Seattle Backs Off Allowance For Gay Employees - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

Seattle Backs Off Allowance For Gay Employees

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SEATTLE (AP) - The city of Seattle has postponed plans for a wedding gift to gay and lesbian employees when they marry.
    
The city had planned to give those workers a $90 a month allowance to offset a federal tax break available only to heterosexual couples under the Defense of Marriage Act.
    
KIRO-FM reports (http://is.gd/MsJQHW ) the benefit would cost Seattle taxpayers $162,000 a year.
    
The city attorney's office raised concerns the benefit would violate state law.
    
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn canceled plans for a Wednesday news conference, but he says the city is still looking at options to address the tax inequality for same-sex couples.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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