Local Family Planning Center Feeling Effects of State Budget Cuts
Family Planning Center of Ocean County sees 600-700 Toms River women per year
"Shared sacrifice." That is the rallying cry of budget-cutting politicians throughout New Jersey during these tough economic times. But as many in the Ocean County community are finding out, "shared sacrifice" is not always the reality of state budget cuts. Kathy Fisher has worked at the Family Planning Center of Ocean County for 36 years in various positions. She is now the acting-president and CEO. The last couple years, she says, "have been the absolute toughest" of her career. That is because the 2011 New Jersey budget completely eliminated state funding for family planning centers. A budget line that allocated $7.4 million dollars for basic reproductive healthcare services was "zeroed out" by Gov. Chris Christie in July 2010, and …
