In as much as a Human Relations Commission assures that residents are protected by providing a a mechanism for discrimination abuses to be explored and determined, Lancaster County has essentially given a green light for anyone to be discriminated against based on sex, race, religion, and other criteria.  This was done in the name of saving a few bucks in a budget? Here is the press release issued by Equality PA:

Equality Pennsylvania Stunned by Lancaster County Commissioners’ Vote to Repeal Human Relations Ordinance

Harrisburg:  Equality Pennsylvania joins with numerous community activists and leaders of Lancaster County to express shock and deep concern over the vote by the County Board of Commissioners to repeal its 40-year-old countywide Human Relations Ordinance.  The vote for repeal was 2 to 1.

Calling the measure an effort at “cost containment,” Commissioners Scott Martin and Dennis Stuckey approved the abolishment and Commissioner Craig Lehman voted against the abolishment.

“While I know that the Lancaster County ordinance was not LGBT-specific, a civil right is a civil right,” explained Equality Pennsylvania Board President Brian Sims.  “Any protection against discrimination is a benefit for everyone in a community.  Today the commissioners claimed their actions were driven by a simple need to save money.  Let’s hope that argument isn’t a precursor to what may happen in Harrisburg when the General Assembly starts wrestling with the budget challenges faced by the state come January 2011.”

The Lancaster County Human Relations Commission is a taxpayer-funded agency started in 1962 to resolve local conflicts.  Supporters have said it’s more in touch with the Lancaster community than a similar statewide agency, but those who backed the proposal to cut the agency have said it’s redundant.

Equality Pennsylvania partnered with and supported the efforts of leading repeal opponent, The Committee to Defend Civil Rights in Lancaster. Led by activist Adanjesus Marin, the group began its work in March 2010 when they initiated a public campaign to add LGBT protections to the Lancaster County Human Relations Ordinance.  Their efforts began after a public forum on a similar statewide initiative in which 250 Lancaster residents expressed strong support for such protections.

“Today’s vote once again demonstrates the inherent unity of the LGBT equality movement with the broader civil rights movement. This attack on all civil rights was in part a reaction to our community’s demands for inclusion. The enemies of LGBT rights and civil rights are the same and as we move forward to win protection against LGBT discrimination we will continue to fight side by side to restore the protections taken away today,” Marin commented.