Columbus, Ohio’s city council agreed to repeal an ordinance that granted health benefits to domestic partners of its employees after opponents gathered almost 8,500 signatures to force a voter referendum on the issue.
Council members chose to repeal the ordinance rather than to risk a referendum because a defeat by voters would prohibit council members from reconsidering the ordinance without another ballot initiative. Mayor Greg Lashutka, a supporter of the ordinance, said “My heartfelt sympathy goes out ot those employees who came to us and asked us to treat them like the majority of other citizens.”
City officials estimated that the ordinance would cost the city from $550,000 to $700,000 annually.
