From lobngltf@aol.com Wed Dec 8 07:54:13 1993 Date: Tue, 07 Dec 93 21:30:23 EST From: lobngltf@aol.com To: qrd@vector.intercon.com Subject: Vote on Apple NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN TASK FORCE POLICY INSTITUTE 1734 14th St., NW, Washington, DC, 20009 (202) 332-6483/FAX (202) 332-0207 TTY (202) 332-6219/lob_ngltf@aol.com TEXAS COUNTY REVERSES VOTE ON APPLE COMPUTER Georgetown, TX -- (December 7, 1993) -- The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force hailed today's vote in a Texas county to offer tax breaks to Apple USA. The 3 to 2 vote comes one week after the Williamson County Board of Commissioners voted by the same margin to deny a tax abatement to Apple computer company specifically because the computer giant offers domestic partnership health benefits to its gay and lesbian employees. "Today's vote is a victory," said David M. Smith, NGLTF Director of Public Information who attended the second vote in Georgetown, Texas. "Jobs prevailed over prejudice. Apple is coming to Williamson County and the company's domestic partner benefits policy remains intact." "The debate in the past week has assisted and educated Williamson County residents as to who gay and lesbian people are, and has let them know that gay and lesbian people live here," Smith said. "And the debate will help Austin fight off a Right Wing attack to repeal its domestic partner benefits ordinance." Apple USA, based in Cupertino, California has been planning to build an $80 million dollar facility that would bring 700 jobs to Williamson County. The Williamson County Board of Commissioners voted today to offer Apple a tax break similar to the tax break offered to Dell computer. While the exact amount of the tax break is undisclosed, it is estimated to be equal to the $750,000 tax abatement that the commissioners voted to deny Apple last week. "This battle is a perfect example of the type of discrimination gay and lesbian people face every day," said Smith. " This time it was an entire corporation. Apple has been absolutely heroic throughout this debate and has never wavered in support of its domestic partnership policy and treating its gay and lesbian employees fairly." "The business community has rallied behind Apple and the company's right to make benefit policies for their employees," Smith added. "This vote should send a positive signal to other companies that are considering implementing domestic partner policies." "Before today, the commissioners had never met gay and lesbian people and didn't know they lived in Williamson County," said Dianne Hardy-Garcia, Executive Director of the Lesbian and Gay Rights Lobby of Texas. "Now they also understand we don't want to change their personal religious values--we merely want them not to be used to discriminate against us. It's an important victory for Texas and the nation. If a conservative state like Texas can change, anybody can change." "We're very happy that the jobs will stay in Texas," said Glenn Stehle, Chairman of the political action committee for the San Antonio Lesbian/Gay Political Caucus. "I greatly admire and respect anybody who is devout and pious, but those serving in public office must respect all of his or her constituency and must not sacrifice constituents to his or her own religious orthodoxy. " --30--