TX: El Paso Group Trying to Overturn Same Sex Partner Benefits

Barney Field has been active in El Paso's religious community since 1992, when he founded the citywide ministry El Paso for Jesus. But he has been making headlines in recent months as leader of a loose group of businessmen, ministers, churchgoers and others opposed to giving health benefits to the domestic partners of city employees.

In August, the City Council voted 7-1, with Rep. Carl L. Robinson dissenting, to give health benefits to the gay and unmarried heterosexual partners of city employees. Ever since, a group calling itself El Pasoans for Traditional Family Values has been trying to overturn that decision. The group is now circulating a petition that seeks to force a citywide vote on the issue on Nov. 2.

The group needs about 1,500 signatures to be successful. Field, 69, sat down for a interview with the El Paso Times.

Full Story from the El Paso Times
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19 Sign Up for El Paso Domestic Partner Benefits

The cost of the city government's domestic partner insurance program turned out to be much less than projected, but critics say they are not mollified. Just 19 city employees signed up so their unmarried heterosexual or gay partners can receive taxpayer-funded health insurance benefits.

The cost will be $42,000 this year, said Irene Morales, a city employee who oversees insurance programs. The city had forecast that 45 employees would be eligible and that the benefit program would cost taxpayers between $128,000 and $287,000. The overall city budget is $673.9 million, of which about $35 million each year is spent on health benefits for municipal employees and their families.

But to opponents of domestic partners benefits, the issue was never just about money. Tom Brown, pastor of Word of Life Church, said a group he has helped to organize will continue trying to overturn the new benefits.

Full Story from Insurance News Net
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58% in El Paso Opposed to Health and Medical Benefits for Same Sex Couples

An overwhelming number of El Pasoans are opposed to giving health and medical benefits to the same sex and unmarried partners of city employees, something City Council voted to do in August. According to a new El Paso Times poll, 58 percent of El Pasoans oppose the decision by City Council. Only 34.1 percent support the move. A relatively low number of voters, 7.9 percent, are undecided. The results do not surprise Tom Brown, the pastor at Word of Life Church. Brown is one of the main opponents of the move by City Council and is working on a petition that will force the council to rescind its decision. Full Story from El Paso Times: http://www.elpasotimes.com/health/ci_13486025

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To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.