Cook County close to recognizing same-sex couples.

The Chicago Sun Times ^ | June 18, 2003 | BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Legal Affairs Reporter

[Rollee]

Same-sex couples throughout Cook County would enjoy the same right to register as domestic partners as residents of Oak Park and San Francisco, under a proposal introduced Tuesday in the Cook County Board.

Commissioner Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) has 11 of the county board's 17 members signed on as sponsors or co-sponsors. Sharing the top line with him as sponsors are County Board President John Stroger and County Board Finance Chairman John Daley, the mayor's brother. All of that bodes well for the measure's passage.

None of the board's five Republicans is listed as co-sponsor, though Quigley hopes to get one or two of their votes. In the past, religious groups have opposed some of Quigley's gay rights proposals such as extending benefits to same-sex partners of county employees.

Right now, heterosexual couples seeking to wed get a marriage certificate from Cook County Clerk David Orr's office.

Under the proposal, Orr's office would grant domestic partnership certificates to same-sex couples who plunk down the same $30 that heterosexuals do to get their unions officially recognized.

"The intangible benefit is the value to those who would use it to show that their relationship matters and they want to show that commitment to the world," Quigley said.

Orr's Deputy Clerk Brandon Neese said the office could get the program up and running with no additional staff or resources.

"We're ready to implement it," Neese said. "We'll have to create an application form and have a database."

The program will be a useful resource for companies that offer benefit packages to partners of same-sex couples.

"It's a way to help corporations determine who is a domestic partner," Quigley said.

The county's program will not change the U.S. tax code or state law and same-sex couples must file taxes singly.

"It doesn't change anything in Probate Court or state law," Quigley said. "But it's evidence a relationship existed. Right now, [under] the state visitation act in hospitals, a third cousin has a higher relationship than someone in a relationship for years. Something like this we think would help the state move forward on changing state law."

Quigley plans to call a meeting of his Human Relations Committee to discuss the proposal in the next few weeks. The ordinance also would authorize Orr's office to issue "affidavits of termination" when a same-sex relationship ends.

Criteria required for the certificate would include that "The domestic partners are in a close and committed relationship of mutual financial and emotional support and intend to remain in such a relationship."

Other counties that have domestic partner registries include Los Angeles County, Calif.; Broward County, Fla.; Westchester County, N.Y.; and Travis County, Texas.

[Rollee]

The county's program will not change the U.S. tax code or state law and same-sex couples must file taxes singly.

The very least they could do is whack the homos with the same tax rates that married people must pay. Talk about picking and choosing!

[chachacha]

If they can't screw and have kids they are doing nothing more then sticking their sex tools in dark holes with out purpose.

The first thing that should be asked before any of those perverts get priviledges IS

ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE CHILDREN AND FURTHER THE HUMAN RACE OR ARE YOU GOING STICK YOUR SEX TOOLS IN DIRTY HOLES THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE HUMAN RACE AS TIME GOES ON.

< GEES AMERICA WAKE UP! YOU ARE MORE DISGUSTING AS TIME GOES ON!

[ellery]

What about husbands and wives who can't procreate?

[unspun]

Thanks for this catch, Rollee! This is the kind of thing we need to stop. They tend to be state and local issues more often than national issues.

[chicagolady]

WE HAVE THE LARGEST GAY POPULATION IN CHICAGO...THIS SIDE OF THE MISSISSIPPI!

[chachacha]

What about husbands and wives who can't procreate?

I can tell the difference between the two situations and I hope you find the wisdom to do the same.

I HAVE NO TIME FOR AN APPLES AND ORANGES DICUSSION.

[davisfh]

"If they can't screw and have kids they are doing nothing more then sticking their sex tools in dark holes with out purpose."

Turd denters all!!!

[unspun]

Call these people and tell them you don't want Cook County inflicted with the unfair burden of this ficticious special rights for homosexuals.  Want to know your Commissioner?  See the map, linked below.

From:
 http://www.cookcountygov.com/secretary/HomePage_Links/board_of_commissioners_of_cook_c.htm

About the Cook County Board of Commissioners
Cook County Board Meeting Dates for 2003
Cook County Board's Legislative Committees & Subcommittees
Follow this link to view the Cook County Board Redistricting Map, based on the 2000 Federal Census.
(hard copy of map available from the Clerk's Election Dept. at 312-603-0906 or 603-5656)

Cook County Board - General Information #:		Cook County Board - General Fax #
312-603-6398		312-603-4678
For  information on a Commissioner's District Office and map, click on a District No. in the list below.
Commissioner's Name	Party	County District	County Bldg. Phone No.
			District Ofc. Phone No.

Jerry Butler	(D)	District 3	312-603-6391
			No District Ofc.
Forrest Claypool	(D)	District 12	312-603-6380
			773-348-8400
Earlean Collins	(D)	District 1	312-603-4566
			773-626-2184
John P. Daley (Finance Chairman)	(D)	District 11	312-603-4400
			No District Ofc.
Elizabeth Ann Doody Gorman E-mail: eadgorman@cookcountygov.com	(R)	District 17	312-603-4215
			847-759-8216(North) 708-349-1336 (South)
Gregg Goslin *Link to: Commissioner Goslin's Web Page E-mail: commissionergoslin@cookcountygov.com	(R)	District 14	312-603-4932
			847-729-9300 (East) 847-776-1509 (West)
Carl R. Hansen	(R)	District 15	312-603-6388
			847-818-1515
Roberto Maldonado	(D)	District 8	312-603-6386
			773-395-0143
Joseph Mario Moreno (President Pro Tem)	(D)	District 7	312-603-5443
			773-927-7154 (Chg.) 708-656-2646 (Suburb)
Joan P. Murphy E-mail: jmurphy@cookcountygov.com	(D)	District 6	312-603-4216
Anthony J. Peraica *Link to: Commissioner Peraica's Web Page E-mail: Peraicalaw@aol.com	(R)	District 16	312-603-6384
			708-345-5808
Mike Quigley *Link to: Commissioner Quigley's Web Page E-mail: CommQuigley@aol.com	(D)	District 10	312-603-4209
			773-935-1010
Peter N. Silvestri	(R)	District 9	312-603-4393
			773-774-8554
Deborah Sims	(D)	District 5	312-603-6381
			708-371-4251
Bobbie L. Steele *Link to: Commissioner Steele's Web Page	(D)	District 2	312-603-3019
			773-722-0140
John H. Stroger, Jr. (President of the Cook County Board) *Link to: Cook County Govt.- Administration's web page	(D)	District 4	312-603-6400
			773-224-1705
Larry Suffredin *Link to: Commissioner Suffredin's Web Page E-mail: lsuffredin@cookcountygov.com	(D)	District 13	312-603-6383
			847-864-1209

[ellery]

Okay, fair enough:-)

[lilylangtree]

Good grief! Never thought Chicago would go the way of Boston and Philadelphia.

[Rollee]

Thanks for asking about that! My husband and I are unable to procreate.

[Rollee]

My commissioner is Elizabeth Doody Gorman. Next time I see her I am going to ask her about this issue.

[ellery]

My husband and I are having trouble, too -- that's why I asked:-) I like to think procreation isn't the only aspect of a healthy marriage.

[Rollee]

It's been creeping further and further to the left for a long time now. Chicago's mayor is that demented gun grabbing airport ripping nut king richie the 2nd aka Daley. And Chicago is home to the repulsive jan schakowsky (shudder). Then there is the nasty little rat rahm emmanual. The sheeple keep voting these lunatics in, and now look what's happening. A beautiful city is being destroyed.

[LiteKeeper]

SPOTREP

[HumanaeVitae]

Good Lord. Stop the insanity. /susan powter off

[cherry_bomb88]

Actually, it can be a very demanding test of one's marriage!!! LOL

[cherry_bomb88]

*sigh*....if we give them California, will they go away?

[ellery]

:-) A silver-lining smile to you!