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ON BEACON HILL
Cellucci promises to veto "domestic partners" billGay groups outraged, vow political vengeance
By Associated Press, 07/30/98
State budget
Housing The bill would allow the city of Boston to provide health insurance to the partners of gay and lesbian city workers.
``Gov. Cellucci has betrayed the gay and lesbian community,'' said Sean Cahill, chairman of the Lesbian and Gay Political Alliance of Massachusetts. ``I think he's playing to the intolerant right wing of the Republican party and voters don't want this kind of divisiveness from our leaders.''
``Gay and lesbian people are not going to vote for Paul Cellucci and I also think fair-minded moderates are not going to support him if he vetoes this bill,'' he said.
In addition to allowing Boston to provide health insurance to the partners of gays and lesbians, the bill would allow Boston to provide the benefits to heterosexual unmarried partners.
Cellucci said at a news conference that he was concerned about the institution of marriage and would veto the bill because it would extend benefits to unmarried heterosexuals.
``I am not going to sign legislation that permits and encourages heterosexual couples to get these health benefits,'' he said.
``I'm not going to do anything to encourage more of this not getting married and having children,'' he said.
The controversy was just part of the frenzied activity at the Statehouse on Thursday on the penultimate day of formal sessions.
In other action:
Much attention had been focused previously on House Speaker Thomas Finneran's skepticism about the domestic partners bill. Little attention was paid to Cellucci.
Cellucci and his predecessor, former Gov. William F. Weld, made a name by being fiscally conservative, but socially moderate.
``Cellucci has been a supporter of gay youth initiatives. He's really been a driving force behind a lot of good stuff,'' said Cahill.
Now, he said, Cellucci appears to have shifted his stance.
``This is the most important gay rights initiative to come through the Statehouse in five years. Whatever his rationale, this is an anti-gay act,'' he said
Harry Collings, a spokesman for Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, said, ``The mayor has no problem with offering (the benefits) to both homosexual and heterosexual domestic partners. And moreover, the governor should not be dictating what the city does, especially on a home rule petition, approved by the city council, approved by a committee at the Statehouse and approved by both the House and Senate.''
``At this point, to step into this, it's baffling,'' he said.
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