Lancaster City Council on Tuesday lent its support to the call to save the county Human Relations Commission.
And, after passionate debate, it called for the commission to also investigate discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.
The racially diverse seven-member council was unanimous in its support of the commission, which investigates allegations of discrimination based on race, color, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, age or disability.
But council members split on whether to include a specific call for the commission to investigate cases of discrimination based on sexual orientation.
In the end, an amendment to the council's resolution, seeking the expanded powers, passed by a 4-3 vote.
Nelson Polite Sr., an advocate for civil rights since the 1960s, expressed fear after the vote that "we may have thrown the baby out with the bathwater."
Polite, who ultimately voted against the resolution, said the focus must first be on saving the commission. The Lancaster County commissioners are considering eliminating the commission in a move that would save $470,000.
Several speakers contended the move is a way for the commissioners to avoid a vote to include sexual orientation protection. Such protection is included in the city Human Relations Commission.
All council members agreed such protection should be extended to the county, but Polite, Pat Coller and Jose Urdaneta said that fight should be delayed.
"If we truly believe that this is something worth fighting for later, then it is something worth fighting for now," countered Joe Morales.
While the city has its own commission, Urdaneta, who introduced the resolution with Polite, said the city commission sends its more complicated and costly cases to the better-funded county commission.
The resolution calls for all city residents to oppose the elimination of the county commission.