Milwaukee County Executive praises PrideFest, supports taxpayer-funded county benefits for gay couples

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

County Executive Chris Abele officially announced his support Monday for extending health care and other benefits to domestic partners of county employees, a sharp reversal from his predecessor's stance.

In 2009, then-County Executive Scott Walker vetoed a measure to study domestic health partner benefits for the county workforce, and he has refused to defend the domestic partnership law granting similar benefits to state employees.

Abele said he would work with the County Board to move ahead with the type of benefits package that Walker rejected over the strong support of supervisors.

It would provide health benefits to same- or opposite-sex unmarried partners who share a home.

"To continue offering one category of employees fewer benefits than others is unfair and makes it more difficult to attract the best possible job candidates," Abele said.

Abele first discussed his support for the extended benefits during PrideFest, held over the weekend at Maier Festival Park. Advocates from gay, lesbian and transgender groups praised his statement.

Chris Abele is STILL an emeritus member of the Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin board. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and PolitiFact Wisconsin did an article on Abele, whose “federal donations have helped Wisconsin congressional candidates Russ Feingold, Dave Obey, Steve Kagen and Tammy Baldwin, as well as Paul Wellstone of Minnesota and Michael Bennet of Colorado.”

From Media Trackers:

Milwaukee County Executive candidate Chris Abele and his family’s Argosy Foundation have given tens of thousands of dollars to leftist organizations and candidates in recent years… The Argosy Foundation provided grants of under $20,000 for The Progressive magazine and Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.

While I'm not surprised, life as a Milwaukee County taxpayer has certainly been better.

- Virginia