City council votes 7-1 to extend domestic partner health benefits

The El Paso City Council voted 7-1 today to extend health-insurance benefits to gay and unmarried heterosexual partners of city employees.

[Gina]

The celebration party will be at Chicos!!

[ThisNThat]

Congrats, to the educated people in EP. Good work, council.

[John]

Way to go, El Paso. Great to see the continuation of a long tradition of inclusiveness, and good to know that this Council is forward-looking and progressive.

[Maria]

Great work Guys and it is about time you did something good.

[Dave]

A great day indeed. Its history in the making.

[Tom Delnatter]

Wow, I am happily surprised by this decision. Good work City Council.

[Citizen]

but yet we can't give our police officers and firefighters the raises they deserve on time

[Good News]

This issue is cut and dry, equal rights for all, religious fanatics need to stay our of government dealings. "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!" Hate those religious fanatics that claim to be my savior!

[roadkill]

At last a move out of the dark ages and into the 21st century for the sleepy little mayaña town of El Paso. Relationships are relationships be they between whoever: everyone should have the opportunity to provide for their partner regardless of sex or marital status. If a city employee is unmarried and willing to pay for benefits for his or her partner great, that is a lot better than having the uninsured partner have to go on welfare and or Medicaid: we all have to pay for WELFAIRE AND MEDICADE.

[Okay]

I have nothing against gays or Lesbians, but until it is legally recognized by the state, I do not think we tax payers should pay for this. I am a tax paying citizen so I have as much right as everyone else to have my health insurance paid by the city. Can the city spell law suit? Next thing you know someone will step forward and say they are the mayors boyfriend. How can they deny him coverage then?

[no name]

way to go Carl thats why i voted for him...the rest of you can kiss my butt,,idiots that goes to show that none of the city council have any morals

[John]

Okay wrote:

I have nothing against gays or Lesbians, but until it is legally recognized by the state, I do not think we tax payers should pay for this. I am a tax paying citizen so I have as much right as everyone else to have my health insurance paid by the city. Can the city spell law suit? Next thing you know someone will step forward and say they are the mayors boyfriend. How can they deny him coverage then?

If the mayor signs him up for coverage and they meet the stringent criteria set up by the Council to test the commitment of the relationship, I don't have any problem with paying for his coverage.

[HMMM]

As professional gay man I am also a tax payer...why should I pay for your relationship and not someone elses just because of a "constructed" idea of marriage?

Okay wrote:

I have nothing against gays or Lesbians, but until it is legally recognized by the state, I do not think we tax payers should pay for this. I am a tax paying citizen so I have as much right as everyone else to have my health insurance paid by the city. Can the city spell law suit? Next thing you know someone will step forward and say they are the mayors boyfriend. How can they deny him coverage then?

[Gay Mom]

Those gays and lesbians are tax payers too. HMmmmmmmmmm.......

Okay wrote:

I have nothing against gays or Lesbians, but until it is legally recognized by the state, I do not think we tax payers should pay for this. I am a tax paying citizen so I have as much right as everyone else to have my health insurance paid by the city. Can the city spell law suit? Next thing you know someone will step forward and say they are the mayors boyfriend. How can they deny him coverage then?

[HMMM]

The moral that is valued here is fairness and equality. Sounds good to me.

no name wrote:

way to go Carl thats why i voted for him...the rest of you can kiss my butt,,idiots that goes to show that none of the city council have any morals

[stuckinthiscrumm ycityget]

Well the city voted for these morons well this is what you get. Next up legalizing drugs, in all fairness drug addicts have rights too. Gays, drug addicts, drunks the list goes on and on. Way to go El Paso lets be the first to show the rest of the nation that we are idiots, oh wait they already know that.

[Okay]

John wrote:

<quoted text>
If the mayor signs him up for coverage and they meet the stringent criteria set up by the Council to test the commitment of the relationship, I don't have any problem with paying for his coverage.

What stringent criteria? A kiss in public at Chicos?
I had to show birth certificates to get my kids insured.

[maria]

Wow! The city of El Paso is a 21st century city and can be an example to other cities. They have a city wide non-discrimination ordinance that covers the gay community and now their city employees can take care of their families. Congratulations to a forward looking city council.

[Business friendly]

businesses will look at this as a positive step and may look to bring jobs into town.

[ThisNThat]

Chuck and Larry wrote:

That's GREAT news! I have a good friend that has had some serious health problems and cannot continue to work because of his illness. He has no health insurance!
This means I can now get him onto my insurance and help him out!
On behalf of my best friend, Thanks El Paso City Council!
Oh by the way we are both heterosexuals!

No, that's not what it means at all, but I'll let you continue being an idiot.