Tampa | So far David Caton has unsuccessfully tried to reverse the City of Tampa’s policy allowing its employees access to domestic partnership benefits. But that doesn’t mean he’s giving up.

According to the Web site of the Florida Family Association, of which Caton is the director, the Nov. 4 vote to pass Amendment 2 and constitutionally ban same-sex marriage in Florida motivated him to try to dissolve domestic partnerships in Tampa.

"We’re going to use the momentum from the marriage amendment to speak to the fact that most people in this state don’t want recognition of that type of relationship," Caton told the St. Petersburg Times. "At this time of economic stress, our government should not be providing benefits to non-employees on the basis on their sexual relationships."

The move is exactly what those who opposed Amendment 2 feared would happen if the amendment passed. Activists, however, are prepared to fight Caton and say he’s doing exactly what he said he wouldn’t do.

"Backers of the discriminatory amendment were forced to say that this would not affect unmarried partners in Florida," said Brian Winfield, communications specialist with Equality Florida. "Now we just have to hold them to their word. We will fight them tooth and nail to make sure no one loses healthcare in our state."

Equality Florida executive director Nadine Smith said that while Amendment 2 banned same-sex marriage, which was already illegal in Florida, most voters support same-sex domestic partnerships and civil unions.

"Every single poll has shown that a majority of Floridians believes it is the right to provide vital protections to unmarried couples," Smith said.

But Caton sees things differently. He told the Miami Herald that Amendment 2’s passage proves that Floridians disapprove of any recognition of same-sex relationships.

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio has said she will not remove domestic partnership benefits from the city, and Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe told the Times that he would rather focus on quality-of-life issues than a "problem that doesn’t exist."