Marriage Equality - Rochester To NY Legislature:

(Rochester, New York) Rochester City Council is sending a strong message to state lawmakers: allow same-sex couples to marry. The entire city council has signed a letter to Speaker Sheldon Silver and State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno calling for an end to discrimination against same-sex couples.

Councilmember Bill Pritchard - who is openly gay - said all nine council members signed the letter without hesitation.

That it is coming from the usually conservative Upstate area the letter could have a greater impact in Albany than if it came from the more liberal New York City.

The letter was drafted as LGBT civil rights groups in the state ratchet up the pressure on candidates for gay marriage support.

In July the Court of Appeals, the highest court in New York State, ruled that the state "Constitution does not compel the recognition of marriages between members of the same sex."

The court heard arguments in May in an omnibus case involving four different lawsuits brought by 44 gay and lesbian couples.

In its ruling the high court said that the issue of same-sex marriage should be left up to the legislature.

Democratic candidate for governor, Attorney General Elliot Spitzer has said he supports gay marriage.

"I think same sex marriage should be legal. I will propose a bill to permit that to be the case in the state of New York," Spitzer said in July.

Republicans oppose gay marriage, and GOP Senate leader Bruno has a long history of stonewalling LGBT legislation.

Spitzer leads in the polls and Democrats are hopeful of gaining control of both houses in the legislature in November.

©365Gay.com 2006