Pasco, WA (LifeNews.com) -- Planned Parenthood is coming under fire for plans to put a new center near an elementary school in eastern Washington state. Planned Parenthood of Central Washington is looking at a new center in Pasco, that would open up next to Mark Twain Elementary School.

The center won't do abortions, but will make abortion referrals and could begin doing abortions sometime down the road.

The idea that the pro-abortion group would put a center next to the school irks Deeana Hoyt, who operates a day care nearby.

"To put such a highly volatile business right next to an elementary school," she told the News Tribune newspaper. "I'm concerned about the impact it's going to have on the community."

The Planned Parenthood center would dispense birth control and perform legitimate medical services, but Gina Popovich, public affairs director for PPCW, tells the newspaper that abortions won't be done yet.

"That's not in our plans right now," she said. "We have (abortion) services in Kennewick, so we just don't feel like the community is needing those kind of services."

Hoyt says she thinks abortions will eventually occur and she called having the Planned Parenthood center near the school a "detrimental thing" and "a moral weight on the community."

"We just do not want that kind of business right here, so close to our children," she added. "I just think we need to represent the community ... because this is a really nice community here. I really love where I live."

Popovich complained about needing to travel two hours from Pasco to Kennewick, which leads some to believe abortions will make their way there eventually.

Because the current zoning setup doesn't allow for a Planned Parenthood, Pasco Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on its request for a special permit next Thursday.

ACTION: Ask the Pasco Planning Commission to deny the Planned Parenthood permit. Contact it at communitydevelopment@pasco-wa.gov or by mailing comments to 525 N. Third Ave., Pasco, WA 99301.

Related web sites:
Pasco Planning Commission -
http://www.pasco-wa.gov/committee/PlanningCommission

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