Domestic Partner benefits - new council s&!tstorm

Why in the world, with all the crap going on in the city of Toledo, is City Council wasting their time their time on this? I am pretty liberal, definitely in favor of legitimizing gay marriage or civil unions or whatever, but until that time, I don't see why a cash-strapped city like Toledo should be forking over hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide these benefits. And providing these benefits to opposite sex partners? That's really ludicrous. Want the benefits? Then you need to be married, period.

Collins at least had the right idea about putting this up to a vote. McNamara of course is furious because he knows that the public would not support it. But I think it is fair to ask the city: do we want to pay out these benefits to be "competitive"? Or do you want the potholes fixed?

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2012/04/27/Benefits-eyed-for-domestic-partners-of-city-employees-1.html
http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2012/05/02/Toledo-City-Council-lashes-out-on-partner-benefits.html

created by Ace_Face on May 02, 2012 at 03:10:24 pm Local-Politics Comments: 4

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While I most certainly agree that Toledo does not have the $$ for this and I would MUCH rather have the GD roads repaired, why put just this topic up for a vote? They ram everything else through by fiat.

Stupid "criminal" cameras, big bucks to tear down the shell of North Towne mall because you know there are just zillions of developers chomping at the bit to locate in that dead zone and all the other follies those free spending idiots on city council find $$ for.

Sounds to me like Collins is trying to duck a vote on this one. He's just one of the collosal, glittering jewels of ignorance occupying a seat in that august body.

posted by Foodie on May 02, 2012 at 05:45:17 pm # 1 person liked this

Here's an idea, rather than giving people who are or can get married special priveleges, why not just take the exact same amount of money that the city is spending on heterosexual marriage benefits and redivide it across all people equally. That way, gay, straight or unmarried, everyone gets the same! Why should gay people, who cannot be married in the State of Ohio by a discriminatory Constitutional amendment, receive fewer benefits than a person who just happened to be more heterosexual? I don't believe in special priveleges for married people. :D

posted by swampprof on May 02, 2012 at 07:07:34 pm #

...why not just take the exact same amount of money that the city is spending on heterosexual marriage benefits and redivide it across all people equally.

Because it's a really stupid idea?

Still, you might be on to something. How about this: Take all the money spent on benefits, divide it in half and give one half back to the taxpayers. Give the other half to the employees and tell them to go buy health insurance.

And hey! If that doesn't work, just pass a law saying that they must buy health insurance or go to jail.

posted by madjack on May 02, 2012 at 08:19:07 pm # 2 people liked this

While I agree that Toledo doesn't have the $ to spend, seeing gay people can't get married and hetrosexual couples can and we provide this benefit to spouses, the same benefit should be applied. If gay marriage were legal in Ohio, then by all means I would say the same sex partner benefits should only be given to married people and not domestic partners.

Better yet, just eliminate for spouses and families as well. If a city employee wants to add their spouse, children, or domestic partner to their plan, then make the employee pay ALL the costs. It will save the taxpayers a lot of $ in the end and will be fair to all.

posted by classylady on May 03, 2012 at 09:44:32 am # 2 people liked this

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