So this is why SF allowed gay marriages...

[Inkara1]

Money grab. First, the gay couples had to pay marriage license and wedding fees, and now they're selling the list of the names.

SF Selling Names Of Gay Couples For $65

POSTED: 2:39 pm PDT April 13, 2004
UPDATED: 2:52 pm PDT April 13, 2004

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- The names of thousands of gay couples married in San Francisco earlier this year are now for sale.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom says the city will exchange a list of the newlyweds' names for $65.

Newsom says the city decided to sell the list after they noticed people handwriting the names of the more than 4,000 couples from a public document.

While the names would help companies who market products to gay couples, some fear it could bring unwanted attention to them.

The mayor says only a few people have bought the list so far.

http://www.nbc11.com/news/3002167/detail.html

 

[Gonz]

 

[Gato_Solo]

I mentioned the money-grab earlier, in a different thread,and was ridiculed for it. Where're those who ridiculed me, now?

 

[MrBishop]

$65/4000 names isn't a money-grab...it's pure theft. The going rate is $5/1000 names (70% confirmation rate).

They're hardly going to make serious coin on this. I still very much doubt that the whole gay-marraige thing in SF can be boiled down to a cash-grab. More likely, it was a publicity-grab. It's a roll of the dice as to wether this will get the mayor re-elected or thrown out. Considering the percentage of gay people in SF...I'd say that he's in for another few years, eh?

 

[Inkara1]

We'll see how it goes now that there's the name-selling thing going on. I should note that the poll included with the story I linked to has two choices for the question of whether San Francisco should sell the names: "No, it's an invasion of privacy" and "yes, it's public record." The thing about public records is that they're supposed to be free to access. You might run into copying fees and the like if you want to take it home, but accessing it is supposed to be free. That way, even the poor have access to the information. I'd venture to guess that making a copy of that list wouldn't require $65 worth of toner and paper.

 

[Gato_Solo]

$65/4000 names isn't a money-grab...it's pure theft. The going rate is $5/1000 names (70% confirmation rate).

They're hardly going to make serious coin on this. I still very much doubt that the whole gay-marraige thing in SF can be boiled down to a cash-grab. More likely, it was a publicity-grab. It's a roll of the dice as to wether this will get the mayor re-elected or thrown out. Considering the percentage of gay people in SF...I'd say that he's in for another few years, eh?

Let's see...marriage licenses that the state of California won't honor are how much a piece? Add the sale of the list. Add the cost of the ceremony at the JP/church...add the cost of the receptions et-al...taxable, of course...and what do you get now? Plus you get to humiliate several thousand people at the state level, and claim that it's not your fault because you didn't want to sue for the changes first...priceless...