Carrboro Alderman Dan Coleman is pretty miffed with Rep. Paul Stam (R-Wake). His beef is over abortion coverage for local government employees. Evidently the Carrboro board received an e-mail from Stam about the issue, which has been making headlines for a couple of months.

In the WCHL interview, Alderman Coleman calls Stam “a reactionary” who tries to block “all kinds of progressive things” and that Stam should mind his own business.

In March, Carolina Journal’s David Bass reported on the legal case involved in this debate, Stam v. State of North Carolina. From Bass’ story:

That decision, Stam v. State of North Carolina, found that the General Assembly never gave counties the authority to use local tax dollars to pay for the procedure for indigent women. The American Civil Liberties Union and UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government have released separate legal briefs arguing the ruling doesn’t prohibit the coverage for health insurance purposes.

But Stam, who litigated the case three decades ago, said it gives “persuasive” evidence that abortion funding in health care plans is outlawed. He added that commissioners who voted in favor of the funding don’t “understand the history of this case.”

Stam has taken aim at abortion coverage for teachers and state government employees, too. He offered a budget amendment last year that would have banned abortion coverage except when the mother’s life is endangered or in cases of rape or incest. But House Speaker Joe Hackney, D-Orange, ruled it out of order.

Hear the Carrboro alderman’s comments for yourself right here.