After hearing from a series of speakers opposed to the city’s new policy to offer medical benefits to unmarried domestic couples during the public comment at the beginning of the El Paso City Council, city Rep. Beto O’Rourke went outside and continued to discussion.
A few minutes later, with several police officers standing nearby, O’Rourke found himself nose to nose with a pastor who was part of the crowd of ministers and Christians who had filled the council chambers.
The issue of extending the city’s medical benefits to same-sex and heterosexual couples was not on the day’s agenda, but was decided by the council at a budget meeting Thursday.
During the call to the public, a man who identified himself as M. Hinojoso questioned the decision and warned that the action the council took was “out of step with the community” from a religious and moral standpoint.
O’Rourke took note of the fact that there were so many people in the audience who had not signed up to speak and said he wanted to go outside and meet with them.
The council approved an unprecedented recess and O’Rourke talked with one person after another in front of City Hall, explaining that he had proposed and supported the new policy because he, like a majority of the council, thought it was the right thing to do.
“What about those who for sometimes 10, 20 or 30 years are hard working city employees who put in their time and have given their efforts to make this city a better city to provide services to you and you have all reminded me that you’re taxpayers, so am I and yet they are unable to enjoy the same benefits that I enjoy as a married city employee,” O’Rourke said.
But many in the crowd, like Ramona Solano, said they felt the decision had been made without enough consideration for "the people."
“It’s important for the people of El Paso to have a say in this matter,” Solano said. “I think this decision was taken in private amongst the representatives and they voted 'yes' without consulting us. We didn’t find out until we read it in the newspaper, it’s really a moral issue here.”
When O’Rourke brought up a 1962 issue of an El Paso councilman’s effort to desegregate the city, crowd members yelled out in response to O’Rourke’s comments calling his comparison an “apples to oranges” comparison.
After the discussion, O'Rourke explained his comment to NPT: "It was an El Paso City Council that voted in 1962 to prohibit discrimination in public places based on skin color -- bucking the state, the rest of the south and leading President Kennedy to cite El Paso as a model for the rest of the country in a speech following the passing of that ordinance.
"We should remember that all kinds of man's inhumanity to his fellow man, including slavery, segregation, laws against being gay, laws against interracial marriage, have been justified by the bible and current convention and state and national law."
The cost of the health insurance benefits was also a key issue in the discussion. Adding an estimated 45 domestic partners to the plan next year is expected to cost about $175,443 or about 0.5 percent of the medical plan’s total cost. The city doesn’t know for sure, however, and so it has bracketed the potential costs: $127,755 to $287,074 is what taxpayers may pay while employee contributions could range from $30,487 to $72,072.
“In terms of the cost a number of people had brought this up, I know you all are taxpayers but so am I,” he said. “We’re talking at most $200,000 dollars in an almost $700 million dollar (budget), so I don’t know if money is really the issue and if it’s not and it’s the morality of the issue and your disagreement with me, let me say this, I think this is an important issue to talk about."
Mayor John Cook, who went out a few minutes later to bring O’Rourke and city Rep. Eddie Holguin back in so the meeting could resume, said the recess allowed O’Rourke to respond to what was being said.
“He really felt he had to answer them,” Cook said. “Sometimes, we feel frustrated because we cannot respond to public comments on items that aren’t on the agenda.”
Asked how he felt about the issue, Cook hesitated and said, “I have issues with it. I was hoping they could at least get it to a tie.”
Cook could have broken a tie, but the vote for the new policy on medical coverage for domestic couples was 6-1 last Thursday with city Rep. Carl Robinson voting no and Rep. Steve Ortega out of the room.
Among those who took O’Rourke on outside was Larry Wilkins, a former captain in the El Paso County Sheriff’s Department and a pastor at Cielo Vista Church.
“I disagree with you categorically, but I appreciate the fact that you came out here to meet us. You manned up,” Wilkins said.
Barney Field of El Paso for Jesus said the gathering at City Hall for today’s meeting was hastily organized by Elizabeth Branham.
“It was kind of under everybody’s radar,” Field said. “The next time we get an opportunity to have input on this, there will be 10 times this many people here.”
The issue will continue.
Branham, who said she believed the City Council vote was "an assault on traditional marriage and family values,” spoke to city Rep. Steve Ortega about how to go about forcing an election using the petition and initiative process. Ortega promised he would help her get started on the process.
On the question of a possible drive to p-ut the issue before voters, O'Rourke said, "We did the right thing, and I see no need to send it to the voters, as some in attendance asked.
"Imagine if we sent every controversial issue to the voters. However, I support their right to file a ballot initiative. I am confident that if they are successful in placing this on the ballot El Pasoans will prove to them and to the rest of the country that we are a just, tolerant and progressive city and uphold the council's actions."
