Mass. city to pay wedded gay workers to offset tax

[boston bean]

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—When the city of Cambridge issues paychecks to its public employees, nearly two dozen workers find a federal tax on their income that their colleagues don't have to pay.

Like many people, these 22 school and city workers chose to put their spouses on their employer-provided health insurance. Because they're in a homosexual relationship, the value of that health coverage is considered taxable income by the federal government.

But starting this month, Cambridge will become what is believed to be the first municipality in the country to pay its public employees a stipend in an attempt to defray the cost of the federal tax on health benefits for their same-sex spouses.

The city employees hit by the extra tax pay an additional $1,500 to $3,000 in taxes a year and officials estimate the stipends would cost the city an additional $33,000.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2011/07/10/mass_city_to_pay_wedded_gay_workers_to_offset_tax/

[xchrom]

1. striking in dollars and cents just how un-equal we are.

good on cambridge.

[boston bean]

3. yep. I hoped it might put this inequality in terms some could understand a little better. nt

It's the fed gov't and it's bennies that are discriminatory.

Just cause you can get married in MA, doesn't mean everything is equal.

[RKP5637]

2. Excellent!!! n/t

[Recursion]

4. Nader got more votes there in 2000 than W

Great town.

[Bluenorthwest]

5. The entire opposition to equality is about stealing our money.

It is not about 'God in the mix' or marriage as a sacrament, it is about picking our pockets while they affect a pious stance to cover their intent. It is all about money. About stealing from us. The rhetoric is just rhetoric from liars and nothing more, they are out to confiscate as much of our money as they can, under the color of discriminatory law, while they sing hymns about Jesus loving everyone.