HRC - Significant Changes on Tax Day for Same-Sex Couples After Marriage Equality Victories at the Supreme Court

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 9, 2014
Paul Guequierre

Significant Changes on Tax Day for Same-Sex Couples After Marriage Equality Victories at the Supreme Court

WASHINGTON – With historic victories for marriage equality at the Supreme Court of the United States last year, including the striking down of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in the Windsor case, tax day will change for thousands of married LGBT couples.  In an effort to clear the confusion around filing income taxes, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, has created an online guide to filing taxes at www.hrc.org/taxes.     

“The LGBT community continues to make gains in the fight for full equality, and with those gains come the rights and responsibilities of marriage including tax filing at the federal level.  Because some states continue to ignore marriages, many couples will be required to jump through extra hoops” said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow.  “As tax day approaches next week, thousands of legally married same-sex couples are scrambling to figure out what they need to do to file their taxes and we are proud to offer online resources to help.”

Prior to this year, legally married same-sex couples who lived in marriage states were required to file jointly in their state, but separately on the federal returns.  This year, the challenges shift to legally married same-sex couples in non-marriage equality states.  The Supreme Court’s decision in U.S. v. Windsor struck down part of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which excluded same-sex married couples from all federal marriage benefits and programs—including federal income tax. In a revenue ruling issued this summer, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that legally married same-sex couples would be recognized for all federal income tax purposes, regardless of where they live. Under this ruling, the IRS will recognize married same-sex couples for the purposes of income tax, estate and gift taxes, and payroll taxes associated with many employee spousal benefits.

However, this ruling does not affect whether the state in which a same-sex couples lives recognizes their marriage, meaning a couple may be recognized as married by the federal government but still considered single by the state government.  In some cases, the state may instruct a same-sex couple to use their federal filing status (e.g. “single,” “married filing jointly,” etc.) when preparing their state tax return. With the IRS’s ruling, this could create conflicting requirements based on state residency, and navigating them can be complicated and confusing.

HRC is proud to offer an overview of state income tax requirements and guidance provided by state revenue agencies for married same-sex couples at www.hrc.org/taxes.

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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HRC- Federal Judge Announces He Will Strike Down Ohio Ban on Recognition of Same-Sex Marriages

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 4, 2014
Charles Joughin 

Federal Judge Announces He Will Strike Down Ohio Ban on Recognition of Same-Sex Marriages

Judge Timothy Black will issue ruling April 14 prohibiting state from enforcing ban

WASHINGTON  - Today a federal judge announced he will strike down Ohio’s constitutional amendment banning the state from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in states where they are legal.  The case Henry V. Wymyslo, was brought by legally married same-sex couples living in Ohio who wish to be listed as married on their children’s’ birth certificates.

“For the second time Judge Black has affirmed that the marriages of committed and loving same-sex couples must be recognized by the state of Ohio,” said Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin.  “Since the Supreme Court’s landmark marriage equality rulings last June, not a single state marriage ban has survived a federal court challenge.  It’s only a matter of time before marriage equality is the law of the land in not just Ohio, but every corner of America.”

This is one of at least 55 marriage equality court cases working their way through the judicial system across the country.  These cases have been filed in 28 states plus Puerto Rico and account for nearly 250 plaintiffs taking on state marriage bans.  Same-sex couples can legally marry in seventeen states and the District of Columbia, while 33 states have a law or constitutional amendment restricting marriage to the union of one man and one woman.

Another case out of Ohio, Obergefell v. Kasich, has been appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit after Judge Black ruled the state’s marriage ban is unconstitutional in prohibiting the state from including the names of surviving same-sex spouses on death certificates.

For more information on this and other marriage equality court cases across the country, visit www.americansformarriageequality.org

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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Zoning board OKs controversial Olde Towne East apartments | The Columbus Dispatch

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/03/26/zoning-board-oks-controversial-olde-towne-east-apartments.html

Realtors: Low inventory and frigid temperatures kept Feb. homes sales flat in Central Ohio

Low inventory and frigid temperatures kept Feb. homes sales flat

(Mar. 20, 2014 Columbus, OH) – February home sales were only slightly off pace from the same time last year, when home sales saw their highest numbers since the boom. There were 1,444 central Ohio homes sold in February of 2014, 6.2% lower than February 2013 (1,539), according to the Columbus REALTORS® Multiple Listing System (MLS).

“Inventory is still down in central Ohio, which is hindering the potential of our already strong housing market,” said Milt Lustnauer, 2014 president of the Columbus REALTORS®. “Given the low inventory and abysmal weather, we’re only a few steps behind what turned out to be a record breaking year, last year.”

The sale price of a home sold in February 2014 was $164,595, which was 9.2 percent higher than last year. The median sale price of $135,000 was up 10.4 percent compared to February 2013.

The average price is the total volume divided by the number of homes sold. The median is the midpoint -- half the homes sell for less, while half sell for more.

At an inventory level of 8,066, the number of homes on the market is 10.7 percent lower than February 2013. However there were 2,310 homes listed for sale in February, up slightly from the 2,120 added the previous month.

“Many sellers were waiting out one of the worst winters on record,” added Lustnauer. “Now that the weather is warming up, we hope to see inventory levels jump back up.”

Full report

HRC: New Extreme Cincinnati Archdiocese Teacher Contract Takes Anti-LGBT Discrimination to a New Level

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 18, 2014
Paul Guequierre

New Extreme Cincinnati Archdiocese Teacher Contract Takes Anti-LGBT Discrimination to a New Level

Even support of LGBT equality is grounds for dismissal under 2014-2015 contract

WASHINGTON – As support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality continues to grow, particularly among Catholics, the Cincinnati Archdiocese is enacting draconian restrictions on Catholic school employees.  The “morality clause” of the new contract for the 2014-2015 school year takes anti-LGBT discrimination to a new level, calling not only for the firing of gay and lesbian school employees, but also citing any support of the “homosexual lifestyle” as grounds for dismissal. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, is calling on Diocese leaders to model Christian values and not discriminate against LGBT teachers or straight allies in their employment practices.

“At a time when Pope Francis is talking about support of civil unions, the Cincinnati Archdiocese, in a throwback to past times, is talking about firing gay and lesbian teachers and silencing their straight supporters.  This isn’t in keeping with the olive branch Pope Francis has extended to LGBT people around the world, but even more importantly, it’s not in keeping with the living message of God’s love of all people,” said Dr. Sharon Groves, director of the HRC Religion and Faith Program.  “The majority of Catholics and people of faith believe LGBT people deserve dignity, respect, and equal protections under the law, and at the same time leaders of the Cincinnati Diocese are determined to weed out supporters of LGBT equality.  This must stop.”

Recent polling found that 86 percent of Christians believed the very tenets of their faith compelled them to support protections for LGBT people under the law and 59 percent of lay Catholics support marriage equality. 

The new contract also prohibits membership in an LGBT equality organization, such as the Human Rights Campaign.  Creating a safe space for LGBT young people, by placing a friendly sticker on your door for example, could be grounds for dismissal.

Teachers will be required to sign a contract which includes the following section, according to WCPO-TV:

“Such conduct or lifestyle that is in contradiction to Catholic doctrine or morals includes, but is not limited to, improper use of social media/communication, public support of or publicly living together outside marriage, public support of or sexual activity out of wedlock, public support of or homosexual lifestyle, public support of or use of abortion, public support of or use of surrogate mother, public support of or use of in vitro fertilization or artificial insemination, public membership in organization whose mission and message are incompatible with Catholic doctrine or morals, and/or flagrant deceit or dishonesty.”

This new contract comes in the wake of a wave of firings of LGBT teachers and administrators at Catholic schools that have swept the country over the past two years.  According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, in Cincinnati alone, recent Archdiocese firings, suspensions, dismissals for clashing with church teaching include:

•In 2009 a nun was suspended by the Archdiocese for publicly supporting the ordination of women priests.

•Later that year a volunteer religion education teacher was dismissed after her letter to The Enquirer in support of the suspended nun was published.

• In 2010 the Cincinnati Archdiocese fired an unmarried teacher who became pregnant by artificial insemination. 

A federal court ruled in 2013 in her favor, ordering the Archdiocese to pay her $171,000 for her improper firing.

•In 2013, an assistant principal at Purcell Marian High School was fired for writing on his public blog his support of gay marriage.

“These teachers have pedagogical callings and are not ministers of the cloth.  We call on the Archdiocese to demonstrate true Christian beliefs and end this discriminatory policy,” added Groves.

The story from WCPO is here

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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'Gayborhoods' Have A Profound Sociological And Economic Effect On Urban Areas

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/19/gay-neighborhoods-_n_4816847.html

Dining spot emerges in young arts complex in Franklinton

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/02/11/dining-spot-emerges-in-young-arts-complex.html