During Citizen's Input of Hernando County Commission meeting, Anna Liisa Covell (yes, me)addressed an editorial from a local newspaper. It said 62 percent of Hernando County residents were violating civil rights because they voted for Marriage Amendment at the last election.
Covell took offense to anyone questioning people's beliefs in marriage between one man and one woman. She said marriage is a religious sacrament. But Covell went on to stress the need for a domestic registry for Hernando County.
After Citizen's Input, Commissioner David Russell stepped up to the plate. He took Covell's suggestion to address a domestic registry for Hernando County.
"It is a little like opening a can of worms, but it certainly is a topic that deserves discussion," Russell said.
All county commissioners concurred and agreed to place the item on their July Workshop.
Pew Research cites the percentage of those married nationwide has dropped to 51 percent of the overall population - down almost 25 percent from 1960.
"A domestic registry is not about the way people fornicate, but more about economic living conditions we all face in our community," Covell said. She listed numerous reasons for a domestic registry, including those on Social Security and young professionals who choose to live together without a marriage certificate.
The city of Clearwater and the city of St. Petersburg are geared to pass a second reading of their respective domestic registry ordinances in early June. Pinellas County is also exploring the benefits of domestic registry. The city of Tampa, Volusia County, Broward County, and Orange County already have domestic registries in place by ordinance.
Russell said he had spoke with several of his constituents who were interested in a domestic registry for Hernando County. Economics impacts to federal income tax and Social Security were primary concerns for Russell. He said the elderly were forced to make life decisions based on the economy.
"Hernando County needs to be proactive on this issue to protect civil rights for everyone in our community," Covell said.
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