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Loading ...The cost of gay marriage in Vermont
04.28.2009 2:49pm EDT
(Montpelier, Vermont) Papers filed with the Vermont Secretary of State’s office show that same-sex marriage advocates spent more than $228,000 in the three months before the legislature overrode Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto of a marriage bill.
Lobby groups are required to submit financial disclosure forms to the state. The forms cover the period from January through March. The most recent forms, when lobbying intensified, are not yet available.The figures show that the Vermont Freedom to Marry Task force spent more than $168,000 on advertising and lobbying. The Vermont Freedom to Marry Action Committee spent $60,000.
The Human Rights Campaign, the country’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, reported it spent just over $2,000 on lobbying.Opponents of same-sex marriage have been slower in submitting their forms.
Take It To The People, which lobbied for defeat of the bill and called for a nonbinding statewide referendum on the question of gay marriage, reported an expenditure of more than $10,000.
Three other opposition groups – the National Organization for Marriage, Vermont Renewal and the Vermont Marriage Advisory Council, have yet to file their expenses.
Vermont, the first state to legalize civil unions, became the first where the legislature approved same-sex marriage on April 7 when the House and Senate overrode Douglas’ veto and the fourth state in the country where same-sex couples can wed.
The marriage law amends the old civil unions law to allow marriage of same-sex partners beginning Sept. 1. Civil unions, which confer some rights similar to marriage, would still be recognized but no longer granted after Sept. 1.
The law also guarantees that churches would not be obligated to marry same-sex couples.
That’s a small price to pay for equality. I read this awhile back…
The Williams Institute predicts if gay marriage were legalized here, nearly 1,000 Vermont couples would marry in the next three years, but more importantly to tourism, 8,200 out-of-state couples would, boosting Vermont’s economy by more than $30 million and generating $3.3 million in tax and fee revenues.
Where is Equality for ALL in America when a few can STOP the rights of a few. It is shameful that people can stomp on the rights of others because they don’t understand the need to pursue the right of happiness. Shame on you all who stand in the way of Freedom and Equality
The most interesting thing to me is that our local opponents only raised $10k. Can’t wait to see how much was raised and spent by out-of-state anti-gay groups.
There was a poll of Vermonter’s opinions just before the legislature took up the bill showing that only 39% opposed it. Guess those 39% weren’t willing to put their money where their mouths were!
Damn! I was hoping the Mormons had spent a ton of money there so they could enjoy having seen it wasted…