From: phil.attey@glib.org MAINSTREAM AUSTIN COALITION Post Office Box 2062 Austin, Texas 78768-2062 For Immediate Release Contact: Hugh Strange 512) 469-7965 GRASSROOOTS ORGANIZED FOR BATTLE WITH RADICAL RIGHT AUSTIN (April 14, 1994) A grassroots campaign fighting repeal of the city's domestic partnership policy says it will not allow Austin to be 1994's first casualty in the Radical Right's continuing war to write their national agenda into law. Organizers say a victory by the Radical Right in Austin could provide momentum to the national campaign to pass anti-gay intiatives in eight other states and raise countless millions of dollars for their causes. "The people of Austin will recognize the anti-domestic partnership intiative as the the Radical Right's first assualt this year on the rights of gay and lesbian people," said State Rep. Glen Maxey, a leader of the Mainstream Austin Coalition. Maxey, the state's only openly gay legislator, also said the coalition was preparing to fight "the Radical Right's typical stealth campaign," and had recruited over 400 volunteers to wage its own grassroots effort. The coalition formed to defeat the Right's intiative, Proposition 22 on the May 7 ballot, which would repeal the city's policy of extending health benefits to the unmarried partners of city employees. Proposition 22 would amend the city charter to include a definition of "family" that excludes domestic partners of the same or opposite sex. It was placed on the ballot after a petition drive by the Rev. Charles Bullock, pastor of the Christ Memorial Baptist Church, and his political action group, Concerned Texans, Inc. Since their petition drive ended, Concerned Texans has been conspicuously silent. Maxey said he and other coalition leaders believe that Bullock was waging a "stealth campaign," set to explode in the last couple of weeks with a large infusion of out-of state money. "We think they are keeping such a low-profile because they are waiting until the last weeks of the campaign to receive enormous amounts of cash from the national Radical Right organizations and flood the city with misleading ads," Maxey said. He noted the same thing happened last fall in Cincinnati. In the final days of the campaign to repeal that city's gay-rights law, Colorado for Family Values (CFV) funneled $390,000 into the repeal of that law. Bullock and his followers have said they want to translate a May ballot victory into political action in other cities. No strangers to local politics, Bullock publicly led efforts to deny tax abatements to Apple Computer, Inc. last November because of that company's domestic partner policy. At a recent public forum, Bullock said he wanted to be compared to national Radical Right leader, Pat Robertson. His campaign manager, Michael Brandes, was a leader of the 1982 campaign that sought to legalize discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing, which was rejected by Austin voters. Prior to the petition drive, both men were prominent gay-bashers. In 1992, Bullock held a press conference in which he denounced homosexuality and called for a "city-wide campaign against the practice." He has traveled to Colorado for training and meetings with Kevin Tebedo, CFV director. He also used his congregation's funds to run a full-page ad criticizing the Austin daily for printing the wedding photo of a lesbian couple. Maxey said the coalition message, "NO on 22. It's Not Fair!" will remind Austin voters of their historical commitment to fairness. "The policy is simple, common sense," Maxey said, "because the cost of providing the health benefits for domestic partners actually cost taxpayers less than the bill for one catastrophic illness at the city-owned charity hospital, which recently ran a $32 million deficit. "Also, the policy provides equal benefits to all city employees, regardless of marital status," he added. "This is important to gay men and lesbians because they cannot legally marry in Texas." Since approval by the city council last September, less than one percent of the total city workforce have signed up for the benefits. Of those employees who did, 30 percent registered a partner of the same sex. The policy will cost the city an estimated $104,000 this fiscal year. Maxey admitted the election will be close, but stressed that it is winnable "if we have the support, both emotionally and financially, of gay men, lesbians, their families and friends from across the nation." Contributions to the "No on 22" campaign may be sent to Mainstream Austin Coalition, Post Office Box 2062, Austin, Texas 78768-2062. -30-