City Council Overrides Bloomberg on Domestic Partner Benefits

Just a day after the Gay Pride Parade, the City Council voted to override a veto from Mayor Bloomberg on a bill that would force businesses working with the city to give same-sex domestic partners benefits. Businesses with more than $100,000 of work from the city would be subject to the law, which was sponsored by Democratic City Council members, Christine Quinn and Speaker Gifford Miller, but many smaller non-profit groups (churches, ethnic groups) are unhappy with the measure - even some city council members question not exempting churches (Councilman Peter Vallone, D, said, "It's ironic that some people who usually try to keep God out of government, today have no problem using government to regulate God.") The Mayor is looking to take the City Council to court, saying that the city shouldn't use its "procurement procedures" to push social policy. However, the Mayor's company, Bloomberg, offers same-sex domestic benefits; the Mayor's explanation was, "We think it right because we think it will help you attract a diverse labor force but you can't tell another company what's in their interest, they have to decided for themselves." The NY Times notes this is the 15th time the Council has overriden a bill the Mayor vetoed as well as how gay rights has become a "complex" issue for the Mayor. Gothamist can tell the Mayor wants to support this bill, considering he originally did earlier in his term, but we guess that the wrangling around in the Republican party is keeping him from broader, more sweeping statements about it. The Mayor is trying to play it cool, but, as mentioned before, people like their Mayors to be demonstrative, one way or the other.