June 18, 1999

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONI

communitygroups

Lakewood, Cuyahoga still mulling partner benefits

by Richard Oldrieve

Cleveland-One and a half years ago, Cleveland Councilmember Tim Melena asked Stonewall Cleveland to drum up support within the lesbigay community for domestic partnership benefits. Melena wanted to ensure that Cleveland was the first city in the area that offered domestic partnership benefits to its unmarried but partnered employees.

To help him help us, Melena wanted Stonewall to provide models of how domestic partnership laws could be written. He also asked Stonewall to drum up support for partnership benefits without alerting the opposition that a big drive might soon be underway. He also asked that Stonewall provide information on how many gays, lesbians, transgendered, and bisexuals lived in the community and how many would be willing to vote, provide financial support or campaign on behalf of councilmembers who supported a domestic partnership benefits law.

In the current Internet age, finding models of domestic partnership was relatively easy. On the other hand, drumming up support and counting heads without alerting the opposition can be exceedingly difficult. Publicity tends to eventually end up reaching the opposition as well as the target audience.

Meanwhile, the rest of the country was slowly being transformed. Since December of 1997, the cities of San Francisco, Boston, New York, and Philadelphia all passed domestic partnership legislation. Numerous universities, non-profit organizations, and Fortune 500 companies did the right thing, too.

Here in Ohio, Columbus' city council boldly enacted domestic partnership benefits in December of 1998. As a result, Stone-

wall Cleveland decided to try to get the Cuyahoga County Commissioners to adopt domestic partnership benefits. Stonewall Cleveland calculated that it would be easier to win over the smaller governing board than to win over a larger city council. We also figured that Cleveland would fall into line shortly thereafter.

At about the same time, a Lakewood advocacy coalition decided to petition Lakewood's council domestic partnership benefits.

Both campaigns looked winnable until an opposition group in Columbus mounted a petition campaign to give the voters a chance to repeal their domestic

to

enact

be to include the benefits as part of any contract offer to unions.

Skindel promised to check with John Ryan, president of the local AFL-CIO, to see if his union would be willing to include domestic partnership benefits as part of any contract request.

All in all, the tide of history seems to be rolling toward domestic partnership benefits. Nevertheless, the struggle will require long-term commitment and diligence. Please remember there are three things you must do to ensure all gays, lesbians, transgender people and bisexuals can get domestic partnership benefits.

CLEVELAND

partnership benefits. A lesbian/gay political organization of Northeastern Ohio

When Columbus'

city council voted to rescind the law without an electoral fight, all three lobbying efforts in Northeast Ohio became that much harder. Not only would the legislators be more scared of consequences, the opposition would be emboldened by knowing that just threatening a petition drive might stop a new domestic partnership law from getting passed in the first place.

Nevertheless, things could still work out. Lakewood councilmembers Michael Skindel and Nancy J. Roth are still pressing ahead with their legislative approach.

The county commissioners are exploring non-legislative ways to offer domestic partnership benefits. One possible avenue would be to ask insurance companies to include domestic partnership language as part of their future benefit packages. Another would

First, let the Cuyahoga

County Commissioners know that you care about domestic partnership benefits. Write letters, make phone calls, and send faxes and e-mails to them. When participating in the Pride parade and festival, be sure to ask any county commissioner or other politician you see, "What is your stance on domestic partnership benefits?"

You never know—the politician you ask might be considering supporting domestic partnership legislation and may only need to know that regular people and not just activists are interested in domestic partnership. Also, be sure to vote for politicians who are willing to support domestic partnership benefits.

Next, you can attend Lakewood City Council meetings and voice your support for benefits. Talk to council members one on once,

or sign up for the time to air your beliefs during the public participation section of the council meetings. Please call Michael Skindel's council phone number, 216-5298055 to find out the days and times Lakewood's council meets and to find out when during the summer any special readings of the law or committee meetings will be held.

Finally, you can call Lloyd Clark at 216221-7056 or myself (Richard Oldrieve) at 440-892-1994 to find out how you can work with Stonewall to fight for domestic partnership benefits.

Richard M. Oldrieve is secretary of Stonewall Cleveland.

Community Groups

reflecting the view

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