September 7.2001
rTîTiTTTWncTInetvs
after his anti-Sem itic comm ents first ap
peared in the Oregonian. She has been re
questing the face-to-face confrontation ever
since.
“We had an open and candid d*S&ission
about issues relating to the school board,” Katz
said in a statement. “1 explained to him why 1
thought some of his recent words had been
painful to many. Mr. Jackson stated that he
intends to continue meeting with members of
the community. 1 encourage him to do so.”
Meanwhile, Jackson has yet another outspo
ken critic to contend with. Portland writer Jeff
Muir has launched the Internet site
www.dumpderry.org.
He says that he is not opposed to the recall
effort proposed by Portlanders Against Prejudice
but that he doesn’t want to wait until January
2002 to start collecting signatures, as required by
law. Instead, Muir hopes to convince Jackson to
resign through an “effective, guerrilla, political
campaign...whatever we can pull together,” he
told the Portland Tribune.
|
3
|
I
g
a
Attorney Jennifer C .
Pizer, who helped write a
joint amicus brief filed by
Lambda Legal Defense
J ancouver can keep providing
and
Education Fund, the
health insurance to gay and les
American C ivil Liberties
bian employees’ domestic partners,
U
n ion o f W ashington
the Washington Supreme Court
and the National A C LU
ruled last month. The city has pro
Lesbian and Gay Rights
vided vital family benefits for the
Project, praised the rul
dependents of its unmarried, gay and
ing. “T h e court has rein
nongay, workers since 1998, hut the
forced security and fair
program was threatened by a lawsuit
ness for more families in
brought with the help of a right-wing
Vancouver
and through
organization.
out W ashington,” she
T he Virginia-based Northstar
said.
Legal Center sued in 1999 on behalf
Lambda has assisted
of one local resident, Roni Heinsma,
cities
and
counties
contending
Vancouver cannot
around the country in
extend any protection to unmarried
defending domestic part
employees in committed relation
ner benefits for unmarried
ships because doing so purportedly
employees, defeating at
would conflict with Washington
tacks in Atlanta; C h ica
state marriage law. In June 2000, a
go; New York; Santa Bar
trial court rejected the arguments
bara, Calif.; Pima County,
and ruled definitively in the city’s Vancouver C ity C ouncilor Jim M oeller praised the W ashington
Supreme C ou rt ruling
Ariz; and Broward C oun
favor, pointing out that Vancouver
ty,
Fla.
“A
t
a
time
when
the latest census fig
has not tried to regulate family relationships in
lature’s ability to regulate familial relationships
ures show that same-sex couples are living in
general, as the marriage laws do, hut instead sim
on a statewide level,” Justice Susan Owens
virtually every community across the country,
ply is ensuring reasonable compensation for its
wrote for the majority.
we are gratified that yet another state high
Openly gay City Councilor Jim Moeller, who
own employees. Heinsma then appealed.
court has rejected a fringe attempt to block
first proposed the policy change in 1997, was
But the justices in an 8-1 decision released
insurance and other protections for these fam
concerned about the lawsuit because conserva
Aug. 23 rejected the argument that the local law
ilies,” legal director Ruth E. Harlow said.
tives successfully have reversed similar benefits
creates confusion between the limited, taxable
in other states. He said that the ruling didn’t
partner benefits offered to unmarried city work
come as shock but that the 8-1 majority did.
ers and the comprehensive legal recognition
T he T rouble with D erry
“I was elated,” Moeller said. “1 was surprised
provided by Washington’s marriage laws. "W e
mbattled Portland Public Schools board
at the overwhelming majority. I was thinking we
conclude that the city’s recognition of domestic
member Derry Jackson finally met with
might
have
less
than
that,
but
1
was
feeling
pret
partnership is limited and that the program does
Mayor Vera Katz on Aug. 21, exactly a month
ty confident that we would win.”
not unconstitutionally interfere with the Legis
D omestic P artner
B enefits U pheld
V
T ransportation T riage
ome Cascade A ID S P roject clients
recently were surprised to learn that, de
spite their low income, they no longer could
receive transportation assistance from the
organization.
Even among qualified applicants, for
exam ple, transportation manager H elene
Rimberg says the program places a priority on
serving individuals who live in outlying coun
ties and who are living below the federal
poverty level. Because o f limited resources,
S
Continued on Page 8
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