You can watch the vote live here at 3pm.

I grew up in a working class home in Omaha with a carpenter for a dad and a mom that worked overnights. She served as a volunteer union steward, coming home and sharing stories about what happened when people were not treated fairly in the workplace. This common-sense value, with a high degree of public support, doesn’t currently exist in our state’s capitol the way that it should.

As I now travel back and forth between Omaha, where I was born, and Lincoln, where I’ve called home for a decade, I have been excited to see the growth in both of these communities. The unique, one of a kind shops and the large, national corporations that are calling Lincoln home provide a foundation for the culture and climate that many Lincolnites find so attractive.

We need to make sure that Lincoln does not fall behind. Other communities, including Omaha, have taken steps to treat all employees fairly. With the support of small business and community leaders, Outlinc called upon the Lincoln city council to take urgent action.

People should be judged at work by their performance, not their sexual orientation. If you work hard and do your job effectively, you shouldn’t be fired just because you’re gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Great performance deserves a fair workplace. Gay and transgender people are productive parts of the Lincoln community, who contribute to the economy and it’s only fair they be able to earn a living like all other productive workers.

The Fairness Ordinance would continue Lincoln’s long-standing tradition of treating everyone fairly. In 1966, Lincoln became the first city in Nebraska to stand-up against workplace discrimination. We can continue to grow our attractiveness to businesses by promoting a value Lincoln was built upon: fairness.

Councilman Carl Eskridge deserves credit for his leadership when he introduced the Fairness Ordinance that will keep Lincoln competitive and treat people fairly. The final vote is now right at our doorstep, today, May 14.