Out in the Mountains

Texas County reverses Vote on Apple Computer

Georgetown, TX

In an about-face front a decision just days
prior, Williamson (Texas) county's five-
member commission voted in mid De-
cember to approve a revised tax benefits
plan that clears the way for Apple Computer
to bring its nine-building $80 million sup-
port facility to Round Rock, a Williamson
county city a short distance north of Austin.
It is not unusual for a lawmaking body to
approve benefits in order to attract a com-
pany and a significant number of jobs to the
area What is unusual is that just a few days
previously the county commissioners voted
to tum downthe $750,000 tax break for the
computer manufacturer, saying it opposed
Apple's policy of extending benefits to same
sex partners of employees. That decision
led to national media coverage and created a
waiting list of other cities across the coun-
try, including nearby Austin, that said they

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would welcome Apple with open arms.
Austin offers city employees benefits cover-
age similar to that of Apple.

The issue became a political as well as a
moral one, with the Texas Republican Com-
mittee supporting the commissioners and
Ann Richards, the Texas Democratic gov-
emor, encouraging Apple to keep the facil-
ity and its 700 jobs in the state. One com-
missioner, David Hays, was the center of
the controversy. Initially Hays was one of
the three commissioners to vote against the
tax breaks for Apple. One week later Hays
changed his vote, supporting the revised tax
abatement plan, after the new agreement
gave the county the right of way for the
roads and about $1 million in improve-
ments to the proposed Apple site. “Until last
Tuesday I never had to choose between ec-
onomic development and traditional family
values,” Hays told the British news service
Reuters. He said his vote switch does not
signal a change in his values, but is “merely
an acknowledgment that Apple has the right
to come into Williamson County under a
very favorable economic relationship for
the people of our county.” Construction is
expected to begin on the new plant, which
could eventually employ as many as 1,700
in the Spring and is expected to be com-
pleted in 1995 according to an Apple
spokesperson. Local officials estimate the
indirect impact could mean as many as
4,000 new jobs in the county.

“Today's vote is a victory,” said David M.
Smith, NGLTF Director of Public In-
formation who attended the second vote in
Georgetown, Texas. “Jobs prevailed over
prejudice. Apple is coming to Williamson
County and the company's domestic partner
benefits policy remains intact.” “The de-
bate in the past week has assisted and ed

ucated Williamson County residents as to
who gay and lesbian people are, and has let
them know that gay and lesbian people live
here,” Smith said. “And the debate will help
Austin fight off a Right Wing attack to re-
peal its domestic partner benefits or-
dinance.” (AOL News Service, NGLTF)

Official Statement from Dell Computer
12/0'7/93

“Recent statements on both America On-
line and CompuServe, implying that Dell is
not living up to its commitment to the
equal and fair treatment of its employees,
are patently false. We would like to set
the record straight.

Dell is an equal opportunity employer and
is committed to a diverse workforce. The
company does not discriminate against
any individual or any group of individuals
for any reason whatsoever. Dell also
gladly complies with all laws, statutes and
ordinances (including those relating to
discrimination) everywhere the company
does business.

While Dell does not offer its employees
non—married partner benefits, research con-
ducted by our benefits department indicates
that our benefits program is competitive
with other companies in our industry, and
compares favorably with other companies
our size in other industries, and in other re-
gions of the country.

It is inappropriate for any governmental
body or special interest group to attempt to
influence Dell's, or any other company's
benefits policies. If the comments being
made about Dell are aimed at pressuring the
company into changing its benefits policy,
these tactics will not be successful.” V

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