Laurel Hester has already made a difference

by: Juan Melli

Fri Dec 02, 2005 at 09:40:24 AM EST

Last night, Union County freeholders voted unanimously (9-0) in support of granting county employees domestic partner benefits. According to one person who attended the meeting "[the freeholders] all cited Laurel Hester as their inspiration". Lt. Hester has served in Ocean County's prosecutor's office for 23 years and has inoperable cancer. She would like to pass her pension benefits on to her partner, which is the only way she would be able to afford to keep their home, but the Ocean County freeholders have refused to grant her those benefits.

Last week, Mercer County also cited the situation in Ocean County as the reason why they were acting to pass domestic partner benefits. The person at the freeholder's meeting continued: "I watched in tears - even if Ocean County doesn't budge, Laurel has already helped so many with her courage and I wish she had seen it."

If the Ocean County freeholders hope that this situation is just going to fade away, they are sadly mistaken. They are the laughing stock of not only New Jersey, but the entire country and if tourism declines next summer, they shouldn't act surprised that people don't want to visit the homophobia capital of the world.

The next Ocean County freeholder's meeting is Wednesday, Dec 7th in Room 304, Third Floor, Administration Building, 101 Hooper Avenue, Toms River. If you're from the county, come out in support of Lt. Hester.

You can also contact the following people and let them know how you feel:

County Administrator
Alan W. Avery (732) 929-2147

Freeholders CountyConnection@co.ocean.nj.us
Gerry P. Little: (732) 929-2001
Joseph H. Vicari: (732) 929-2002
John P. Kelly: (732) 929-2003
James F. Lacey: (732) 929-2004
John C. Bartlett, Jr: (732) 929-2116

County Tourism Director
Barbara Steele - (732) 929-2000 bsteele@co.ocean.nj.us

Juan Melli :: Laurel Hester has already made a difference

Tags: Laurel Hester, Ocean County, domestic partner, Union County, Mercer County, (All Tags)

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Laurel Hester has already made a difference | 1 comments

Making a Difference Beyond Ocean County (0.00 / 0)

Union County joins Bergen, Hudson, Essex and Mercer counties to become the 5th county in New Jersey to embrace fairness and decency. So far, every county to do so is controlled by Democrats.

Every county's freeholder board should be pressed to take a stand on this issue. I've contacted the Passaic County Freeholder Board (which has a 7-0 Democratic makeup), and am waiting to hear back.

It would be a shame if only democratic-controlled counties stood for fairness and decency, but if that's how it shapes up, maybe the Myth of the Moderate New Jersey Republican (MMNJR) will finally be dispelled as the fairy tale it is.

by: Jeff Gardner @ Fri Dec 02, 2005 at 15:21:14 PM UTC