Thread: NY: Troy City Council join clerks in protest

10/05/2007
Troy City Council join clerks in protest
By: Danielle Sanzone , The Record


TROY - In response to Gov. Eliot Spitzer's proposition to allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, the majority of the City Council passed a resolution Thursday opposing the recent plan.

The last-minute resolution, which was sponsored by Councilwoman Carolin Collier Skriptshak and Councilman Mark Wojcik, was approved 8-1 with Councilwoman Marjorie Mahar DerGurahian opposing the strongly-worded document.

"I think by passing this resolution, we are politicizing the issue and jumping on the bandwagon," said DeGurahian. "The wording in the first three paragraphs is shameful. ... This is not language that I agree with. It is too strong." In the fourth paragraph, DerGurahian said she felt that the City Council was implying that all illegal immigrants were terrorists and all terrorists were illegal immigrants.

The clause in the resolution that she referred to was: "Whereas, the Troy City Council is concerned for the safety of the residents of this city and state with regard to terrorists obtaining driver's licenses to legitimize their stay in this great country."

Despite ther complaints, the resolution passed since the majority of the elected officials agreed with the eight-paragraph document. "To allow illegal aliens to obtain a driver's license in the state of New York condones illegal immigration and flaunts the breaking of our laws, which we as elected officials are sworn to uphold," said Skriptshak. "While we support immigration, which is what this country was founded, it must be done legally and to the benefit of both the immigrant and the U.S. born citizens."

Last month, Spitzer announced the new policy which is still being phased in. The new plan calls for the state's Department of Motor Vehicles to issue new driver's licenses with a person's foreign passport instead of a social security card which was previously used in obtaining a license. Since this announcement, there has been a statewide outcry from county clerk offices and municipal officials.

"Our concern is for the safety of the residents of this city and state," said Wojcik. "We do not wish to support a law that would enhance or legitimize terrorists' activity. This country expends huge amounts of time, money and energy on trying to control the terrorist movement and this law would be a step backward. We will not support such action."

Also at Thursday's meeting, officials passed a resolution allowing up to a 50 percent tax exemption for first-time homeowners who purchase a newly-constructed house or make over $3,000 in improvements to an already existing property. The local law, which was unanimously passed, allows first-time homeowners to enjoy the tax exemption for no more than five years.

While a couple members of the audience voiced issues with the law, the council felt that it was a good way to attract new homeowners to the city.

With the newly-accepted law, taxes from the county, city, and school district will be cut a certain amount, depending on how long the resident has received the exemption. The homeowner gets a 50 percent exemption in the first year, a 40 percent exemption the second year, a 30 percent exemption the third year, 20 percent in the fourth year, and a 10 percent exemption the fifth year.


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Councilwoman Marjorie Mahar DerGurahian should be kicked out of office so fast her head should spin.

I was hoping more New Yorkers would come out against this Pro illegal proposition and they did. Many more should join them.

Jefferson County Clerk: licenses for undocumented aliens ok
Last Update: 3:22 pm

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Jefferson County Clerk JoAnn Wilder on new Driver's license requirements.

Jefferson County Clerk JoAnn Wilder says a driver's license was never intended as proof of U.S. citizenship.

She says that's getting lost in the heated debate over Governor Spitzer's proposal to issue drivers licenses to undocumented aliens.

This week the state county clerk's association took a hurried vote on a resolution opposing the Spitzer proposal. The results: 29 or 30 in favor, 4 against, 3 abstaining, and 16 not participating in the vote.

Wilder says it's the passport, not driver's license that should serve as proof of citizenship.

"The purpose of your driver's license is not to prove your citizenship. You have a passport for that. And if you don't have one, then you should go get one if you're going to be traveling or do anything that you need to prove citizenship for," Wilder said.

She said that under the Pataki administration and in the wake of 9/11 the state began collecting social security numbers during license applications to enhance security.

No longer requiring proof of citizenship on license applications merely returns to the status quo before those changes, Wilder said.

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