Councilor pushes for testing, fearing outbreak of disease
http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/ ... leid=12765
Councilor pushes for testing, fearing outbreak of disease
By Thor Jourgensen
Thursday, August 3, 2006
REVERE -- City inspectors would check local restaurant and food store workers for communicable diseases under a proposal by Ward 6 Councilor Mark Casella.
The North Revere councilor in a statement outlining his proposal called on city Health Agent Nicholas Catinazzo "to ensure that any and all undocumented and/or illegal immigrants" working in food service businesses "are healthy, disease free, and properly vaccinated, if necessary."
"Unfortunately, not everyone comes here legally," Casella said. "There are some foreigners who arrive on our shores without going through the proper channels. As much as we may sympathize with their desire to be here, we expect them to play by the rules in the same fashion as others that came before them."
His idea parallels one proposed by an elected official in the Cape Cod town of Sandwich. Douglas Dexter, a Board of Selectmen member, proposed fining or revoking the licenses of businesses that hire illegal immigrants.
Town of Milford health officials have also stiffened inspection requirements after an outbreak of tuberculosis in that community was blamed on food workers who were not property vaccinated.
Catinazzo said he wants City Solicitor Paul Capizzi to examine Casella's proposal before city officials move to implement it.
"I go along with it to a point. It is hard to say what it would take to implement it," Catinazzo said, noting that Revere has over 200 restaurants and food stores.
He assists the city food inspector - one of four inspectors under his jurisdiction - in checking stores and eateries to make sure they comply with state sanitation codes. "Our job is pretty tough as it is."
Catinazzo said franchise fast food restaurants are easier to inspect because they typically have sanitation procedures they follow.
Casella also wants "all undocumented workers who pursue legal status, after having lived here for a time without proper documentation, be required to pay back taxes (i.e., property and excise) to the City of Revere."
"Revere is a community of immigrants, but equally so, Revere is a community that is beholden to the laws of the Commonwealth and the country," he said.
