The lead editorial in the Daily Reflector today takes aim at the Pitt County Commissioners for removing abortion coverage from the insurance policies of county employees. You can get the flavor from the first two paragraphs, but the entire piece is well done.

Pitt County Commissioner Jimmy Garris leaned heavily on his religious convictions last Monday in proposing that the county cease funding abortion through its health insurance plan covering county employees. The motion was amended before the Board of Commissioners voted to remove coverage for elective abortions.

In doing so, however, the board made a sweeping decision affecting hundreds of employees without providing sufficient notice. While commissioners may not be required to allow public comment on the matter, it deeply erred by acting in such reckless fashion, betraying the trust of those who serve on the county’s behalf.

And here are the last two paragraphs of an editorial I wrote when Wake County made the same move -- before reversing itself.

It's also disconcerting to think that insurance coverage for public employees could change depending on the whims of politicians. Weeks ago abortion was covered for employees of Apex and Wake. Now it's not. Maybe next year Apex will stop covering birth control. Or maybe it will reinstate coverage of abortion.

North Carolinians probably won't agree on the morality of abortion anytime soon. But let's agree on this: Abortion isn't hurting town finances. A lawsuit against Wake isn't a credible threat. And local government isn't the place to hash out the ethics of legal medical procedures.