Posted on 06/21/2006 3:16:14 AM PDT by Born Conservative
Council passes first reading of ordinance calling for hiring and rental regulations, and English as city’s official language. “Because people … need a place to sleep, our landlords are our first line of defense.” -Mayor Lou Barletta
HAZLETON (PA) – After a lively debate, city council on Thursday voted for an ordinance that would establish English as the city’s official language and punish the hiring of illegal immigrants and renting property to them.
The 4-1 vote was on a first reading of the ordinance. A second reading is scheduled for July 13.
Councilman Tom Gabos voted against. Councilman Robert Nilles voted for the ordinance but said he wanted to amend it to require landlords to rent only to tenants with city-approved permits.
The ordinance requires landlords to see documentation that tenants are legally in the U.S. before renting property. Nilles said the city could do a better job of checking if tenants are illegal immigrants.
“There are no teeth in the law,” Nilles said. “I want to make it more enforceable.”
Under the ordinance, anyone who knowingly allows an illegal alien to use, rent or lease their property would face a fine of at least $1,000.
“Because people moving into the city naturally need a place to sleep, our landlords are our first line of defense,” said Mayor Lou Barletta, reading a nine-page statement at the beginning of Thursday’s meeting.
Barletta said he proposed the ordinance this week because many of the city’s new residents are illegal immigrants. Hazleton’s population has spiked from 23,000 to 31,000 in six years because of an influx of Hispanics.
Barletta said he doesn’t know how many of the new residents are illegal immigrants, but he noted illegal immigrants allegedly are responsible for a variety of recent crimes, including a homicide May 10 on East Chestnut Street.
About 50 people attended Thursday’s meeting, and about half of them applauded after Barletta read his opening statement.
Several speakers, including Leo Cordero and Anna Arias, opposed Barletta’s proposed ordinance.
“Please don’t close off the door,” said Cordero, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic.
Barletta asked Cordero if he was an illegal alien. Cordero started to cite his Social Security number then stopped in response to reactions from people in the meeting room.
Arias said she is “really offended” by the ordinance and said it “will haunt” Barletta.
“I support you mayor,” a man in the crowd responded.
Under the ordinance, the city would reject a business permit, the renewal of a business permit and city contracts or grants for a period of at least five years from a business’s last offense – hiring or attempting to hire an illegal alien, renting or leasing to illegal aliens, or funding or aiding in the establishment of a day-laborer center that does not verify legal work status.
By making English the city’s official language, all city communication, including signs and forms, could be only in English – unless it violates an explicit federal mandate.
“It really saddens me,” said Natalia Gomez, who told council her children are learning to speak multiple languages.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Lawsuits over this will be flying. Please send Mayor Lou Barletta words of encouragement!
http://www.hazletoncity.org/illegal_immigration_petition.htm
Hazelton is a small town in the middle of nowhere that's lost four percent of its population since 2000. I suspect the mayor is playing to the crowd to distract from local problems, which national immigration policy emphatically is not.
"Barletta said he proposed the ordinance this week because many of the city’s new residents are illegal immigrants. Hazleton’s population has spiked from 23,000 to 31,000 in six years because of an influx of Hispanics.
Barletta said he doesn’t know how many of the new residents are illegal immigrants, but he noted illegal immigrants allegedly are responsible for a variety of recent crimes, including a homicide May 10 on East Chestnut Street.
About 50 people attended Thursday’s meeting, and about half of them applauded after Barletta read his opening statement. "
The National Problem, becomes the local problem.
Pretty brazen for a Blue state! Seems like the opposite is happening in SF.
Hazleton sucks. The Politicians are corrupt and it is 30 years behind the times. Mayor Lou has neglected allot of things. This place need malls and a big updating!
"I suspect the mayor is playing to the crowd to distract from local problems"
No, I disagree that is the mayor's motive. I saw a Foxnews interview with the mayor -- he said there was recently a cold blooded gun murder in town in involving 4 illegals, a 14 year old illegal was carrying a handgun at a playground, Spanish gang related graffiti has been showing up around town and there was a Federal drug bust involving illegals in town.
That is a lot of bad events to happen to a small town of 31,000 people. Even if the mayor has other problems in the city, having all these illegal people there doesn't help the other issues.
TRANSLATION: Yup, he is an illegal, and was trying to deflect the issue by quoting the SSN he is using this week.
I was in Hazleton back 2003 or so and was struck by how dilapidated part of the town was and how many apparent illegals were around.
I'd be curious to know what documentation tenants must provide to landlords to indicate that they are legally in the US. Will landlords be charged if they accept documentation that later is determined to be fake?
I saw that there were lawsuits mentioned for possible "violation of civil rights."
The question is, how can an illegal alien have any civil rights? Aren't civil rights reserved ONLY for people legally residing (whether a citizen or not) in the United States?
>>>I saw that there were lawsuits mentioned for possible "violation of civil rights." The question is, how can an illegal alien have any civil rights? Aren't civil rights reserved ONLY for people legally residing (whether a citizen or not) in the United States?
It may not be the illegal alien as much as the legal alien that would have the lawsuit. It will depend on how the law is applied and enforced. Will every tenant have to provide documentation or will landlords only be required to check the documentaion of those they suspect of being illegal (more than likely Hispanics)?
I'm sick and tired of having my tax dollars support these leeches so we can float Mexico's economy!
According to the numbers in the articles, the population has grown, not diminished.
I suspect the mayor is playing to the crowd to distract from local problems, which national immigration policy emphatically is not.
When the national policy is a failure, it emphatically becomes local problems. It seems the mayor is trying to find solutions to those problems caused by that failure at the national level for his legal citizens. I suspect we need an "illegal immigrant supporter alert" for Grut's post.
At least it will concentrate the problems where the liberal jackasses can be the ones paying for them.
I was disappointed to hear the mayor say that the current language states that employers KNOWINGLY hired illegals, or that rental space was KNOWINGLY given to illegals.....but, the mayor also said that talks are on-going to determine what documentation will specifically be needed.
One thing he mentioned that I was not aware of is that the employers of illegals will include the revocation of business permits of, for instance, a branch, subsidiary, etc. of businesses outside of Hazleton, that are known to hire illegals.
From City Data.com:
Population (year 2000): 23,329
Est. population in July 2004: 22,319 (-4.3% change)
?
Well, if this passes, I will start going to Hazleton more often. I had a project there, and I can see why there's a push for this initiative...the beauty of the old days can still be seen past the loiterers, but if they don't take action soon, the grandeur will be lost forever.
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