Dane County Board To Vote On Domestic Partner Benefits
Ordinance Would Allow Insurance Rights For Partners
Updated: 10:28 am CDT September 18, 2008
MADISON, Wis. -- The Dane County Board will vote Thursday night on a domestic partner registry that would allow county residents insurance rights for same-sex partners.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportDespite backing from many board members, others said they're worried the ordinance could affect businesses and benefits for families in the area.The sponsor of the ordinance said that despite a big battle fought over marriage amendment two years ago, Dane County already supports a domestic partner registry."With the amendment, when that was passed it failed in Dane County by over 70 percent. So, the vast majority of citizens do want to have a place where people are treated the same," said Chuck Erickson, Dane County Board supervisor.Erickson said he supports the ordinance that would make companies that do business with Dane County provide insurance benefits to partners.But opponents said the ordinance is worded closely to gay marriage and could be costly to the county by telling businesses what to do."(It's) a hammer coming down, if you will, saying, 'You know we don't have to create these benefits for people in domestic partnerships, but if you don't, we will cut off your funding and you will no longer be doing business with the county.' And that's a hammer to me; that's a threat," said Julaine Appling, of the Wisconsin Family Council.She said he is worried children could suffer and that the ordinance would change how companies work."I don't offer benefits to married couples. I don't offer employees the opportunity to insure not only himself or herself, but also a spouse, because then I can't do business with the county unless I open it up for domestic partnerships benefits. So, it may end up hurting married couples and families," Appling said.But Erickson said it's not about gay marriage but about rights and making Dane County more appealing to different groups of people. And with 25 of the 37 board members as sponsors of the ordinance, he said he has high hopes for Thursday's decision."We're just cautiously optimistic, but we won't know until the actual vote takes place," Erickson said.Erickson said sponsors aren't worried that adding domestic partners to insurance lists could become costly to taxpayers, saying the affect would be at most a fraction of 1 percent. The city of Madison already has a similar registry.The Dane County Board will vote at its meeting at the City-County Building at 7 p.m. Thursday.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportDespite backing from many board members, others said they're worried the ordinance could affect businesses and benefits for families in the area.The sponsor of the ordinance said that despite a big battle fought over marriage amendment two years ago, Dane County already supports a domestic partner registry."With the amendment, when that was passed it failed in Dane County by over 70 percent. So, the vast majority of citizens do want to have a place where people are treated the same," said Chuck Erickson, Dane County Board supervisor.Erickson said he supports the ordinance that would make companies that do business with Dane County provide insurance benefits to partners.But opponents said the ordinance is worded closely to gay marriage and could be costly to the county by telling businesses what to do."(It's) a hammer coming down, if you will, saying, 'You know we don't have to create these benefits for people in domestic partnerships, but if you don't, we will cut off your funding and you will no longer be doing business with the county.' And that's a hammer to me; that's a threat," said Julaine Appling, of the Wisconsin Family Council.She said he is worried children could suffer and that the ordinance would change how companies work."I don't offer benefits to married couples. I don't offer employees the opportunity to insure not only himself or herself, but also a spouse, because then I can't do business with the county unless I open it up for domestic partnerships benefits. So, it may end up hurting married couples and families," Appling said.But Erickson said it's not about gay marriage but about rights and making Dane County more appealing to different groups of people. And with 25 of the 37 board members as sponsors of the ordinance, he said he has high hopes for Thursday's decision."We're just cautiously optimistic, but we won't know until the actual vote takes place," Erickson said.Erickson said sponsors aren't worried that adding domestic partners to insurance lists could become costly to taxpayers, saying the affect would be at most a fraction of 1 percent. The city of Madison already has a similar registry.The Dane County Board will vote at its meeting at the City-County Building at 7 p.m. Thursday. Copyright 2008 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
