Partner benefits: Yes, study them

Despite the usual sexually tinged remarks from Mecklenburg County commissioner Bill James, the board of commissioners Thursday agreed, 6-3, that yes, it will study whether to offer benefits to domestic partners of county employees.

It's the right decision. Further, commissioners are right to ask county staff to be sure to give them information on the legality of such a move, and whether it would add to costs, and how such a benefit might be structured to inhibit fraud. While adding the benefits is the right thing to do, the commissioners should know the fiscal and/or legal repercussions of such a decision.

Instead of debating the issue, each commissioner was asked to give his or her position on whether to study the proposal, so the discussion was civil and relatively tame – at least until James got going. James opposes the idea and has in the past made remarks that some consider anti-gay. It was James who, in a mass e-mail, called the domestic partner issue "icky."

At one point, he asked commissioners' chair Jennifer Roberts – who was trying to say that the issue isn't about sex – whether she has sex with her "domestic partner" (she's married). Then James (also married) noted that he does have sex with his.

Commissioner James, there are some things we really would rather not hear you discussing. Yes, "icky" is about right.
- Posted by Mary Newsom