Councilman Kenney To Introduce Bill Extending Benefits For Same Sex Couples

A city councilman today plans to introduce a bill that would extend new benefits to lesbian and gay couples in Philadelphia. Councilman Jim Kenney is proposing changes to a wide range of existing city regulations in order to boost the standing in Philadelphia of lesbian and gay couples: “We want to just level the playing field so that in all city documents, in all city applications, in all city benefits that the city offers everyone else, then everyone should be able to partake in them.” Among other things, the measure would create a tax credit for local companies to deduct the cost of employee benefits for life partners of their workers.