a bicycle. Never have young girls and boys been given so much education about their bodies, reproduction, prevention, disease etc, yet the stats on teen pregnency remain high and continue to grow. PP is a radical organization whose only real agenda is to encourage and support abortions. It is obvious that PP is not successful in providing alternatives to teen sexuality disease and pregnancy, but only serves to bail the girl out of a very difficult and personal situation.

Mayor Lisa Wong is also MIA in this debate. She stated in yesterday's "Sentinel" that she was "unaware of PP's plans to come to Fitchburg"--well aren't you Micky the Dunce. How convenient of you not to notice this move. It seems to me that you are read into every nail salon, cofffee shop and bodega that opens a store front on Fitchburg's Main Street, but, PP and their new and refurbished and redecorated, high tech agency--NOTHING, NADA, ZIP!!!

Lastly yesterday's "Sentinel" also commented that PP "wanted to be on Main Street...in a location that's easily accessible along major transportation routes..." It seems that every time Fitchburg loses a profitable business to Leominster, the reason given is that Main Street in Leominster is more accessible because of Rt. 2. So what's changed that now gives us the edge on accessibility????

Bravo and kudos to Councilors Dean Tran, Steven DiNatale, Thomas Conry and three others (Councilors) for standing up for Fitchburg, reasoned City planning and good business practices. Fitchburg has already granted enough real estate for social-welfare agencies.

Mt Woman

PLANNED PARENTHOOD DOES NOT BELONG IN FITCHBURG! Nor does Fitchburg need the meth clinic or any other social service. Give the WORKING CLASS A BREAK!
NO PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN FITCHBURG!
IT'S A FEDERALLY FUNDED NOT FOR PROFIT ABORTION CLINIC THAT MAKES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS! DO SOME RESEARCH!

since Fitchburg is listed as having twice the teen birth rate as the state average, there is no better place for planned parenthood.
Maybe a little more parenthood in general.

It is the audacity of the city councilors that is really amazing here. Is planned parenthood running an illegal business? NO! Are they in trouble for not paying thier bills to landlords? NO. So how can city councilors determine what legal enterprises can come into our city. I love how Tran says he knows his views and that of the entire city. I don't remember you asking me! and even if you disagree with abortions in general, you shouldn't be able to stop a federally legal business from operating.

What's better, Planned Parenthood or Unplanned Parenthood?

Fitchburg teen need Parenting!

Oops! Fitchburg teens need Parenting not planned parenthood!

bad average wrote:

since Fitchburg is listed as having twice the teen birth rate as the state average, there is no better place for planned parenthood.
Maybe a little more parenthood in general.

If this was truly about teaching responsibility and that 14/15/16 years old should not be involved with having sex, the I would agree with you. But that never has been the goal of "Planned Parenthood", it is a left wing polictical entity creating more dependency on government. Previous comment is correct - kids get way to much education starting way to soon, and the result has been what? It has been an amazing education for me having two girls in High School now - and I am no prude, nor am I a bible thumper. But the over-education, over-exposure in the pop culture, and the desire to have a "mommy" government fix everything has really taken a toll on our teenagers. We are handicapping their future and ours as well.

I was saddened to see the meeting last night and shame on Jody Joseph and Joel Kaddy for criticizing councilors who submit petitions. No facts? Here are the facts:

Planned Parenthood is a social service agency nationwide. Fitchburg has several similar agencies already operating in the city that do these types of things. It is a clear duplication of services. Fitchburg is the epicenter of social service agencies. Second, the data PP is using is outdated. The most recent teen pregnancy data showed that Fitchburg's rate went DOWN and Leominster's went UP. So why Fitchburg?

Keep it up to those councilors who voted for this. We don't need it. We need commerce. We need retail.

This petition to ban Planned Parenthood from Fitchburg is ridiculous and disappointing; face the reality - kids have sex and many have it, thanks to large funding restrictions attached to abstanence only education, without knowledge or consciousness about the consequences; Planned Parenthood provides contraception and information about the risks of genital disease and HIV/AIDS and what's at stake for teen parents; they also provide morning after pills and counseling for rape victims. And a safe space for LGBTQ kids to be themselves without reprisal and to get information about the risks of sexual activity. Many teens live in the downtown area; outside of this being located at the High School, it seems to me that Main Street is the most appropriate place for Planned Parenthood if its able to locate in Fitchburg.

David wrote:

This petition to ban Planned Parenthood from Fitchburg is ridiculous and disappointing; face the reality - kids have **** and many have it, thanks to large funding restrictions attached to abstanence only education, without knowledge or consciousness about the consequences; Planned Parenthood provides contraception and information about the risks of genital disease and HIV/AIDS and what's at stake for teen parents; they also provide morning after pills and counseling for **** victims. And a safe space for LGBTQ kids to be themselves without reprisal and to get information about the risks of sexual activity. Many teens live in the downtown area; outside of this being located at the High School, it seems to me that Main Street is the most appropriate place for Planned Parenthood if its able to locate in Fitchburg.

The city of Fitchburg does not need this, amongst the other 44 social services that are offered.
PARENTS are responsible for teaching their children about the consequences and possible life long commitments when having intercourse. Seems to me that people want agencies and the school system to raise their children for them, the not taking responsibility has got to stop and people need to be a PARENT to their children.
People have to have insurance (and thanks to Mass/Commonwealth Health everyone can), people have a PCP.....why not go to them for this information, counseling and contraceptives.....isn't that what doctors are for?
Main Street needs business that are going to bring revenue into the city.

Planned Parenthood will not bring revenue into Fitchburg and will be duplicating efforts from existing agencies. They would function very well over in Leominster and have much better access as well.

If main street is to build itself back up, we need businesses that bring people to the downtown area that create revenue.

There are no LOGICAL reasons for Planned Parenthood to locate in Fitchburg.

There are about 90 pizza joints in The burg. Should they disallow all new pizza places because they'd be duplicating services? I don't think so. Bruce, I have to ask, did you vote for Scott Brown because as a Republican one of the things he stands for is the smallest government possible. If you voted for him but now think it's okay for the government ( council) to decide who can and cannot come into our shite hole of a city, then you contradict yourself. Shouldn't the free market determine where one succeeds and the others fail. I'm amazed that all these people think they can tell a perfectly legal entity that they are not welcome to pay rent in our city. Unreal

Bruce W Marien wrote:

Planned Parenthood will not bring revenue into Fitchburg and will be duplicating efforts from existing agencies. They would function very well over in Leominster and have much better access as well.
If main street is to build itself back up, we need businesses that bring people to the downtown area that create revenue.
There are no LOGICAL reasons for Planned Parenthood to locate in Fitchburg.

I live in Leominster and I don't want it here either!! Fitchburg certainly does not need it either. You just moved the GVNA (hope I have that right) out of the center. And well these agencies provide some good services they attract more people who need such services and then overwhelm an area. Downtown Fitchburg needs more business friendly environment to attract consumers there. Not what will probably become protesters making regular sceduled stops in front of a Planned Parenthood facility!

Hey Do Not Know,

I'm ALL FOR A BUSINESS that will generate revenue coming into Fitchburg. Planned Parenthood doesn't generate business that brings income into our city. It serves a valid purpose that is already being served by other entities in the city TENFOLD.

A new pizza joint brings in revenue and supplies something for everyone within the general public, and pays taxes in some form or another.

Fitchburg IS ALREADY DOING MORE THAN IT'S FAIR SHARE of taking care of people in need. Why do you feel it is Fitchburg's responsibility for being the center for EVERY social service organization in North Central Massachusetts?

Whats wrong with letting some of our surrounding cities and towns share in caring for people in need?

I did vote for Scott Brown for many reasons, but I am not contridicting myself at all.

BTW...you are confusing a federal government social service entity with a free market business...not even CLOSE to being the same thing.

The landlord would still be paying taxes and there would be workers (jobs). Taxes and jobs. Does the Burg need that?

criteria wrote:

The landlord would still be paying taxes and there would be workers (jobs). Taxes and jobs. Does the Burg need that?

That truthfully depends on the number of jobs and if they are locals. The amount of taxes as opposed to whatever Fitchburg must do to accomodate the people that will be using the service. If the service brings in workers from outside the local area...NO.

If Fitchburg must provide additional law enforcement or other resources over and above what the land use taxes will pay for...NO.

A business such as retail not only pays land use taxes, but generates sales of one kind or another...Planned Parenthood won't.

...and noone has answered the other questions about when the grant or federal finding runs out...will that be just another facility that Fitchburg will have to keep up?

Drug dealing is a job for some people too, but I wouldn't want more drug dealers moving into Fitchburg...all jobs are not created equal.

btw Criteria...the landlord has to pay real estate taxes whether the building is occupied or not.

so what's your argument about tax paying business? that's all the local taxes any business in fitcburg pays...amd the landlord with vacant space is the one that files for an abatement, lowerin gthe taxes

Drug dealing is not legal, so you're really stretching there

why would law enforcement be required from the city? If they want it, they would pay for the detail just like market Basket does. That would result in more local income, too.

Who can locate in fitchburg is determined by zoning, not interviews

criteria wrote:

so what's your argument about tax paying business? that's all the local taxes any business in fitcburg pays...amd the landlord with vacant space is the one that files for an abatement, lowerin gthe taxes
Drug dealing is not legal, so you're really stretching there
why would law enforcement be required from the city? If they want it, they would pay for the detail just like market Basket does. That would result in more local income, too.
Who can locate in fitchburg is determined by zoning, not interviews

Abatement for vacant building? Never seen that - do you have an example They have been reassesments made because all of the commercial property in the area has dropped, but not abatement.

The social service industry brought in (Bean Era) has long been a drain both on the safety resources and the image of downtown affecting the ability to attract new business. That is what this is a reaction to and if you don't understand that - ask people who work on main street what days they don't like to walk the streets in broad daylight. The are publicly funded and/or "not-for-profit" organizations, thus unlike real business pay no income tax. They wouldn't think of taking responsiblity for paying for extra "details" or the cost to prosecute the crimes commented by thier clients. A few years ago, we had a whole clan of people here from Alabama and other places that came here because they could get stuff. That is one of the reputations we have earned.