November 21, 2007 04:05 PM
Domestic Partner Benefits Proposed for Milwaukee Schools
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Public School Board Member Jennifer Morales has proposed that MPS provide benefits to domestic partners of employees, which will have the effect of increasing property taxes for Milwaukee homeowners, despite a pledge taht there would be no tax increases.
Jennifer Morales herself has a domestic partner who is an MPS employee--a woman she "married" in Canada. As a result, she has a personal interest in the passage of this resolution.
On November 20, the MPS Board Finance Committee voted 4-1 to recommend that the full board support what was defined as "eaual provision of employment benefits regardless of an employee's sexual orientation or family status."
The resolution is scheduled to go to the entire school board at their next meeting, Thursday, November 29, at 6:30pm, and passage is considered to be likely. MPS estimates that adding benefits for domestic partners could cost millions of additional tax dollars.
Unless the public--and especially Milwaukee taxpayers--act now to give MPS their opinions on this issue, Milwaukee will become the first public school district in Southeast Wisconsin to offer benefits to domestic partners of employees.
All the Milwaukee School Board members can be reached through the number at the Office of the Board of Governance, which is 414-475-8284.
Board Members include:
Peter Blewett (President)
Jeff Spence (Vice President)
Tim Petersons
Michael Bonds
Charlene Hardin
Jennifer Morales (sponsor of the resolution)
Danny Goldberg
Terrence Falk
Bruce Thompson
In addition, Lynne A Sobczak, Director, Office of the Board of Governance can be reached at the same phone number, 414-475-8284.
The office can be reached by email at:
