Well, this is vindicating: As has been projected for YEARS by same-sex marriage proponents, gay marriage, if legalized, could generate $464 million dollars in state revenue in its first year. And that’s just across the 11 states examined in a new Williams Institute study.
Via WaPo:
The reports, created by the Williams Institute, a national think tank based at the UCLA School of Law and committed to research on sexual orientation and gender identity, estimate that nearly 89,701 same-sex couples would wed in the first three years of legal marriage in the 11 states studied this year, contributing $723.5 million to the state economies over that period.
And here’s projected data for a couple of individual states (more at the WaPo link):
Texas (July, 2014)
Couples marrying over first three years: 23,200
Three-year economic benefit: $181,600,000
Three-year revenue benefit: $14,800,000
Economic benefit in first year: $116,200,000
Pennsylvania (May, 2014)
Couples marrying over first three years: 11,168 (low-end estimate: 7,490)
Three-year economic benefit: $92,100,000 (low-end estimate: $65,000,000)
Three-year revenue benefit: $5,800,000 (low-end estimate: $4,200,000)
Economic benefit in first year: $58,900,000 (low-end estimate: $42,000,000)
You guys. That is so much money! Even if you’re determined to be a shitty bigot until your dying breath, you could at least acknowledge that you are just dumping money into a garbage fire, and by withholding that money from your state’s economy you are actively hurting yourself and your family. I THOUGHT YOU PEOPLE WERE INTO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. (Note: If you only support same-sex marriage for selfish economic reasons, you are still a shitty bigot. But it’s better than nothing, I guess.)
Attention, gay couples! Unlike shitty bigots who hate the economy, I will accept your currency! If you need an officiant, if you need wedding vows written, if you need a cake taster, if you need someone to sing “Part of Your World” at the karaoke reception, I AM AVAILABLE.
Image via Getty.