Thread: Frederick County Adopts English as Official Language(MD)

April 24, 2008 - FREDERICK, Md.

Frederick County Adopts English as Official Language

Frederick County commissioners have declared English the official language of Frederick County government.

But the commissioners turned back a plan that would have required the county to produce documents in only the English langugage, when allowable by law.

The five-member board replaced Republican Commissioner Charles Jenkins' original proposal with a compromise resolution at its public meeting Thursday.

The resolution declaring English the county's official language passed by a 4-1 vote, with only Jenkins in opposition. The resolution has no impact on the language used in county documents.

In October, Jenkins' proposal to cut some county services to illegal immigrants was defeated, 3-to-2.

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0408/514130.html

What state is this county in? Did their state already vote English as the official language?

I'm finding already OFFICIAL English states being drawn to county and town.

Bills Created For Immigrant Crack Down
Reporting
Suzanne Collins
April 25, 2008

FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) ― A bill requiring English as the official language has raised controversy in Frederick County.

Suzanne Collins reports, a second effort to count illegal immigrant children has activists even more upset.

Berta Diaz owns a Spanish grocery store in Frederick. She says she came here illegally in 1983, but now she's a citizen and business owner.

She feels bills targeting the Hispanic community are unfair.

"Hurt feeling. Yea it is because they come and work hard in here like American people," said Diaz.

Frederick County Commissioner Charles Jenkins sponsored the English-only bill making headlines in the local paper.

He wanted to cut translation services which currently serve mostly Spanish speakers, but he says doing that in many languages could get costly.

"If I'm going to make an exception for you, how much more am I going to spend placating everybody else? And I'm willing to draw the line and say English is our language. We have one language," said Jenkins.

A watered down version of the bill passed that doesn't cut translations but does recognize English as official.

There is a second bill causing a lot of controversy. It would require that the Board Of Education in Frederick County count all the children who are here illegally.

The two bills are angering even traditional civil rights activists.

"You don't want them to feel that they are unwelcome or targeted or they are going to be come against by the government or whatever. So you want to treat all people fair," said Reverend Samie Conyers.

The commissioner who wants to count immigrant children says it could encourage immigration reform stalled in Washington.

"When it cost 15, 16, 17 thousand dollars per student, per year to educate children. if the number is relatively high, it doesn't take very long to get into the tens of millions of dollars," said Commissioner John Thompson.

A woman who volunteers to help immigrants says the bill's divisive and hurtful.

"I think it's wrong to take the education away from our young people. They are our future. I came to the states 47 years ago with no English. I learned English, and I'm doing very well," said Jeanie Cronin.

A hearing has not been held on the bill to count immigrant children in Frederick County schools.

http://wjz.com/local/immigrant.bill.cra ... 08897.html

But the commissioners turned back a plan that would have required the county to produce documents in only the English langugage, when allowable by law.

I applaud the effort, I really do. But why didn't they take it all the way to include the requirement that documents only be produced in English when allowable by law. Otherwise, this legislation is merely symbolic, with little pratical application without the English documents provision.

Added to Home Page
http://www.alipac.us/article3133.html

At least they are trying. They also have ICE training.
I live in they adjcent county that wont do anything except raise our taxes to pay for the unchecked services for illegals.

Originally Posted by paravour

At least they are trying. They also have ICE training.
I live in they adjcent county that wont do anything except raise our taxes to pay for the unchecked services for illegals.

I agree with you. I applaud their efforts and I wish more goverment systems would do the same.

This just sounds like election year CYOA BS by do nothing county politicians trying to make it appear like they are trying to do something for their constituents while still pandering to illegal alien invaders. After the election they'll go back to their sell out ways pandering to fat cat business interest and traitorous pro-illegal alien groups. Don't be fooled again. Vote alll of these bums on the local level out of office. This mess has happened on their watch. Let's send 'em a message that they can't ignore. Vote them out on every level...local, county, state and federal. Let's clean out the incumbents.