City of Lakeland to research benefits to same-sex partners of employees

LAKELAND, Fla. - City leaders in Lakeland agreed to follow up on a request to offer benefits to partners of gay and lesbian employees.

The heterosexual man who made the request during Monday's city commission meeting, said the change needs to happen to bring this community in line with cities nearby.

"We are currently out of step with the I-4 corridor," Bill Townsend told the commissioners. "My priority is to provide the same benefits for same-sex couples who are denied them now."

A big piece to Townsend's argument is that he says this community could be losing talented workers to bigger cities nearby that already offer benefits to same-sex couples like Orlando, Tampa, and St. Petersburg.

"More fundamentally, it's the right thing to do," he said. "Those people work just as hard as I do and they deserve the same sort of rights and protections that I have."

One of the concerns with offering benefits to same-sex couples is abuses of the program. Some feel friends, roommates, and unmarried heterosexual couples may end up with benefits at the taxpayers expense.

At least one commissioner alluded to those concerns during Monday's discussion.

The board agreed to assign staff members to fully research the idea and then hold a workshop once they get all the facts.

"I think it's premature to discuss the complete argument without first getting the staff to come back to us and lay it out… can it be done?" Said Lakeland Commissioner Don Selvage.

Already though, one commissioner voiced his opposition to the idea, and another raised moral questions.

In the end, Townsend left City Hall feeling encouraged.

"It's the first step in a process and I intend to follow it through.  I will be trying to get people to help," he said.

The city manager said it could take a couple months for staff members to compile the research. Mayor Gow Fields also said it could take six months or longer before the board can convene for a workshop, due to a long waiting list of other issues.

Townsend said he will continue to "gently push the issue."