Study: Legalizing
Gay Marriage a $64 Million Boon for
California

The recent legalization of same-sex marriage in California will add an additional $64 million to the state budget over the next three years, according to a new study released Monday by the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy. The study also found the state's wedding industry will grow by approximately $683.8 million in the same period, both from in-state marriages and the predicted 68,000 out-of-state couples who will flock to California to wed starting June 17.

"The fiscal effects of same-sex marriage will reverberate well beyond city hall, helping to balance the state budget," says study coauthor and Williams Institute executive director Brad Sears.

Along with the expected increase in state revenue, California can anticipate the addition of almost 2,200 new jobs to the wedding industry, which could help revitalize the state economy. "In a tough economic climate, California businesses are in a unique position to reap the wedding windfall, bringing millions of additional dollars in revenue to state businesses," says economist M.V. Lee Badgett, coauthor of the study and research director of the Williams Institute.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, if all 50 states and the federal government joined California and Massachusetts in legalizing same-sex marriage, the federal government could expect an increase of $1 billion each year. (The Advocate)