Thread: I could also go around and create a nightmare for the city

"I could also go around and create a nightmare for the city, a huge nightmare for the city"


Guridy seeks compromise on immigration
City councilman calls his proposal alternative to Hershman's plan.
By Scott Kraus Of The Morning Call Allentown City Councilman Julio Guridy plans to offer a middle-ground alternative to Councilman Lou Hershman's immigration enforcement ordinance in the ongoing debate over what, if anything, to do about illegal immigration.

Guridy sent an e-mail to fellow members last week, warning that if they support Hershman's ordinance, he would be forced to offer a polarizing competing proposal that would lead to upheaval and division over the emotional issue.

Guridy said he received some expressions of support from his colleagues, but not as much as he expected.

''I am trying to get a middle ground type of legislation that is not offensive to anyone, first of all, and that we can all live with,'' Guridy said.

Guridy's resolution stops short of declaring Allentown a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants, a move recommended last week by Lazaro Fuentes, chairman of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of the Lehigh Valley. Instead, the resolution makes a symbolic statement in support of immigrants' rights.

The Chamber's ordinance would put the city on the record in support of — among other things — creating opportunities for immigrants to apply for legal permanent resident status.

Guridy's proposal puts Allentown on record against tough federal legislation that would build a border fence and make aiding illegal immigrants a criminal offense and declares that immigration enforcement is a federal issue.

It also commits the city to using the term ''undocumented immigrants'' rather than ''illegal aliens'' and expresses gratitude for the contributions of all immigrants to the city over the years, from Pennsylvania Germans to Latinos.

Guridy said he intends to bring his proposed resolution before council within the next few weeks.

Hershman's ordinance is scheduled for introduction and discussion at Wednesday's City Council meeting. It is less sweeping than his original call for sanctions against employers and landlords who hire and rent to illegal immigrants — a plan modeled after a similar proposal passed, and then recast, in Hazleton.

The new ordinance calls for the city to devote Police Department resources to the active enforcement of federal immigration laws.

''As an elected official, I took an oath of office to uphold the laws of our country, and illegal immigration violates the laws of our country,'' Hershman said.

Although his proposal is scheduled for discussion Wednesday, Hershman said he is asking Council President David M. Howells Sr. to set aside an additional date for discussion and a vote on the issue. Howells said no decision has been made.

Fuentes said he supports Guridy's proposal, even though it doesn't go as far as the sanctuary city proposal. The important thing to Chamber members, Fuentes said, is that the city not waste any of its scarce resources trying to enforce federal immigration laws when its police force is having trouble staying on top of the crime problem.

He said that in a sense, Allentown is already a sanctuary city because it passed an ordinance declaring itself one in the mid-1980s.

''Our mention of sanctuary has to do with the fact that the city has been one for 20 years and that is a better way to frame the debate … a lot of people in what they are writing are equating crime with Hispanics, and undocumented immigrants, and we're Hispanic,'' Fuentes said.

On Nov. 19, 1986, City Council passed a resolution declaring that ''the city of Allentown shall become a Sanctuary City'' recognizing efforts by the Lehigh Valley Friends Meeting and Lehigh Valley Sanctuary Support Group's efforts to offer safe homes to refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala, even if they hadn't been granted ''political refugee'' status by the U.S. government.

Guridy said his threat to stir up dissent was just a nod to the large number of people in the city who strongly oppose Hershman's plan.

''I could also go around and create a nightmare for the city, a huge nightmare for the city,'' Guridy said. ''And you know I could do it, stir up things if I want to. I do have the capability to do it, but I chose to do the opposite. Lou made his choice of wanting to be famous, like [Hazleton Mayor] Lou Barletta.''

Hershman said he's not looking for fame, just trying to represent the concerns of his own constituents.

''I expected something from Julio like this,'' Hershman said.



IMMIGRATION ALTERNATIVE

Proposal by Allentown City Councilman Julio Guridy in response to colleague Lou Hershman's immigration enforcement ordinance:

Expresses opposition to H.R. 4377, federal legislation that boosts border security and cracks down on illegal immigrants, making it a crime to assist them.

Recognizes immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and urges fair, compassionate federal legislation to reform immigration policy.

Requires city to use term ''undocumented immigrant'' rather than ''illegal alien.''

Expresses gratitude for contributions of all immigrants to the city.

Source: Julio Guridy
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1- ... 2650.story

Please visit the Focus Campaign and send them a letter.

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=39335

Oppose Guridy.

Dixie

Originally Posted by Dixie

Please visit the Focus Campaign and send them a letter.

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=39335

Oppose Guridy.

Dixie

Oh, I am going to do more than that. Im sending this gem out to the national list once I put it on the homepage.

W

Added to the homepage

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=N ... =1&thold=0

...when its police force is having trouble staying on top of the crime problem

.

Hmmm...I wonder if the increase in illegal alieans has anything to do with the crime problem?

"Requires city to use term ''undocumented immigrant'' rather than ''illegal alien.''

Come on. You can call a bank robber an unauthorized funds withdrawer but it still doesn't take away from the fact they have broken the law and that their action is not and should not be tolerated by the law or the public. I believe in calling something what it is and they are ILLEGAL ALIEANS, emphasis on the word ILLEGAL

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/allento ... 0321.story

This ran on or befor Oct. 9th in Morningcall

Allentown Pa to become next battle in Immigration debate

Allentown councilman plans to push for vote on immigration issue.

Allentown City Councilman Louis J. Hershman has revised his proposed illegal immigration law and plans to force the matter before council by collecting signatures from residents.

Under his new bill, city officials would be required to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

The police department would designate two officers to investigate and detain illegal immigrants. The department would also confirm the identities of people in police custody.

City officials would also verify residences of people when legal status is required by law, contract, and eligibility rules for a benefit, service or license.

Hershman’s original bill, which was never formally introduced because it didn’t receive a second from another councilman, would have penalized companies for hiring illegal immigrants and landlords for renting to them.

‘’I wasn’t looking for this to go to the courts,'’ Hershman said Monday at the last meeting of his ad hoc committee on illegal immigration. ‘’…This will satisfy everyone.'’

Hershman said he will use a city provision that allows an issue to go on City Council’s agenda if 35 registered Allentown voters sign a petition asking for it. He hopes to get his bill on the agenda for the mid-October meeting.

Then, Hershman said, he and fellow Councilman David Bausch will sign the ordinance, which will force a vote on it.

If the council votes against his bill, Hershman said he would try to get it on the ballot as a referendum. Labor unions would pitch in and work toward getting the needed signatures, he said.

Last Updated: November 14, 2006
Mayor to official: No more memos
Councilman ordered to stop sending notes to department heads.
By Scott Kraus Of the Morning Call After tackling the city's finances, settling its police pension dispute and taking on crime with a plan for video surveillance, Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski has focused on another of the city's pressing issues: an avalanche of ''unnecessary'' memos from Councilman Louis Hershman.

In a terse letter penned last week, Pawlowski ordered Hershman to stop sending memos to his department heads and directed him to send all future correspondence directly to him.

November 14, 2006
(Acrobat File) ''Your persistent and constant memos to my administrators are, to be blunt, an unnecessary intrusion on qualified individuals, who are doing an exemplary job for this city,'' Pawlowski wrote.

In the letter, which he released to the media Monday, he called the flow of memos from Hershman ''a constant barrage'' and a ''daily inundation'' and said they were ''completely'' disrupting the city's work flow.

''He's becoming a real detriment for productivity and morale in City Hall,'' Pawlowski said Monday in an interview. ''I have just decided to put my foot down and said enough is enough…it is incredibly time-consuming.''

Hershman said he sends the memos, which are frequent and often copied to the media, because he doesn't have time to make multiple phone calls seeking the same information. Plus, he said, former Mayor Joseph Daddona told him to ask questions in writing so people can't say they don't remember you asking.

Hershman said Pawlowski is hypersensitive to criticism and concerned mostly about his memos to Finance Director Larry Hilliard.

''He doesn't want anybody picking on Larry,'' Hershman said. ''I'm the only one asking questions. They don't like to be questioned. I'll bet you [Public Works Director] Peter Wernsdorfer, I didn't send him three memos all year.''

Last week, Hershman sent Hilliard a memo, with copies going to local media, begging him to ''wake up,'' make cuts and come up with additional revenue for the 2007 budget.

Hershman later apologized to Hilliard in a memo but did not forward that to the media. It was provided to The Morning Call by the mayor.

Many of Hershman's memos ask for time-consuming data on obscure topics that Hershman never refers to again, Pawlowski said, and are often used to bully others.

He said he provided the letter to the media because it's what Hershman does with his memos.

''He'll write some ludicrous thing or some ludicrous statement, insult myself or some Cabinet member,'' Pawlowski said. ''I'm doing to him what he does to all of us. I'm just copying you like he does on all his memos.''

Hershman said Pawlowski called him last week to advise him of the change in memo policy and was so harsh in the phone call that he plans to consult an attorney because it caused ''mental anguish.''

He did not say exactly what Pawlowski said, but said he simply will ask his questions at City Council meetings. Pawlowski brushed off the idea that his words caused anguish.

Councilman Julio Guridy said he understands why Pawlowski would decide to restrict Hershman's department head memo access.

''There has to be a concerted effort from council to get the correct information from the administration, but you have to be cognizant that they have a job to do…you can't be bombarding them with requests. Lou has a history of doing that,'' said Guridy, who has bumped heads with Hershman over immigration issues.

Whether serving on City Council or as controller, Hershman has had a love of memos going back many years.

Former Mayor Bill Heydt reserved a desk drawer for Hershman's memos and his responses. Heydt's successor, Roy C. Afflerbach, ordered council, and especially Hershman, to switch to e-mail for all correspondence in 2004 in order to conserve paper.

See Citizen Comments

I went and read the citizen comments and it sounds like they're warming up the tar for Mr. Mayor!

Instead, the resolution makes a symbolic statement in support of immigrants' rights. The Chamber's ordinance would put the city on the record in support of — among other things — creating opportunities for immigrants to apply for legal permanent resident status.

I'm going to echo boxersbear's comments. I don't see anyone opposing rights for immigrants. Immigrants are lawful entrants who actively seek citizenship in order to become part of the American melting pot. What we are talking about here and what Hershman's ordinance is addressing is unlawful invaders, many of whom actively seek "repatriation" of several US states to Mexico, which amounts to conspiracy to incite treason (among the Hispanic citizenry) and an act of war by foreign nationals.

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centreda ... 722302.htm

Posted on Tue, Oct. 10, 2006

Illegal immigration proposal meets Hispanic group's countermove
Associated Press

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Instead of an ordinance calling for more active enforcement of immigration laws, a Hispanic group proposes one that would declare the city an illegal immigration sanctuary.

The ordinance proposed by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of the Lehigh Valley would put the city on record in support of using the term "undocumented immigrant" rather than "illegal alien."

Like a measure passed May 8 in Cambridge, Mass., it would favor creating opportunities for immigrants to apply for legal permanent resident status.

"These are our huddled masses," said Lazaro Fuentes, chairman of the chamber.

The chamber's proposal was a response to a proposed ordinance by Councilman Louis Hershman, scheduled for discussion at an Oct. 18 City Council meeting, that would call for the city to take a more active role in enforcing federal immigration laws.

That proposal was forwarded to the City Council last Wednesday with a petition signed by 87 residents. If Hershman gets a second sponsor, the measure would be introduced at the Oct. 18 meeting, though it would not be voted on until November.

Fuentes forwarded the chamber's competing proposal to council members Martin Velazquez and Julio Guridy.

"We need to take the high ground and put forth another option to council that helps them to see another way for dealing with the situation," he said.

Fuentes said he wants the city to be seen as a place where immigrants are welcome and have full civil rights.

Guridy said he was reviewing Fuentes' proposal and proposals adopted by Erie, Trenton, N.J., and Princeton, N.J., and planned to introduce some alternative to Hershman's proposal.

Guridy said he did not think Hershman's proposal would pass, but wanted to settle debate over immigration that he said was dividing the city.

"I am looking for ideas," Guridy said. "We have to put a stop to this indefinitely. We can't continue to have this kind of legislation in our city."

Hershman said he would continue to pursue his proposal. "I think I have a better shot at passing mine than he has of his," Hershman said.


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Information from: The Morning Call, http://www.mcall.com