'Tax equity' sought for county employees with unmarried partners
By Andy Reid
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
June 17, 2013
Gay, lesbian and other unmarried Palm Beach
County employees should not have to pay more than their married
co-workers to receive taxpayer-backed health benefits for their domestic
partners, according to County Commissioner Mary Lou Berger.
Palm
Beach County Commissioner Mary Lou Berger wants the commission to
consider paying to cover increased healthcare tax costs charged to
unmarried employees with registered domestic partners.
(Matt Dean / FPG / December 18, 2011)
Berger at the commission's July 2
meeting plans to ask her fellow commissioners to consider paying to
cover the increased tax costs of medical benefits for employees with
domestic partners.
The
county in 2005 agreed to extend benefits to the unmarried domestic
partners of county employees. But because the federal government doesn't
equate an unmarried partner to a spouse, those employees end up paying
taxes on those benefits.
Berger
wants to explore enacting the "tax equity" proposal, backed the Palm
Beach County Human Rights Council, which calls for local governments to
cover those tax costs for their unmarried employees with registered
domestic partners.
It's not fair for employees with domestic partners to have to pay more than their married co-workers, Berger said.
"I believe in equality for everyone," Berger said. "We are all equal."
The cost implications of the new policy are one of the issues that must still be determined, Berger said.
Last year the county only had 55 employees with registered domestic partners.
To
qualify a domestic partner for benefits, an employee must provide proof
that can include a shared deed or lease; driver's licenses showing a
common address; wills listing each other as beneficiaries; and joint
credit card accounts.
The Palm
Beach County Human Rights Council for years has been pushing local
governments to expand employee benefits for domestic partners.
"This
is not a gay issue. This is a pay issue," Palm Beach County Human
Rights Council President Rand Hoch said in a statement issued Monday.
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