Mayor: Let People Decide Gay Marriage Fate

When the same-sex marriage bill that passed the Assembly Thursday lands on Gov. Chris Christie's desk, Hopatcong Mayor Sylvia Petillo had a single hope.

"I'm hoping he vetoes the bill," she said, "and that it goes out to the people for a vote."

Petillo got her wish Friday as Christie, as he promised, vetoed the bill.

The Senate failed to pass the bill two years ago, but approved it Monday, setting the stage for the lower house's 42-33 vote. Christie had said he would veto any same-sex marriage bill and that he wants to put it up for referendum in November and, on Friday, he did just that.

Petillo said the public, not lawmakers, should decide the ultimate fate of same-sex marriage.

"They should have never taken that vote," Petillo said. She later added: "When you have an issue that's this important, the people should have a right to speak."

Overturning Christie's expected veto would be difficult. Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), one of the bill's sponsors and one of two openly gay lawmakers, told nj.com supporters would need about a dozen more votes for an override before the legislative session ends in January 2014. He also told nj.com the bill had won almost 10 Assembly votes recently.

A couple of Hopatcong religious leaders, however, said they wouldn't even want to see it on the ballot.

While Rev. George Gothie of St. Jude's Church refused to comment on the "political nature" of the matter, Pastor Ken Adams of Byram Bay Christian Church said he didn't support same-sex marriage, though he doesn't necessarily have a problem with homosexuals.

"I don't have any issue with someone who is gay," Adams said.

"[But] I know gay marriage is contradictory to the word of God," he said. "I'm told to preach and teach the word of God. So it's difficult for me to think that I could be able to support something that contradicts the word of God."

West Side United Methodist Church Pastor Jinwook Jeong agreed.

"I'm against [same-sex marriage]," Jeong said. "The Bible, even though as a human being we love with our souls, it's against the Bible so I don't agree with it. It's against the Bible and I don't support gay marriage."

Same-sex marriage has been legalized in six state and the District of Columbia. In June, a new Washington State law will go into effect.

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