Kalamazoo gay-rights issue will be revisited

KALAMAZOO — The Kalamazoo City Commission is expected to take the first step Monday night in a process that could lead to voters deciding whether Kalamazoo should grant “protected-class” status to gays, lesbians and transgender individuals.

The commission will consider for first reading a new city ordinance that includes revisions from the first anti-discrimination measure that members unanimously approved in December. A subsequent citizen petition drive challenged the measure and resulted in commissioners rescinding it and establishing a subcommittee to attempt to reach a compromise on a new ordinance.

The language coming back to the commission Monday does not change the basic premises, however. It essentially will make it a municipal civil infraction to discriminate against someone in the city in issues of housing, public accommodation and employment because they are gay. Violators could face up to a $500 fine, plus court costs.

The local proposal to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity represents an expansion of existing state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on factors such as race, color, religion and sex.

Proponents of the local ordinance — including the Kalamazoo Alliance for Equality, which proposed the original concept — say they’ll support the new measure.

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Kalamazoo Gazette – MLive.com

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Subcommittee on gay-rights ordinance to meet Friday

KALAMAZOO — A subcommittee formed to study a possible compromise in the city of Kalamazoo’s recently rescinded gay-rights ordinance will conduct its first meeting Friday.

Commissioners David Anderson, Don Cooney and Stephanie Moore will review means for getting public input regarding the ordinance that was meant to protect gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination in city housing, public accommodations and employment.

The city repealed the ordinance last month, but Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell said he still hoped to find a compromise.

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Bigots file Petions to strike down new gay-rights ordinance – Is hate a family value in Kalamazoo?

KALAMAZOO – Petitions seeking the repeal of a newly adopted city ordinance that extends discrimination protections to gays and lesbians in Kalamazoo have been filed.

City Clerk Scott Borling said former city commissioner and current Kalamazoo County Treasurer Mary Balkema officially turned over 189 pages of petitions that circulators said contained about 1,600 signatures.

Due to the New Year’s Day holiday Thursday, Borling said certification of those signatures will begin Friday.

Borling expects the process to extend into next week before it is officially determined that the petitions contain at least 1,273 signatures, the minimum Borling said are necessary to trigger reconsideration of the anti-discrimination ordinance.

Under the charter, if sufficient signatures are certified next week, the ordinance is immediately suspended and the Kalamazoo City Commission must either repeal the entire ordinance or put it on the ballot for city voters to decide.

That action must occur at the commission’s next business meeting, which would be Jan. 26.

The current ordinance expands existing housing and employment protections to include gays, lesbians and transgender individuals, protected classes that are not currently included in existing state and federal anti-discrimination laws.

See Petitions filed Wednesday in opposition of new Kalamazoo gay …
Kalamazoo Gazette – MLive.com, MI