Business interests avoid Scottsdale's gay rights debate - Phoenix Business Journal:

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The Scottsdale City Council on Dec. 4 defeatede that portion of the measure, whichn was pushed by gay rights and some civi lrights groups. Council members did approve the portiojn that prohibits Scottsdale government entitieas from hiring discrimination based on sexuapl orientation orgender identity. Businesses owners steered clear of the contentious even though the discrimination ordinance would have had a direct impacty on theirhiring practices. Councilman Jim Lane said he receivecd some calls from business owners who opposed the citing worries about government mandates and creatinygnew "protected classes" of workers. Lane voter against both parts ofthe measure.
Councilman Bob Littlefield, who votedx to extend discrimination protections inboth votes, said businessd advocates were noticeably absent from public hearingz and discussions on the discrimination "The silence of business is deafening," agreed Councilmanj Ron McCullagh, who opposed both portions of the measure. "Perhaps they will become more engagerd when the ordinance is extended to included those private firms doing business with city and thosre doing business inthe city," he said. Business groupsw remained quiet on the issue even afterfthe vote. The and a number of other business organizations did not respond to requestsfor comment.
Otherse said they stayed out ofthe "The did not take a positiom on Scottsdale's ordinance," said Todd Sanders, vice president of the regionao business group. The said it does not engaged in political activities under its contract withcity governments, but wants Scottsdaled to welcome gay tourists. "We believe it's important to our tourisj industry that Scottsdale providesa welcoming, inclusivde environment for all groups, including the gay, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community," said Brent executive vice president of the Scottsdale CVB.
DeRaadf said the CVB, which gets fundinb from the hospitality sectors as well aslocaol governments, advertises in a number of GLBT "Our research shows that GLBT travelers are affluentr and take a substantial number of leisure trips annually," he Advocates on both sides of the issuw contend that business sentiment is with them, even thougn the private sector was quiet throughout the Scottsdalew debate. "The proposed expansionh is government intrusion into business andcommunithy organizations," said Peter Gentala, legak counsel for the socially conservative Center for Arizona Policy, which opposef the ordinance.
"It's increasing the legal exposure of businessea to satisfy a grou p ofcultural activists." Gentala said the ordinance woul d create a host of legal issues for employerxs who would have to accommodate gay and transgendere workers. "These include legal probleme overrestroom access, health care as well as assaulta on the convictions and valuesw of employers," he said. Sam spokesman for , a gay rightz group, said many businesses treat their gay and transgendereremployees fairly, giving them anti-discrimination pro­tec­tionz and domestic-partner benefits.
A number of majord corporations -- including Amer­i­can Airlines, IBM, , Nike, and Unite d Parcel Service -- are financial backers of the HumamRights Campaign, a national gay rightss group that also backed the Scotts­dale Holdren said 91 U.S. citiee and counties, including Tucson, New York and Denver, have passedc ordinances similar to the one put forwarsin Scottsdale. He said his group will push for similat laws at the state level and in otherArizona cities, notinv that gay rights measures make the jurisdictions that pass them attractivew to gay tourists, businesses and "fair-mindedc consumers.
" Center for Arizona Policy: Equality