Family Life

05.05.11 | Sarah Harnisch

 New York Governor Cuomo is launching on a statewide tour with dozens and dozens of stops, starting next week, to push 3 things: capping property taxes at 2 percent, an ethics reform bill, and the legalization of gay marriage in New York. He won't release the towns he'll be visiting until next week. What caught everyone's attention this morning wasn't the property tax cap or the ethics bill-- but the vote Cuomo is going for-- on gay marriage.  He said Wednesday he believes he has enough votes for a same sex marriage bill to pass. It has made it through the Democrat-heavy Assembly in the past, but continuially falls short in the Senate. Yesterday he said if all 3 bills didn't pass-- gay marriage included-- that lawmakers would have to answer to New York state, which Cuomo said "supports gay marriage." He hopes to have a gay marriage bill passed before the current legislative session is over, in 6 weeks. He's starting a heavy media blitz in partnership with New Yorkers United for Marriage, as well as campaign-style tours to local towns-- to drum up support.

   But traditional marriage isn't without support in the Empire State. Jason McGwire with New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms says the New York Family Research Foundation is launching its own P.R. blitz, starting tomorrow. He says the "Mayday for Marriage" R.V. Tour starts Mat 5th in Buffalo and will culminate with a rally on the steps of the New York state capitol on May 24th.  The state senate is about six votes short of making new york the sixth state to allow homosexual marriage.  Governor Cuomo wants action on the matter before the legislature adjourns in six weeks.