It seems there are economic concerns about same sex marriage. One issue is business. The other state that recognizes same sex marriage, Massachusetts, does not allow non-resident same sex couples to marry there. California allows people to come from other states, get a license and wed here. Tourism is a huge part of the Southern California economy and people I know in the wedding business, event planners and such, are very interested in bringing that out of state money to our local economy.
Another slant on the economic issue is personal income, what does it do to help individuals? Married men tend to make more than men who have never been married. Researchers at the Federal Reserve of St. Louis found there may be a few reasons for this. For one thing, employers may have a bias in favor of married men because marital status might signify a man's stability or responsibility. Gay men have often been accused of being less stable so the ability to marry will dispel this stereotype. Another possibility is that marriage frees men up to focus on work, rather than on household tasks. If you’ve been in an apartment shared by a couple of single guys, you know they don’t keep house. It is somewhat of a myth that if you go to the home of a gay couple, you want to hire them to clean yours. The most likely reason is that the qualities that appeal to an employer are similar to those that appeal to a mate—characteristics such as background, education, and appearance.
A 2007 study from University of Northern Iowa looked at 2000 census data and found that cohabitating lesbians earn about 10 percent more annually than married women. They also earn more than cohabitating, unmarried, heterosexual women. Having someone support you in your work makes you work more effectively. A wife does that for her mate, male or female. I know that Prop 8 isn’t about the money, but in politics, money does talk. I wonder if who will listen.