A bill providing relief to domestic partners who paid unfair property taxes prior to 2006 recently passed the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee. SB 559, authored by Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, ensures that all same-sex couples registered with the state benefit from a 2006 law that exempts domestic partners from property reassessments upon the death of a partner or dissolution of the partnership. Senators passed the bill with a 5-3 vote.

“California families are exempt from property reassessments when a family member dies or a relationship ends, which protects them against financial hardship during times of crisis,” said EQCA executive director Geoff Kors. “Domestic partners did not receive this protection until 2006, leaving many of them vulnerable to an unfair increase in property taxes through no fault of their own.”

California law allows certain exemptions from the fair market value reassessment of property upon a change in ownership. Transfers between married spouses, domestic partners, parent and child, and grandparent and grandchild are excluded from reassessment, sheltering them from an increase in tax burden when property changes hands between family members.

Although domestic partners were afforded this tax exemption beginning on Jan. 1, 2006, couples who transferred property between each other prior to that date did not receive the same benefit. Kehoe’s Fair and Equal Taxation for Surviving Partners Act would apply this exemption to those registered domestic partners wrongly taxed before 2006, ensuring that their property tax bills are adjusted accordingly.

“SB 559 will help domestic partners who have carried the burden of paying increased property taxes to remain in their homes,” said Kehoe. “It will also repair an inequality that still exists between married couples and domestic partners.”

David Pierce, a resident of San Diego, testified in support of the legislation after having to face a property tax bill that doubled after his partner of 14 years died in 2004. Not only did Pierce have to pay the increase in taxes, he also received a supplemental tax bill dating back to the month his partner died.

“On top of having to deal with the death of my partner, being forced to pay additional property taxes on our home was extremely difficult,” Pierce said.

“When real estate is transferred between married spouses, their property taxes are not increased, period,” said Brian Chase, an attorney for Lambda Legal. “Things aren’t so simple for domestic partners. Depending on when and how they transfer the property, domestic partners can see their taxes increase by 600 percent or more. SB 559 fixes this by equalizing the real estate tax treatment for all domestic partners in California.”

The Fair and Equal Taxation for Surviving Partners Act was drafted by Lambda Legal. It will be heard next in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Center recently announced that Family Matters, the local group for GLBT parents and their families, as well as those considering parenthood, will become a program of The Center effective May 1.

“The Center has a real commitment to serving and supporting GLBT-headed families,” said Richard Valdez, a member of The Center’s board of directors and the father of two children. “We’re proud of our history of collaboration with the local parenting groups, and of our work together to help present workshops and events for parents and those considering parenthood. Marci Bair, Ryland Madison and the Family Matters board of directors bring a program that is financially sound, programmatically creative and absolutely relevant to a growing segment of our community. We’re so happy to welcome Family Matters as an official program of The Center.”

Bair, the group’s longtime director, will continue to be involved with Family Matters, and the group’s signature events will continue to be offered, including its annual parenting conference, monthly parenting groups, annual family barbecue and Considering Parenthood meetings. In addition, this year marks the first year that Family Matters will officially produce the Children’s Garden at the San Diego Pride festival.

For more information on how to get involved with Family Matters, call 619-692-2077 or e-mail mbair@thecentersd.org.

Immigration Equality San Diego (IESD) will meet at the Unitarian Universalist Church across from UCSD Hospital in Hillcrest on Monday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m.

The group will discuss the many immigration related bills that have recently been introduced in Congress. It will also look at the several immigration issues currently having an effect on the lives of many GLBT immigrants and their families.

Everyone in the community is welcome to attend the event and become involved in these issues. Parking validation is available.

For more information, e-mail immigrationequalitysandiego@yahoo.com.

The Live and Let Live Alano Club will celebrate the organization’s 24th anniversary with its annual barbecue picnic for members and volunteers on Saturday, May 5, at 2 p.m. The appreciation event will be held at the Live and Let Live Alano Club, located at 1730 Monroe Ave.

“Miss Visa Decline” will be master of ceremonies for the event, which will include food and entertainment for everyone who attends. There will also be a membership table for those who are interested in joining the club at that time. A 12-step meeting will follow the celebration and entertainment.

The Live and Let Live Alano Club was founded to provide a safe, clean, sober environment for individuals in 12-step and other recovery programs. The club also offers their friends and family a place to gather for support, community and personal growth as well. The club recognizes that alcoholism and other addictions occur often among the GLBT population, and the organization primarily serves this community, though not to the exclusion of others.

For more information, call 619-298-8008.

The San Diego Men’s Chorus (SDMC) recently announced that Nichelle Nichols, star of the original “Star Trek” television series, will be the special featured guest in the upcoming concert Sing For the Cure. The special benefit concert will take place on Saturday, June 9, at the Birch North Park Theatre. Proceeds from the event will benefit the San Diego Chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

At the Sing For the Cure event, 60 men of the SDMC and the 100 women of the San Diego Chorus will perform music by, for and about women – songs of struggle, songs of survival. The centerpiece of the evening will be selections from the powerful song cycle “Sing for the Cure,” which chronicles, through a variety of music and emotional narration, the journey from diagnosis through survival of breast cancer.

The voices of the combined choral groups will be accompanied by a special orchestra comprised of San Diego County music teachers who are volunteering their time for this cause.

Nichelle Nichols, best known as Lt. Uhura on the original “Star Trek” series, will serve as narrator, and Jeff Gelder of KYXY Radio will host the evening.

SDMC has been entertaining the San Diego community since 1985 and is the region’s oldest and largest GLBT performing ensemble.

Tickets for this landmark event are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.birchnorthparktheatre.net. There will also be an optional VIP reception catered by Hawthorn’s Restaurant in North Park.

For more information, call 619-239-8836 or visit www.sdmc.org.

San Diego Pride recently announced that it’s welcoming local artists to take part in the “Art of Pride” exhibition, held annually at the two-day Pride festival in Balboa Park. The space serves as a showcase for the works of local artists in various mediums, such as painting, sculpture and jewelry.

This year’s expanded exhibition and juried show will feature two covered wings of display areas, plus additional room for those who attend the festival to relax and socialize. The show is being organized by local artists John Keasler, Jennifer Phelps and Sarah Sota, in conjunction with San Diego Pride.

Covered spaces are $60 for shared displays and $120 for solo displays. Submissions for the juried portion of the show are free and will be accepted electronically at the e-mail address below.

“By waiving the fee for the juried show and offering cash prizes, we hope to encourage more experimental and beginning artists,” said Ron deHarte, executive director for San Diego Pride.

Participating artists may also enter their works in the “Too Hot to Hang” display section within the festival’s Leather Realm Gallery. This year’s festival will be held July 21 and 22 at Marston Point in Balboa Park. A preview of the show is scheduled a few weeks prior to the Pride festival at Ricardo Vela Gallery, located at 2923 Upas St. in North Park.

For more information, contact John Keasler at 619-491-0779 or e-mail jcksd@sbcglobal.net.