Asheville, NC City Council moves forward on Benefits for Gay Couples

Asheville Citizen-Times
February 10, 2010
The City Council of Asheville, NC voted 4-2 on Tuesday to have city staff report March 9 on how workers' same-sex domestic partners could get the same benefits as heterosexual employees' spouses, including health insurance, bereavement leave and prescription drug coverage. A majority of council members said they expect to vote for a final measure after the report. [Link]

N.J. Gay Rights Group suspends Political Donations after Denial of Freedom to Marry

nj.com
February 9, 2010
New Jersey’s largest gay rights group is suspending donations to political parties after feeling spurned by Democratic lawmakers who did not pass marriage equality legislation last month. Garden State Equality is also asking its 65,000 members not to contribute to parties. Chairman Steven Goldstein said, "No longer will we let any political party take our money and volunteers with one hand, and slap us in the face with the other when we seek full equality." [Link]

Who is funding the anti-gay efforts in D.C.?

GLAA Forum

February 2, 2010

Bob Summersgill reports on who is supplying the money for Rev. Harry Jackson's continuing court battles to deny marriage to gay couples in DC. It turns out there are four primary donors, all from well outside of the DC area: High Impact Leadership Coalition, Focus on the Family, National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and Family Research Council. [Link]

Voice for Equality: Cummins, Inc. of Indiana

Cummins, Inc. is a corporation of complementary business units that design, manufacture, distribute and service diesel and natural gas engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission solutions and electrical power generation systems. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, USA Cummins serves its customers through a network of more than 500 Company-owned and independent distributor locations and approximately 5,200 dealer locations in more than 190 countries and territories. While more than 51% of Cummins' business comes from operations outside of the United States, the company remains one of the largest employers in the state of Indiana. Learn more here.

As the Republican controlled Indiana state senate moved to vote 38-10 for a constitutional ban on marriage for gay couples last week, Fortune 500 member Cummins, Inc. said, "No." The CEO of Cummins sent a representative with his letter stating, "...inequity in marital status has no place in Indiana." [Link] This is not Cummins' first time weighing in on marriage equality. Back in March of 2007, when Indiana was considering a ban on the freedom to marry, an executive from Cummins Inc. said the amendment would make it harder for the big engine maker to recruit quality employees to Indiana. "Anything that makes Indiana less inclusive and less welcoming for our current employees and for our future employees makes it more difficult for Cummins to compete," said Mark Osowick, Cummins' recruiting director. "This amendment would do just that by sending a message that Indiana is not tolerant of diversity." [Link]

Freedom to Marry salutes Cummins, Inc. as a collective Voice for Equality! Learn about other Voices for Equality here.

If Cummins' support inspires you - get involved.

**Make your NOMINATION for a Voice for Equality today!

Super Bowl Kiss Ad May Force CBS to Rate Smooches

Faith and Reason (USA Today)
January 29, 2010
Controversy on whether an advertisement for ManCrunch, a gay dating site, will air on CBS during the Super Bowl comes amid controversy surrounding CBS's decision to air an ad from Focus on the Family. [Link]

Freedom to Marry Ban Comes at What Cost?

The Wall Street Journal
January 28, 2010
The Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy's Stephen Levy says that estimates by economists on the economic toll of Proposition 8 "miss the big picture" and that the greatest potential cost the California marriage ban has is on the state's reputation as a haven for a diverse group of workers. [Link]

Civil Unions Bill May Help Bolster Hawaii Tourism

KITV.com (Honolulu)
January 26, 2010
The civil unions bill approved by the Hawaii state Senate Friday may help to increase the number of gay and lesbian tourists who vacation in the state. The state Senate's decision came days after a report that showed Hawaii is declining as a favorite vacation destination for LGBT people. [Link]

Prop 8 Trial - Day Six

Pam's House Blend
January 20, 2010
NCLR's Shannon Minter reports on the sixth day of the federal Proposition 8 trial. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and economics Professor M.V. Lee Badgett both testified for the plaintiffs. [Link]

Nepal to Honor Freedom to Marry on Everest

Daily Telegraph (Nepal)
January 20, 2010
Nepal will begin to honor marriage equality starting in May 2010 and the country's LGBT community will host a tourism conference to explore how to attract wealthy gay visitors. A legislator has already launched a travel company that will offer packages that stage weddings of gay couples on Mt. Everest. [Link]

Economist: Evidence Backing Freedom to Marry Is In

The Associated Press
January 20, 2010
Gay couples in some parts of the United States have been able to wed for long enough to conclude that expanding the freedom to marry to other states would not undermine traditional marriages, a University of Massachusetts economist testified during a trial on California's Prop 8. [Link]

'Marriage' benefits costly for gay couples

Chicago Tribune
January 18, 2010
Across the country, there has been a surge in gay and lesbian couples making arrangements to protect themselves in states like Illinois that do not recognize the freedom to marry or civil unions. As the nation continues to fiercely debate marriage equality, some proponents cite the added financial burden in casting it as not just a civil rights issue but an issue of economic fairness. [Link]

The Freedom to Marry Pays Off, S.F. Economist Says

San Francisco Chronicle
January 14, 2010
Edmund Egan, an economist testifying in the Proposition 8 trial on Thursday said that marriage equality would reduce San Francisco's health and welfare costs because married people are healthier and wealthier than single people, and that marriage equality would generate a government revenue because there would be an increase in weddings. [Link]

Firms expect economic windfall from same-sex couples getting marriage in District

Washington Post
December 20, 2009
On Friday, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) signed legislation to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage in the District, a move that is expected to be a financial boon for the city and for vendors who make much of their money on weddings but who have struggled during the recession. District officials surmise that the regional economy could reap up to $22 million over the next three years as couples from Washington and elsewhere take advantage of the new law, and the Williams Institute, a think tank at the University of California at Los Angeles, estimates that the infusion could be $52 million. (Link)

Study Estimates that Extending Marriage to Same-Sex Couples in New Jersey Would Boost State Economy by $200 Million; Create over 1,400 Jobs

The Williams Institute
December 15, 2009
This week the Williams Institute released a new study estimating the impact of New Jersey extending marriage to same-sex couples. The report estimates that the freedom to marry would boost the New Jersey economy by almost $200 million during the next three years, creating approximately 1,400 jobs and generating over $15 million in revenues for the state budget. [Link]

D.C. Council approves freedom to marry bill

The Washington Post
December 16, 2009
The 11-2 passage of marriage equality in Washington D.C. could pump as much as $22 million into the regional economy. Anti-gay activists vow to step up their effort to get Congress or a court to block the initiative during the 30-day congressional review period. [Link]

Op-Ed: Approve the Freedom to Marry for a More Equitable Society

The Star-Ledger (NJ)
December 10, 2009
Steven M. Clayton urges New Jersey lawmakers to approve the freedom to marry in the state: "This is the time -- and this is the place -- to make history and do our part to create a more equitable society." [Link]

Seven out of Ten LGBT Adults, Given the Choice, Prefer Jobs in States That Recognize Marriages of Same-Sex Couples

Business Wire
October 5, 2009
According to the 2009 Out & Equal Workplace Survey, other factors being equal, 71 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adults would prefer a job with an employer based in a state where marriage equality is recognized over an employer based in a state that does not yet recognize marriage equality for same-sex couples. When asked specifically of lesbian and gay adults, 79% or eight out of ten agree. (Link)

New York Times: Denied the freedom to marry, same-sex couple’s "lifetime cost of being gay" can rise to as much as $467,562

New York Times
October 4, 2009
Much of the debate over the Freedom to Marry has focused on God and Scripture, the Constitution and equal protection. Finances, however, are also a big issue. For years, we’ve heard from same-sex couples about all the extra health, legal and other costs they bear because they can't marry. So we set out to determine what they were and to come up with a round number — a couple’s lifetime cost of being gay can reach as high as $467,562 [Link]

OP-ED: Virginia's public universities need to institute partner health benefits or risk falling behind

Richmond Times-Dispatch
September 10, 2009
Bob Witeck: It is time for Gov. Kaine to lead. It is time for all leaders in Virginia to become part of the solution. This is not about ideology or politics. It is about keeping our universities competitive nationally -- and our commonwealth having the decency to enable our employees to buy this coverage. [Link]

Arizona's New Budget Cuts Domestic Partner Benefits

Phoenix New Times
September 8, 2009
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer approved the majority of the state Legislature's budget Friday, including cutting domestic partner benefits for state employees, which means roughly 800 people will lose their health insurance. [Link]