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.''
"It takes a lot of guts to declare your own state a disaster."
Nice statement, in fact, Brilliant!
He doesn't care about those pesky rapes, murders, kidnappings, child molestations as long as there's blind obedience to the party and a cheap lawn mowing at the end.
Uh looks like your wish has come true(i.e cindy sheehan). But what they it seems you are giveing her a "you go girl".
Perhaps having Presidente Bush, Ed Gillespie, and fellow open border buddies clean up after the human debris coming across our border would help. If Bush et al. refuse to enforce the laws and protect the border, at least they could be productive by picking up the trash.
Very good observation! I just hope SOMEONE does something soon, cause my paycheck can't handle no more FREEBIES! We were just informed the city council will be voting on ANOTHER tax hike! I'm beyond pissed, I'm screaming mad and their ain't nothing our city folk can do! Those clymers have us by the hair! I know what I'm talking about, I live in a 95% democRAT border town hell hole! Moving isn't an option...BUMMER!
Complete agreement.
Hummm? And I have "visions" of rounded up Illegals being sentenced to build a Mexican/American Wall...then we can deport them. (LOL)..
I agree!!!!
These Democrat governors don't want to secure our borders. They just want more Third World immigration!!!! Fie on them!!!!
Pardon me but which big lie are you referring to?
susie
That hillary and her toadies, richardson/napolitano, are "tough" on immigration.
The American voting public has such a short attention span and very shallow interest in politics that I think the dems CAN use this issue. All they have to do is say they're going to do something and they will take alot of votes (I fear). Don't undersestimate the attention span of the average American voter.....
susie
And I won't underestimate your capacity to perpetuate hillary's big lie on immigration.
Deal?
After reconsideration I actually think it would probably take even less than that 3% as many of the Christian conservatives who put Bush over the top in '00 and again in '04 (who comprised slightly more than 36% of Republican votes cast in this last election) won't be back for an encore as many of them have become so disillusioned with not only Bush but also of Republicans as a whole. I rather suspect many of them will stay home in droves as they did before Bush ran in '00. With people like Frist and Rove and the corporate based RNC trying hard to drive away those pesky Republican 'Southerners' I can see the writing on the wall already from here as do many other 'Southern Conservatives' aka Christian, social and long time traditional conservatives.
And I don't see the Republicans picking up enough hispanic voters to replace those missing Southern Republicans who probably won't be back next time around.
Gov. Napolitano did not take Prop. 200 to court, she left it to MALDEF, LULAC, and NCLR to do that.
Oh.....I didn't see anyone say that.
But, if the American voting public believes they are, then they will win. Period. This is the Republican's to lose. And they seem bent on losing.
susie
Why are you afraid for anyone to state the truth? Look, debate is great. But all you keep doing is stating the same thing over and over, calling people liars. Do you think you're doing anything at all to convince anyone that you're right (whatever it is you're saying)?
susie
You can't debate a false-flag freeper who doesn't believe one word of the propaganda she is spewing. I just thank them for bumping the thread, so more lurkers will read the articles. Actually I'd respect an honest enemy much more than a pretend conservative flying under false colors.
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