Montgomery County Councilmember Calls To End Domestic Partnership Benefits

Nicole Raz
WMAL.com

WASHINGTON (WMAL) — Domestic partnership benefits may become a thing of the past in Montgomery County.

“I’m not trying to force any one to get married, but this concept of ‘domestic partnership’ is no longer necessary,” says Montgomery County Councilmember George Leventhal. “Domestic partnership was created as a mechanism for people to share their lives, but now marriage is legal for everyone [including same-sex couples].”

Leventhal is introducing a bill today that calls for nixing domestic partnership benefits for county employees all together, after County Executive Ike Leggett’s call to extend them.

“A week and a half ago County Executive Leggett requested, and had introduced at his request, a bill that would extend domestic partner benefits to all county employees– they’re already available for cops and firefighters,” Leventhal told WMAL.

But, he says, domestic partnership benefits are no longer necessary since those in committed relationships can just get married.

Extending domestic partnership benefits to all county employees would be a $4.8 million price tag for taxpayers over the next six years, he said.

“That could go toward anything else in the county budget.”