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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 309-04
November 17, 2004

STATEMENT BY MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ON PENSION BENEFITS FOR SPOUSES IN SAME-SEX MARRIAGES

“A few weeks ago, I asked the Corporation Counsel to advise me on whether the City’s five pension systems could be expanded to recognize same-sex marriages, legally entered into in other jurisdictions as well as Vermont civil unions.  Today the Corporation Counsel has advised me that such recognition is legal and just.  I am forwarding the opinion to my representatives on the boards of the City's five pension systems and directing them to introduce resolutions to ensure that parties to these relations are treated in the same manner as parties to opposite-sex marriages.  This will enables us to extend benefits, such as in the case of accidental death, to spouses of City employees who are legally married, regardless of their sexual orientation.  In addition, since a change in New York State law is required to grant pension benefits to domestic partners, I will support state legislation that achieves that worthy goal.   All of our City employees deserve to be treated equally, regardless of their sexual orientation, and I hope these measures will ensure that they are.”







MEDIA CONTACT:


Edward Skyler/ Jordan Barowitz   (212) 788-2958




More Resources
Letter to Mayor from Law Dept. (pdf)
Memo to Law Dept. from Mayor (pdf)
Legal Summary (pdf)