The Impact of Extending Marriage to Same-Sex Couples on the ...

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MARRIAGE LICENSE FEES<strong>The</strong> weddings <strong>of</strong> both in-state and out-<strong>of</strong>-statesame-sex couples will also generate revenuesfor counties through marriage license fees.Since marriage license fees vary by county inCalifornia, we use a statewide average for thefee weighted by the proportion <strong>of</strong> same-sexcouples who live in each California county. 50Table 4 multiples this weighted average, $73.50,by our estimates <strong>of</strong> the number <strong>of</strong> resident andnon-resident same-sex couples who will marry inCalifornia during the first three years.Of course, some <strong>of</strong> the revenues <strong>of</strong> these feeswill be <strong>of</strong>fset by the costs <strong>of</strong> processing theadditional marriage licenses. However, otherstates that have extended marriage, civil unions,or domestic partnerships <strong>to</strong> same-sex coupleshave experienced very small increases inadministrative costs. 51 Currently, the majority<strong>of</strong>marriage license fees established by Californiastate statute are designated for purposes otherthan covering administrative costs, such ascounty general funds or family conciliationprograms. Most notably, $23 <strong>of</strong> each marriagelicense fee is allocated by California statute <strong>to</strong>domestic violence programs. 52In addition, we do not include in our estimateadditional fees that will be generated by coupleswho ask for a confidential marriage license,request a certified copy <strong>of</strong> their marriagelicense, or have their ceremony performed bythe county clerk’s <strong>of</strong>fice. For example, the basicmarriage license fee in Sacramen<strong>to</strong> County is$77, but if a couple elected all <strong>of</strong> the additionalservices listed above, they would pay $152. 53Table 4: California Revenues for <strong>Marriage</strong> License Fees from <strong>Same</strong>-<strong>Sex</strong> <strong>Couples</strong> in First ThreeYears<strong>Couples</strong> Marrying inCalifornia<strong>Marriage</strong> License Fee(weighted average)Total Fees generated(millions)Out-<strong>of</strong>-State 67,513 $73.50 $5.0California 51,320 $73.50 $3.8TOTAL $8.89
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONSTable V shows our estimate <strong>of</strong> the <strong>to</strong>talrevenues for California during each <strong>of</strong> the firstthree years that same-sex couples are allowed<strong>to</strong> marry. We use the experience <strong>of</strong>Massachusetts <strong>to</strong> model the number <strong>of</strong> samesexcouples who will marry in California in each<strong>of</strong> the next three years. In Massachusetts,9,695 same-sex couples married in the firstthree years: 63% <strong>of</strong> those couples married inthe first year, 21% married in the second year,and 15% married in the third year. 54 For out<strong>of</strong>-statecouples, we assume that the need <strong>to</strong>travel and plan a trip will space out theirweddings more evenly. Accordingly, we assumethat one-third <strong>of</strong> those couples will come <strong>to</strong> thestate in each <strong>of</strong> the first three years thatCalifornia extends marriage <strong>to</strong> same-sexcouples.Table 5: Summary <strong>of</strong> Fiscal Effects, First Three YearsRevenue Source Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 TotalTax Revenue from Out<strong>of</strong>-State<strong>Couples</strong>Tax Revenue FromCalifornia <strong>Couples</strong>License Fees from Out<strong>of</strong>-StateCoupleLicense Fees fromCalifornia <strong>Couples</strong>$7.9 $7.9 $7.9 $23.7$20 $6.7 $4.7 $31.4$1.7 $1.7 $1.7 $5.0$2.4 $.8 $.6 $3.8Total $32.0 $17.1 $14.8 $63.8Using U.S. Census Bureau data about same-sex couples and drawing on the experience <strong>of</strong> Massachusettsand other states, we estimate that during the first three years that marriage is extended <strong>to</strong> same-sexcouples in California:• Approximately 51,319 couples residing in California will marry.• In addition, approximately 67,513 same-sex couples from other states will come <strong>to</strong> California <strong>to</strong>marry.• California’s wedding and <strong>to</strong>urism-related business sec<strong>to</strong>rs will see an in increase <strong>of</strong> $683.6 millionin direct spending over the next three years.• This direct spending will support over 2,178 new jobs in travel-related business in California.• <strong>The</strong> direct spending from same-sex couples on weddings and <strong>to</strong>urism will generate $55.1 millionin state and local tax revenues.• In addition, the weddings from in-state and out-<strong>of</strong>-state couples will generate $8.8 million inmarriage license fees.10
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Page 15 and 16: 36 See e.g. Brown, Jennifer Gerada.

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