Voters in a Tennessee town which recently introduced health benefits for domestic partners of gay city employees, have chosen to overturn the legislation.

The mayor of the town of Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, offered his support to the idea back in September. The law passed 5-4 by the City Council.

However, with a vote of 13,685 to 8,184, the town overturned the law.

This week’s vote has been branded “hurtful and disappointing”, by the Human Rights Campaign.

Mayor Burke appeared hopeful, according to reports, reassuring gay city employees that their work was valued.

A local Tea Party group and a political action committee had collected signatures to overturn the law. They claimed the city’s budget would be damaged by the ordinance.

Chattanooga was not the first in the state to attempt to offer such benefits, as last month Collegedale, offered equal benefits to same-sex domestic partners of city workers.