Aliso Mayor Signs Same-Sex Marriage Pledge

What does Aliso Viejo Mayor Carmen Cave share in common with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa? (Besides being mayors, of course).

All three have signed the Mayors for Freedom to Marry pledge. The text of the pledge includes the following: "I personally know many gay and lesbian people living in our city who are in committed, long-term relationships, ... who deserve to be able to marry the person with whom they share their life."

Last March, Mayor Don Garcia chose not to sign the pledge. He said he did not know many gay couples in Aliso Viejo, and said having his name affixed to the pledge before he signed it left a "bad taste" in his mouth.

Cave said she fully expects push-back for the decision to sign, as she explains in the brief Q&A below:

Patch: Why did you choose to sign the pledge?

Mayor Cave: I signed because I believe in equality for all people.

Patch: How you think it will impact the city, if at all? 

Cave: I don't believe it will affect the city. While it is a mayor's pledge, it was me, not the city.

Patch: Do you expect any criticism for signing?

Cave: I fully expect criticism for signing. In fact, after the horrific treatment of Mayor Garcia for not signing last year, I was concerned about what might happen to me.

Aliso residents and gay couple Alex and Rick Gill-Gerard presented the pledge to both mayors. Alex said that by signing the pledge, it shows further acceptance of homosexuality in a traditionally conservative county.

"By having her sign it, other mayors might come on board, and just regular people see more and more people are getting on board with this," he said.