Study: Same-Sex Marriage Beneficial to Economy

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Legalizing same-sex marriage in Maryland would provide a modest benefit to the state's bottom line, according to a study that advocates say bolsters their argument that gays and lesbians should have the right to tie the knot.

The study released Wednesday by the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation at the UCLA School of Law concluded that Maryland's budget would see a positive impact of $3.2 million annually if the state allowed same-sex couples to marry.

The report found that the loss of revenue from transfer taxes and increased spending on state employee benefit programs would be outweighed by a reduction in spending on public benefit programs and sales tax revenue from weddings.

"All those dollars spent on hotels and parties and other aspects of weddings would bring just about $100 million a year to the state's businesses, and that leads to sales tax revenue," said M.V. Lee Badgett, a co-author of the study.

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Interesting points here. Of course the Religious Right doesn't have a lot of traction in Maryland, but it might sway enough of the middle of the road people into passing this bill. Hope this works.

Spanish people and gay people... Spanish because of the implosion of spanish speaking families in the country, and gay people because for some odd reason or other, they have a higher per capita earning income than the average American... I read this back in 2001. These are the 2 markets that business is gearing towards to real in. Amazing really the power one has, when they hold the money influence.

Therefore two men will have a higher combined income than a man and a woman.

Two women, I'm willing to bet, not so much.

I don't want to make assumptions, but women who aren't tied down, tend to be ambitious and because you can't benefit from a partner's benifits, you try to be in a position where you can take care of yourself.

had their own place.. I knwo that people share places as "roommates" all the time, and that gay people are perceived by pollsters as being "roommates"..but the co-mingling of assets does gain some financial benefit..

the man-man combination will out-earn the other groups though..no question about that

And the bridal registry? Can you imagine? Retailers would be smiling all day long.

We had a glassblower who was happy to create heart-shaped same sex couples as cake toppers. And wedding favors. And anniversary gifts. Did you know that once there's a wedding there are anniversary gifts every single year? It's a self-perpetuating industry. Not to mention Christmas, birthdays, and Valentine's Day. Committed couples are committed to giving serious presents.

People who are just dating spend nothing compared to the married.

Hall rentals, caterers and party favors for major anniversaries. YOU DON'T HAVE THAT WHEN YOU'RE JUST LIVING TOGETHER.

As someone who was 20 years in the gift industry, I say, LET EVERYONE BE MARRIED!

its a r.w. meme talking point.. which is why its stupid and so not a point.

For twenty years my mother and sister worked 80 hours a week running a handmade American crafts store. THAT STORE WAS A CORPORATION. Because every business IS.

The sheer bloody ignorance around here.

there? Coporations and Big business don't care where the green comes from, they just care that it comes.

The extent to which the wedding industry has gone supercritical in recent times is scary. Ordinary people regularly spend life savings - tens, even hundreds of thousands of pounds - on weddings.

Anything that leads to more money and power being funnelled into the matrimonial-industrial complex must be a bad thing, surely...

People spend mad money on weddings.