Last year governor cut $7.5M in family planning services and vetoed a bill to restore it; Weinberg wants $1M for women's health added to budget
State Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) speaks at a committee meeting in March. TRENTON — State Sen. Loretta Weinberg Wednesday accused Gov. Chris Christie of taking part in a "war on women" by cutting funds for family planning centers.
"This is, I really believe, a war on women that is starting at the national level and has unfortunately seeped into the fabric of the state of New Jersey," said Weinberg D-Bergen).
Weinberg made the comments at a roundtable discussion she hosted with women’s health care providers and female Democratic lawmakers. She said she had invited state Sen. Diane Allen (R-Burlington), who declined because of a schedule conflict.
"That’s just an awful, over-the-top statement, even by Sen. Weinberg’s political standards," said Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for the governor.
He added, "I don’t think I need remind anyone that the governor is a loving husband and father of two young girls."
Last year, Christie cut $7.5 million from the budget for family planning centers and vetoed Weinberg’s attempt to restore it. She is now asking him to set aside $1 million to expand Medicaid for women earning up to twice the federal poverty level, or $37,000 for a family of three, which would be matched by a $9 million federal grant.
"That $1 million will generate $9 million," she said. "So anybody trying to attribute this to budget is hiding behind something."
Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Union) said Christie’s refusal to restore funds for women’s health centers has less to do with the budget than a prospective run for national office.
"We are dealing with an ideology," she said. "This was about pandering to the right. And this underscores that this administration doesn’t trust women, and it’s clearly embracing a policy of barefoot and pregnant."
Weinberg said that over the past year, six of the state’s 58 family planning centers closed because of the governor’s budget cuts.
Christie has contended the services are redundant, and that they are available at Federally Qualified Health Centers.
However, Katherine Grant-Davis, president and chief executive of the New Jersey Primary Care Association, which represents the centers, said her organization has not been able to keep up with a 124 percent increase in patients since 2002, and that the cuts are only adding to the burden.
"We really can’t keep up with the demand," she said.
Related coverage:
• Editorial: Women's health on the line
• State Sen. Weinberg says she will fight budget unless $1M for women's health is include
• Closing of Bayonne women's health clinic will trigger jobs shuffle
• Today in Trenton: Sen. Lautenberg protests for women's health funding, Gov. Christie takes questions