Opinion - Letters to the Editor

POSTED: Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

Vote for fairness for domestic partners

A recent analysis by the New York Times (Your Money, October 3, 2009) showed that it's more expensive to be a gay or lesbian couple than a heterosexual couple. The difference was mainly in the benefits that go with marriage - especially the cost of health insurance, estate taxes, pension benefits, IRAs, and Social Security benefits.

For some couples, the lifetime difference in cost was almost half a million dollars and even those with the smallest difference paid an extra $40,000.

Under Washington law, lesbian and gay couples are barred from marrying. Our Legislature has provided equal treatment, to the extent possible at the state level, for lesbian and gay residents by establishing a registry for domestic partners and giving us rights and responsibilities equivalent to those of married couples.

Referendum 71 would keep those rights in place. Please vote for fairness. Vote to approve Referendum 71.

Judy Stilts

Bellingham