AMERICAN CANYON -- Although it's just a few miles from SanFrancisco -- arguably the epicenter of the marriage equality movementin California -- a majority of City Council members in the Napa Countytown of American Canyon voted this week to reject a resolution supporting gay marriage.
Calling it an "abuse" of the council's authority, City CouncilmanEd West successfully moved to table the resolution in support ofmarriage equality proposed by colleague Joan Bennett.
"It does not belong before us," West said, as reported by the Napa Valley Registeron Wednesday. West noted that a majority of voting residents of thesuburban berg voted for Prop. 8 -- the successful ballot measure thatbanned gay marriage in California -- during last November's generalelection.
West moved that the non-binding resolution of support be "tabled"from any further council consideration. Joining him were councilmembers Don Callison and Cindy Coffey.
The decision to kill the resolution may follow a larger demographictrend showing that California is truly a "blue and red" statepolitically. Voting trends from last fall's election showed that awayfrom the state's dense urban centers and its coastal strip areas,voters seem to be more conservative in nature. American Canyon, a townof about 16,000 residents, sits near Interstate 80 just south of NapaCounty's world famous vineyards.
The Register noted that the city is the fourth in Napa County toaddress the issue this spring and that the city councils in Yountvilleand St. Helena approved civil rights measures that endorsed rights ofall people to marry. The city of Napa, and now American Canyon, havedeclined to take an up-or-down vote on the issue.
Leon Garcia, the city's mayor, seconded Bennett's resolution,calling it a matter of social justice. Bennett said she proposed theresolution because she believes the law should not bar gay couples frombeing able to marry. before West moved to table the matter. "Theseshould be individual choices," she said during the meeting.
Interestingly, while more American Canyon voters supported Prop. 8than oppose it, a majority of Napa County voters cast ballots againstthe controversial initiative last fall.
The council's decision seems to run astray of a greater nationaltrend on gay marriage. On Wednesday, Maine became the fifth state inthe nation to legalize gay marriage, following Iowa, Connecticut,Vermont and Massachusetts.
That trend, according to this Los Angeles Times report, may spark marriage equality advocates to try and overturn Prop. 8 with another ballot measure as early as next year.
"There is no doubt we are witnessing an enormousand unprecedented sea change in both public opinion and momentum on theissue of marriage equality," Kate Kendell, executive director of theNational Center for Lesbian Rights told The Times. "I believe theelectorate nationally and in California is in a different place when itcomes to marriage equality than it was six months ago."
But Frank Schubert, the prime of architect of last fall's "Yes on 8" campaign, disagreed.
"There's no doubt the other side is going to tryto make great hay out of Iowa and Maine . . . but none of those placesare California. And California voters have now twice voted on this," hesaid in the Times report. "What part of 'No' don't they understand?"
Follow Jeff Mitchell's political journalism at BAPolitix.org