By Heart of Illinois ABC

BLOOMINGTON – Abortion rights became an issue at Thursday night’s McLean County Board meeting as the board approved a lease agreement to rent space at a pregnancy center that discourages abortions.

The board voted 14-6 in favor of the one-year lease in which the government-run Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) will rent space at Hope Pregnancy Center on Main Street in Pontiac at an annual cost $5,400.

The CAC aids young abuse victims in McLean, Livingston, and DeWitt Counties, and was looking for space to run a satellite office.

The six who opposed to the lease are all Democrats. Sharon Chung raised the initial objection saying that payment of tax dollars implies support for Hope’s mission.

“I as fervent supporter of reproductive rights and comprehensive sexual education, I can not in good conscience support this lease and the payment to an organization that while at face value looks like they support these things, they do anything but that,” said Chung.

On Hope’s website, the organization said it “does not perform or refer for abortions, but we can provide answers to many of your questions through evidence based education.”

Republican George Wendt voted with the majority.

“We’re getting into an area that is really very divisive to start down this road because there can be all kinds of minor little things that philosophically you disagree with an organization,” Wendt said.

Logan Smith, Benjamin Webb, and Elizabeth Johnston were the three Democrats who joined Republicans in supporting the measure.

Johnston said her priority was to provide CAC services at the Pontiac site.