"Jenny-Bennies", MPS, and Babylon

It's really easy to spend someone else's money.

Milwaukee Public Schools took a major step Tuesday night toward becoming the first public school district in southeastern Wisconsin to offer fringe benefits to domestic partners of employees.

The School Board's Finance Committee voted 4 to 1 to recommend a resolution proposed by board member Jennifer Morales that the board support "equal provision of employment benefits regardless of an employee's sexual orientation or family status."

This is the "Morales Bennie." It's expected that (should the deal get done) Jennie-Bennie will get health coverage through her 'spouse' (??), an MPS principal.

MPS administrators suggested that adding domestic partners could cost millions of dollars, but Patrick Flaherty, director of community relations for Center Advocates Inc., an organization supporting the benefits, said the experience of other government units has been that only a small number of employees ask to add partners to health coverage and other benefits. He suggested the cost would be under $1 million for MPS if 1% of employees used the option.

Uh huh.

Establishing as a principle that a housemate arrangement is identical to marriage with respect to employment benefits?

Priceless.

Just ask Babylon.