City Commissioner Chris Anderson speaks to a group from Yes Chattanooga on the front steps of City Hall in this file photo.TIMES ENDORSEMENTSIn Thursday’s general election and Democratic primary, the Times endorses:Governor: John McKameyU.S. Senator: Terry Adams3rd District Congress: Mary Headrick27th District, State House: Eric McRoyCounty Mayor: Jim CoppingerCounty Commission: District 1 Randy FairbanksDistrict 6: John Allen BrooksDistrict 7: Ezra MaizeDistrict 8: Kenny SmithDistrict 9: Melinda BoneGeneral Sessions Court, Division 1: Christie SellJuvenile Court: Yolanda Echols MitchellPublic Defender: Ardena GarthCriminal Court Clerk: Gwen TidwellBoard of Education: District 3 Jim WatsonDistrict 5: Karitsa MosleyDistrict 6: Ballard Scearce Jr.District 8: David TestermanDistrict 9: Steve HighlanderSupreme Court Judges: RetainDomestic Partner Ordinance: For
Vote “for” the Chattanooga Domestic Partnership ordinance on Thursday’s ballot.
The ordinance would extend health and other benefits to domestic partners of city workers, something that will make the city more competitive and simply be more fair for same-sex and committed long-term partners.
It also will bring Chattanooga in line with what other cities, counties, states, some private businesses and the U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service are moving toward: policies to give same-sex and live-in couples the same tax treatment and benefits as other married couples — in keeping with the recent U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act.
It’s true that Tennessee still has on its books a 7-year-old constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. But one-by-one, similar rules in the other 30 states that ban it are falling. This one will fall, too. The Supreme Court has spoken, and cities, states and employers who don’t want to listen are simply inviting lawsuits. And those lawsuits will cost everybody.