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Written by Lisa Neff, Staff writer
May 19, 2011
A former president and a current governor, a bad-boy hockey player and a retired talk-show host are driving marriage equality in New York state.
Still, there’s a deficit in the state senate in “yes” votes for same-sex marriage legislation.
While the legislative season is nearing an end in many states, it is heating up in New York state.
On May 10, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo launched his People First Campaign, a statewide tour to promote his legislative priorities. The governor’s campaign includes capping property taxes, enacting ethics reform and passing a marriage equality bill.
“The clock is ticking, but when the people speak, the politicians will listen,” Cuomo said.
An estimated 58 percent of New York citizens support legalizing same-sex marriage. That majority includes some high-profile people, including former President Bill Clinton.
“Now we should do it again, in New York, with marriage equality. For more than a century, our Statue of Liberty has welcomed all kinds of people from all over the world yearning to be free. In the 21st century, I believe New York’s welcome must include marriage equality.”
Daughter Chelsea Clinton also endorsed the equality legislation, as did New York Ranger Sean Avery, TV personality Larry King and a number of other celebrities.
Chelsea Clinton, in her statement, said, “As someone who got married last year, it was certainly the happiest day of my life to be able to marry my best friend. I fundamentally believe that every New Yorker, every American and everyone should have the same right.”
The statement came out just days before about 1,200 lesser-known New Yorkers organized by Empire State Pride Agenda boarded buses from the Bronx to Utica to lobby in the capital for marriage equality.
While there is momentum for moving the bill, state Sen. Thomas Duane, D-N.Y., recently said there are not enough votes in his chamber. The assembly has passed a marriage equality bill several times, but not the senate.
Also, in the weeks before the session ends in June, the National Organization for Marriage plans to invest $500,000 to block passage of the bill and another $1 million to defeat Democrats who support such legislation.
