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?’”