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Great news from Florida!
Within a span of a few hours on Wednesday, we achieved three victories across the state. The Sarasota County Commission is the latest to move forward on a domestic partnership registry, Miami Beach passed the strongest tax equity policy in the nation, and the Hillsborough County Commission voted 7-0 to repeal the notorious anti-gay pride ban.
Miami Beach Mayor Bower and City Commissioners unanimously approved a new Tax Equity Policy for city employees. The new policy is the strongest and most comprehensive of its kind in the U.S., and it ensures that city employees with domestic partners will no longer pay thousands more in taxes than married employees pay when health insurance coverage is extended to the employee’s partner.
Florida is leading the nation on tax equity policies, with six of these policies passed already this year - more than have ever been passed in the rest of the country combined.
Equality Florida’s Deputy Director Stratton Pollitzer has been working closely with advocates and leaders in Miami Beach for more than a year on this landmark policy, which we believe will become a model for the nation. Equality Florida staff assisted the Miami Beach LGBT Business Enhancement Committee in bringing the issue forward in the spring of 2012. We have provided ongoing technical support, background research, and economic studies to city staff drafting the policy. And we have participated in every public hearing and workshop on the policy.
Florida is leading the nation on tax equity policies, with six of these policies passed already this year - more than have ever been passed in the rest of the country combined.
Equality Florida’s Deputy Director Stratton Pollitzer has been working closely with advocates and leaders in Miami Beach for more than a year on this landmark policy, which we believe will become a model for the nation. Equality Florida staff assisted the Miami Beach LGBT Business Enhancement Committee in bringing the issue forward in the spring of 2012. We have provided ongoing technical support, background research, and economic studies to city staff drafting the policy. And we have participated in every public hearing and workshop on the policy.
In Hillsborough County, home to Tampa, absolute pandemonium broke out as the commission voted 7-0 to repeal a ban on recognizing gay Pride that was enacted eight years ago. Back in 2005, passage of the policy drew national and international criticism and cemented Hillsborough’s reputation as backward and bigoted.
The composition of the board has changed significantly and Commissioner Kevin Beckner, a gay man inspired to run in part by the ban, led the charge to repeal it. During my testimony, I thanked Commissioner Sharpe for clearly articulating his regret for having passed the ban in the first place.
Commissioner Les Miller earned a standing ovation with his passionate rebuttal of claims that the ban was anything but plain discrimination. He described himself as an African-American who has been eyeball-to-eyeball with bigotry, someone who has lost jobs and endured the humiliation of Jim Crow laws. He spoke of the day he had the ugliest racial slur hurled at him as he wore his Air Force uniform and walked along the street with his daughter.
Commissioner Mark Sharpe tearfully told the crowd that he was late to the event because he was at school with his son who was being given the American Legion award. His voice broke as he described telling his son, "When you make a mistake, it's up to you to fix it." After a long pause to gather himself, he expressed his deep regret for having voted for the policy in the first place. “I'm just glad that I'm still here to fix it.
Finally, Commissioner Kevin Beckner was an absolute hero. He stood strong and forced his colleagues into a simple up-and-down vote as several of them tried to dodge the issue and muddy the water with bizzare amendments. It is impossible to overstate how skillfully Commissioner Beckner handled that delicate moment when consensus could have been forged or lost.
The composition of the board has changed significantly and Commissioner Kevin Beckner, a gay man inspired to run in part by the ban, led the charge to repeal it. During my testimony, I thanked Commissioner Sharpe for clearly articulating his regret for having passed the ban in the first place.
Commissioner Les Miller earned a standing ovation with his passionate rebuttal of claims that the ban was anything but plain discrimination. He described himself as an African-American who has been eyeball-to-eyeball with bigotry, someone who has lost jobs and endured the humiliation of Jim Crow laws. He spoke of the day he had the ugliest racial slur hurled at him as he wore his Air Force uniform and walked along the street with his daughter.
Commissioner Mark Sharpe tearfully told the crowd that he was late to the event because he was at school with his son who was being given the American Legion award. His voice broke as he described telling his son, "When you make a mistake, it's up to you to fix it." After a long pause to gather himself, he expressed his deep regret for having voted for the policy in the first place. “I'm just glad that I'm still here to fix it.
Finally, Commissioner Kevin Beckner was an absolute hero. He stood strong and forced his colleagues into a simple up-and-down vote as several of them tried to dodge the issue and muddy the water with bizzare amendments. It is impossible to overstate how skillfully Commissioner Beckner handled that delicate moment when consensus could have been forged or lost.
Florida is back to being on the track to equality & will probab;y go blue in the next Governor's race.
