SUGGESTED TOSS: LOOKING TO OPEN A BUSINESS? YOU MAY WANT TO MOVE TO NEW YORK, THE LATEST STATE IN THE COUNTRY TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE. [X] EXPLAINS.
==REPORTER ON CAMERA==
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS A HEATED TOPIC...
BUT THERE'S ONE THING MOST PEOPLE CAN AGREE ON -- IT'S GOOD FOR THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
===FULL SCREEN MAP [SHOWING STATES ALLOWING GAY MARRIAGE]===
NEW YORK STATE WILL ALLOW SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BEGINNING THIS WEEKEND.
IT'S THE 6TH STATE TO PASS SUCH A LAW -- FOLLOWING MASSACHUSETTS, CONNECTICUT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, VERMONT, IOWA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
IN 2008 SAME-SEX COUPLES BRIEFLY COULD MARRY IN CALIFORNIA...
BUT VOTERS BANNED IT 4 MONTHS LATER.
==REPORTER ON CAMERA==
AND THOSE ECONOMIES ARE BENEFITTING.
MASSACHUSETTS HAS ALLOWED GAY MARRIAGE SINCE 2004.
ACCORDING TO THE WILLIAMS INSTITUTE, IT'S CONTRIBUTED $100 MILLION DOLLARS TO THE STATE ECONOMY OVER 5-YEARS.
===FULL SCREEN VIDEO [MONTAGE OF SAME SEX WEDDINGS]===
NEW YORK HAS ABOUT 3 TIMES THE POPULATION OF MASSACHUSETTS...MAKING IT THE THIRD MOST POPULOUS STATE IN THE COUNTRY.
NEW YORK'S GOVERNMENT ESTIMATES 43-THOUSAND SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE LIVING TOGETHER IN THE STATE.
HALF OF WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO MARRY...ALONG WITH AN INFLUX OF SAME-SEX COUPLES FROM NEIGHBORING STATES.
DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS SAY SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WILL CONTRIBUTE $391 MILLION DOLLARS TO THE STATE ECONOMY OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
==REPORTER ON CAMERA==
SAME SEX COUPLES NOT ONLY SPEND MONEY ON WEDDINGS, WHICH BOOSTS THE HOTEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRIES...
BUT ALSO ON FINANCIAL PLANNING, LEGAL SERVICES, AND REAL ESTATE.
AND ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS BUREAU, SAME-SEX COUPLES TYPICALLY EARN MORE THAN HETEROSEXUAL PAIRS... AND HAVE FEWER FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS RELATED TO CHILDREN.
SO THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO SPEND MORE OF THEIR INCOME.
THAT MAKES GAY COUPLES A PRIME TARGET FOR LOCAL BUSINESS...WHICH HOPE TO CASH IN ON THE NEW LAW.
IN NEW YORK, I'M [X].
