BERKELEY, Calif., Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Some residents of liberal Berkeley, Calif., are bridling at the idea that the city will earmark funds to help pay city workers for sex-change surgery.
The proposal was on the agenda for Tuesday evening's city council meeting, but, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, the timing hasn't sat well with some residents.
"How come I'm paying for this?" Ann Slaby asked the Chronicle. "There might be some people who really need this, but right now my street badly needs paving."
Nevertheless, the proposal has a level of support on the council. Backers said the $20,000 earmark was not a large amount of money to set aside for a surgery that would not take place very often.
The Chronicle said that so-called gender-reassignment surgery costs about $7,000 but could not be covered under the city's health plan without a substantial increase in premiums.
