By Mike Dunn

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A city councilman today plans to introduce a bill that would extend new benefits to same sex partners in Philadelphia.

Councilman Jim Kenney is proposing changes to a wide range of existing city regulations in order to boost the standing in Philadelphia of same sex couples:

“We want to just level the playing field so that in all city documents, in all city applications, in all city benefits that the city offers everyone else, then everyone should be able to partake in them.”

Among other things, the measure would create a tax credit for local companies to deduct the cost of employee benefits for life partners of their workers. Kenney says that would match a credit currently given to employers for married couples.

The councilman says he has long supported the LGBT community, and he insists the proposal is not related to any potential mayoral ambitions.