Fill out this form to email this article to a friend

Your name		Your email
Recipient email	You may enter up to 20 multiple email addresses, separated by commas.
Your message
Validation Code	Hear validation code
	Enter validation code

We were unable to send your email.

Click here to try again.

Group may challenge Tampa's same-sex benefits

By Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer
In print: Thursday, April 10, 2008

Story Tools E-mail this story Contact the editor Print this story Comment on this story Social Bookmarking Digg Facebook Stumbleupon Reddit Del.icio.us Newsvine

ADVERTISEMENT

TAMPA — An organization with a stated mission to "protect our moral environment" is laying the groundwork to challenge benefits offered to same-sex partners of city employees.

David Caton, executive director of the Florida Family Association, said at the very least he'll ask the City Council to evaluate an executive order Mayor Pam Iorio signed in 2004 to extend those benefits.

Caton has filed public records requests to research the legality and taxpayer cost of the city's policy. He said he's collecting information about other jurisdictions with similar programs to determine which one to take to court. A lawsuit, he said, would have to be filed by a government employee or taxpayer who thinks he or she has been hurt by the policy. Domestic partner benefits cost taxpayers about $73,000 a year, according to the city's department of human resources.

"There's always a possibility we could ask the City Council to consider this in light of budget restraints," Caton said.

Caton also said he believes Iorio's executive order violates a Florida law that states "relationships between persons of the same sex which are treated as marriages … are not recognized for any purpose in this state."

Caton questioned the basic fairness of the policy, saying that there may be city employees who are taking care of a brother, sister or parent who don't have the same benefit.

"The city's not going to pay their insurance but they're going to pay the insurance of someone who's unrelated by law," he said.

Council members John Dingfelder, Linda Saul-Sena and Mary Mulhern said Wednesday they support Iorio's policy.

"I don't believe in discrimination," Mulhern said. "That's one of the things that makes Tampa a good place to live, in contrast to (Hillsborough) County where they've actually legislated against recognizing gay pride. Here, we treat everybody equally."

Janet Zink can be reached at jzink@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3401.