Aurora – An Aurora councilman wants the city to provide the same-sex partners of city employees with medical benefits.
Ryan Frazier said he has thought about this issue for a while. And when a statewide measure that would have provided benefits for same-sex couples failed at the polls this month, he decided to go forward with his plan.
“It comes down to a basic question of fairness and allowing equal access to benefits for our employees,” Frazier said. “I have no interest in redefining marriage.”
He has yet to bring his proposal to the full council for consideration. But he plans to bring it up within the next couple of months after studying the issue.
The statewide ballot measure failed by a narrow margin in Arapahoe County, which is where the majority of Aurora residents live, he said. That could mean that many in the city would support providing medical and dental benefits to partners of same-sex employees, Frazier said.
Frazier said it would be a nominal cost for the city, which has 2,700 employees, to provide those kinds of benefits. He doesn’t know how many people would take advantage of the benefits.
The city of Denver provides similar benefits to its employees.
That is good strategy if cities want to hire the best and most diverse people, said Elizabeth Bryant, a Denver lawyer who helps nontraditional families seek legal protections.
“I think it will increase the employee pool,” she said. “Healthy people make a much healthier community.”
But Jim Pfaff, state policy analyst for Focus on the Family, called it a political ploy.
“It puts an extra burden on taxpayers,” Pfaff said. “These things are often done for the political purpose of promoting same-sex relationships.”
Frazier said more and more Fortune 500 companies are providing benefits to partners of same-sex couples. So if it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for Aurora, he said.
“It creates a more inclusive work environment,” Frazier said. “It’s also been shown to be good for retention and recruitment efforts.”
He has support from at least one Aurora councilwoman, Molly Markert, executive director of the nonprofit Coalition for the Medically Underserved.
“Every shred of evidence shows having access to health care makes people more productive,” she said.
Staff writer Carlos Illescas can be reached at 303-954-1175 or cillescas@denverpost.com.
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EQUAL ACCESS
“It comes down to a basic question of fairness and allowing equal access to benefits for our employees. I have no interest in redefining marriage.”
Ryan Frazier, left, Aurora city councilman
