State Rep. Donni Steele today criticized a decision by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners after the board voted 11-6 to provide $1.5 million in taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood, saying the majority’s decision reflects misplaced priorities at a time when local communities are facing serious public-safety funding challenges.

“The Oakland County Commission has lost its way,” said Steele (R-Lake Orion). “They don’t seem to understand what their role is as a county government. Their job is to make sure our communities have the basic services people depend on, especially public safety, roads and infrastructure. Instead, they’re choosing to spend $1.5 million in taxpayer dollars subsidizing a private organization.”

The vote comes as communities across Oakland County are grappling with the cost of providing police and fire protection. On Aug. 4, voters in Brandon, Highland, Independence, Orion and Waterford townships rejected eight police and fire millage proposals. Oakland County also increased the cost of contracts for Oakland County Sheriff’s Office services in 2025.

Steele said those circumstances make the commission’s decision particularly troubling.

“Local communities are being forced to make difficult decisions about how to pay for police and fire protection, while the county somehow found $1.5 million for something that isn’t a core responsibility of county government,” Steele said. “That tells taxpayers everything they need to know about where this commission’s priorities are.”

Steele said the issue is not about whether residents choose to use Planned Parenthood, but whether county taxpayers should be required to subsidize the organization.

“County government cannot be everything to everyone,” Steele said. “There will always be organizations asking for taxpayer dollars, but commissioners have a responsibility to prioritize the services county government exists to provide. Public safety should be near the top of that list.”