Bev Hermanson of the Washington Federation of State Employees -- which has been struggling to get Locke's support for domestic-partner benefits over the last four years -- wondered why Locke was meeting in Seattle to discuss this issue, rather than in Olympia with her union. "There is some speculation he's trying to get buy-off from the gay and lesbian community," said Hermanson. "I would hope [Seattle's gay leaders] would tell the governor that this isn't their issue. It's a state employee issue, and he needs to deal with us on it."
Locke's attempt to get Seattle's outspoken gay leaders to "understand" his position -- a move that sidesteps the union -- backfired. After opening the Briazz-catered, box-lunch meeting by saying he wasn't sure what he was going to do about "this very, very complicated issue," the governor argued strongly against extending domestic-partner benefits to gay and lesbian state employees. While he supports private companies extending domestic-partner benefits, Locke claimed the state couldn't foot the one-million-dollar bill to do the same. Locke pointed to rising health care costs, to spending caps, to Republicans, and finally, to Tim Eyman.
One by one, Seattle's gay and lesbian leaders -- Jim Muñoz, Suzanne Thomas, Audrey Haberman, Dave Horn, Jeannie Hale, David Wortheimer, Dennis Coleman, et al. -- pointedly informed the governor that equal pay for equal work was an issue on which they were unwilling to compromise.
Most of the gay and lesbian leaders in the room seemed shocked and disappointed, especially Jim Muñoz, a former aide to Paul Schell and a fixture in local gay politics for many years. "As the leader of our state," Muñoz reminded Locke, "you derived a great deal of benefit from our community four years ago." Muñoz pointed out that the support (read: campaign contributions) of gays and lesbians had been crucial to getting Locke elected in 1996. "On this issue, I look to you," Muñoz concluded, "to do what is morally right."
When Locke again reminded everyone that money was tight, Suzanne Thomas, an attorney in private practice, told the governor that it was fundamentally unfair that "Mona [Locke] gets benefits and Michael [Shiosaki, State Rep. Ed Murray's partner] does not." If the governor was interested in saving money and being fair, Thomas said, he should strip the partners of heterosexual state employees -- including his wife -- of their benefits.
Of the 30 or more gay and lesbian leaders in the room, not one was sympathetic to Locke, who is clearly tacking right for his run against conservative commentator John Carlson. "I thought that the governor's understanding of the domestic-partnership issue was somewhere between disappointing and appalling," said David Wortheimer, a politically active local professional. "It was an eye-opening experience for the governor," said Ed Murray. "He saw how deeply gays and lesbians care about their relationships and their health care, which is what domestic-partner benefits represent."
Just before the meeting concluded, there was a long silence. If you listened closely, you could hear checkbooks snapping shut.
