Appleton Post-Crescent:
APPLETON — In a 10-6 vote, the Appleton Common Council approved a plan Wednesday that extends health benefits to same-sex domestic partners of non-union employees, a move Mayor Tim Hanna said would make Appleton's recruitment efforts more competitive [ummm....?]."We do want to be able to attract good, talented employees and retain good, talented employees and level the playing field in terms of access to benefits," Hanna told council members who objected to the estimated $100,000 price tag [by way of comparison, the City of Milwaukee's gay partner benefits will cost the city $700,000] associated with the benefit expansion.The addition of domestic partner benefits was adopted as part of a larger plan to standardize benefit packages for non-union employees in the wake of a new state law that eliminates many collective bargaining powers for most unionized state workers at all levels of government.The broader plan cuts sick leave in half for Appleton's non-union workers, institutes a zero-percent pay raise, offers sick and bereavement leave for same-sex and opposite-sex domestic partners and incorporates retirement contribution requirements mandated in the collective bargaining law, commonly known as Act 10.