http://lloydletta.blogspot.com/2004_02_15_lloydletta_archive.html#107740783955792403
Dear Ms. Young,
The Mayor received your e-mail and asked that I respond. He is very supportive of the issues of equality that surround gay marriage. Last week on National Freedom to Marry Day (February 12th) he issued a proclamation honoring the domestic partnership registration ordinance that the City of Minneapolis passed in 1991 and participated in a celebration that morning for over 30 couples who were registering their partnerships with the City. This is a matter of fairness and doing what's right in a way that honors the dignity and human rights of all Minneapolis' citizens, and recognizing the incredible contributions that GLBT people make in every single neighborhood in this city.
Similar to Chicago, the City of Minneapolis does not issue marriage licenses - that is done by Hennepin County. He is exploring ways that he can support raising this issue like Mayor Daley in Chicago has done.
You also can check today's Washington Post at washingtonpost.com for an article on this subject that quotes Mayor Rybak.
Thanks again for writing.
Sincerely,
Douglas Gardner Director of Constituent Services Office of Mayor R.T. Rybak 350 South 5th Street, Room 331 Minneapolis, MN 55415 (612) 673-2133
EY: The Mayor could use his bully pulpit to push legislation to allow for the city to be able to offer domestic partner benefits to their employees. That is a local control issue that some Republicans would be willing to support. Rep. Lynn Osterman went on record supporting this when answering LCR's Questionaire 3 years ago. So far the mayor has not done so.
He could also use his bully pulpit to urge Hennepin County to look at this issue.
As Terrell Brown wrote:
Mayor Newsom and Mayor Livingstone (London) have the intestinal fortitude to do what is right, I'm not sure Mayor Rybak does. Rybak took Freedom to Marry Day a couple of weeks ago and encouraged people to come to City Hall and sign up for the City's Domestic Partnership registry, a registry that is meaning less.
EY: As far as Loki's point about this pushing the legislature to pass Bachmann's bill - I don't think that's the case - any more than it is already. As long as the legislators who say they support Gay Equal Rights just play defense, expect more push on the issue from the Leviticus Crowd types.
Show some leadership Mayor Rybak. So far you have not done so.
Anti-gay constitutional amendments, combined with nonsensical bills to cut all University of Minnesota Funding because the university will conduct privately funded stem cell research, and an Education Commissioner who is pushing equal time for Creationism (which she calls Intelligent Design) is going to hurt the business climate in Minneapolis. Minneapolis is known as a "brain gain" city. Nonsense like this from the state legislature - not publically contested by City of Minneapolis Elected Officials at all levels - will hurt the Minneapolis Economy.
The Ohio SuperDOMA has already caused some Silicon Valley Businesses to decide against relocating to Cleveland. Minneapolis - and the Chamber of Commerce in Minnesota should be concerned about this.
Eva Young
Near North
Minneapolis
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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http://lloydletta.blogspot.com
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