Posted on 08/15/2005 6:17:17 PM PDT by Graybeard58
PHOENIX - Gov. Janet Napolitano may declare border counties a disaster area, following the lead of her New Mexico counterpart.
Napolitano press aide Jeanine L'Ecuyer said Monday the governor's staff is exploring whether an emergency could be declared based not on a natural disaster but because of the problems of crime, human smuggling and property destruction caused by people crossing the international border.
L'Ecuyer said the basic question involves reviewing the legal grounds for making such a declaration. State law permits the governor to declare an emergency in various instances, including cases of "invasions, hostile attacks, riots or insurrections.''
On Friday, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson used similar authorization to declare a disaster in four border counties. That move freed up $750,000 from that state's emergency fund to help pay overtime for state police and sheriff's deputies, with Richardson also promising to provide another $1 million in discretionary dollars.
Cam Hunter, spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Homeland Security, said this state has $4 million in the fund.
L'Ecuyer said there are a variety of differences between Arizona and New Mexico that might make a disaster declaration here inappropriate. She also said part of the question is whether such a declaration by Napolitano would free up any federal funds.
Pahl Shipley, press aide to Richardson, said his boss is hoping for some federal aid. But Tim Manning, that state's Mexico's homeland security chief, said that would require the state to meet some very specific requirements in federal law.
"It essentially comes down to all available resources at the local and state level have been used,'' he said. Manning said there also is a formula to determine the relative burden of an emergency on the state, computed on a per capita basis.
But Shipley said there also is a political component behind the governor's declaration.
"He is frustrating by the inaction on the federal level and felt like he needed to take action to protect New Mexicans and their property,'' Shipley said. He said Richardson wanted to "send a clear message the governor thought it was an urgent situation.''
The move has had at least some impact: U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said Richardson's declaration is more evidence that Congress needs to act soon to enact a comprehensive temporary worker program along with increased sanctions against employers who hired undocumented workers.
"As Arizonans well know, the federal government's inability to control the border has been a crisis for some time,'' Flake said in a prepared statement. "We cannot afford to wait any longer.''
Flake is a co-sponsor of legislation being pushed by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., to set up a new temporary worker program for jobs that require few or no skills. It also seeks unspecified increases in funding for border security.
Manning acknowledged there always has been crime along the border, it appears to have become more frequent - and more violent recently. He said some of that may be due to increased Border Patrol activity in Arizona which is moving some of the problem to the east.
"It's about criminal activity and it's about potential terrorism,'' Manning said. "Our concern right now is for the people down there.''
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(Arizona) Gov. Janet Napolitano may declare border counties a disaster area, following the lead of her New Mexico counterpart.Napolitano press aide Jeanine L'Ecuyer said Monday the governor's staff is exploring whether an emergency could be declared based not on a natural disaster but because of the problems of crime, human smuggling and property destruction caused by people crossing the international border.
L'Ecuyer said the basic question involves reviewing the legal grounds for making such a declaration. State law permits the governor to declare an emergency in various instances, including cases of "invasions, hostile attacks, riots or insurrections.''
Of course you are right. And you'll still be right when the Democrats take this issue and use it to win big. Hello? This is a Democrat win-win situation.
For years, the Republicans have turned a blind official eye to the problem. When this blows over, the fat cats will still have their cheap labor, and the Democrats will still have their cheap votes. PLUS the votes of all of those, who frustrated by decades of Republican inactivity on the issue, will buy the illusion of activity on the Democrats' part.
Napolitano wins. Richardson and Hillary win. Teddy wins. McCain wins. You and I? Lose. Thank you, RNC.
"We're in a great situtation now, or at least soon will be, where we can play both parties off against each other to get meaningful work done in this area."
You are exactly right. Keep hammering this issue and politicians will try to out-do each other. Voters won't remember who went first. I'm just glad somebody did.
The only thing that can screw this up is GWB not rolling over to the political inevitability of real immigration reforms - and this is a very likely scenario, I fear.
Democrats are attempting to define republicans as "do nothings" on immigration - which they are. So far.
You are helping them by perpetuating the big lie instead of exposing the truth of napolitano/hillary/richardson.
See reply #65 and tell me one legislative proposition the democrats have proposed?
You can't but still perpetuate the democrat big lie.
I consider it rather amusing when a confirmed liar ( You) call anybody a liar. You are humorous. I did not read your bovine scat article. I scanned down and checked who posted it. It sure saves a lot of reading when I do that.
Uh I'm not the one pereptuating the napolitano/richardson/hillary big lie about the border.
"You can't but still perpetuate the democrat big lie."
What "big lie" is that? that republicans are do-nothings on immigration? I wish it weren't true. The win-win for democrats is to define republicans as immigration "do-nothings" without defining their own position.
This is the one advantage of being the political minority party. You get to ask "where is the leadership on XYZ".
Uh that hillary/richardson/napolitano are actually doing something, which they aren't.
Gee, Why don't you try to tell the truth sometimes then it would even be more confusing. Like I said before, I do not put tend to believe anything you post. You have worked hard to get your reputation. I hope you enjoy it.
Another worthless gubmner cries wolf . . AFTER THE CHICKEN HAS ALREADY BEEN EATEN (and they were the ones feeding it) . .
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Yes, the New Mexico gov makes the rest of them look like the Mexican-pandering fools they are. Good for Richardson -- maybe there is SOME hope for this country's soverignty yet...maybe.
So it begins, the adulation for Chinagate figure bill richardson, because he does a minor administrative move.
Are you interested in buying a bridge to Brooklyn?
"Uh that hillary/richardson/napolitano are actually doing something, which they aren't."
You need to develop a little more sophisticated view of political gamesmanship. It's all lies, the only truths are the truths of voter perceptions that you are able to create about you and about your opponent. They aren't doing anything about the border of any significance because they don't have to - and indeed it would be to their detriment to do anything meaninful at this time.
What they are doing is giving the illusion of progress and then saying to voters "Republicans are leaving you wide-open to immigration" This statement is absolutely correct. It is unneccessary for them to do anything meaningful at this time (they can deflect this criticism by saying "republicans are preventing us from doing more"). They are the minority party. They get to do this.
And I get hammered for bringing those lies out.
You kinda of remind me of the mainstream media during the clinton administration where they marveled and lauded clinton's lies.
Are you interested in buying a bridge to Brooklyn?
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No, just saving our soverignty, and our America FOR REAL AMERICAN CITIZENS. Any way we can.
And I guess that includes giving adulation to Chinagate figure bill richardson for a minor administrative move.
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