COLUMBUS, Ohio -- During his state of the city address, Mayor Michael Coleman proposed once again to extend health benefits to unmarried couples, including same-sex partners.
The mayor said he wants to match the policies already in place in Columbus City Schools and companies like The Limited and Nationwide. But the proposal could cost up to $1 million of your tax dollars.
Columbus City Council approved the change in 1998. It later repealed it when some groups fought against it, saying it would come back sometime in the future.
What's not known is how many of the city's 7,695 employees will take advantage of the benefits, but the city is estimating that it will cost approximately $500,000.
Franklin County already offers benefits to domestic partners. When the county offered the benefits, 74 employees signed up. Of those, 25 wanted it for a same sex partner, while 49 wanted it for a member of the opposite sex. There are 15 dependents on the plan.
It is costing the county an additional $638,250 per year -- less than a one-percent increase.
While there are no concrete plans, the mayor's office says there will be a registry process for anyone wanting to utilize the program.
The program would also have a $1 million cap.
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