Thread: Mayor Rejects Call for English-Only Documents

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00816.html

Mayor Rejects Call for English-Only Documents

By Bill Turque
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, December 17, 2006; C04



Herndon will continue to print some official town documents in Spanish, according to its mayor, effectively tabling a proposal by a Town Council member to publish only in English as a way of prodding Hispanic immigrants to learn the language.

Mayor Stephen J. DeBenedittis said that after reviewing material printed in both languages, including a police advisory of constitutional rights and a brochure on smoke alarms, he is satisfied that the use of Spanish is justified.

"I think I am comfortable with where we are right now," he said. "I don't think we are translating too many things into Spanish."

DeBenedittis said that he wants the number of non-English documents kept to a minimum but that he does not see the need for council action.

"I'm comfortable with staff making the decision," he said. "I don't think we'll see an increase."

The English-only proposal was presented at the Nov. 28 council meeting by William B. Tirrell Sr., one of four new members elected along with DeBenedittis in May, after concerns were raised about the impact of illegal immigration on the town. It drew strong reactions from both sides.

A stream of letters denouncing the idea appeared in the Herndon Observer, one of the town's weekly newspapers. An e-mail poll of 700 residents posted on Vice Mayor Dennis D. Husch's "Cyber Advisory Committee" Web site found that 65 percent of those surveyed supported Tirrell's idea and 24 percent supported some limited translation.

In a letter to this week's Observer, Tirrell, who printed some of his campaign fliers in Spanish, said he looked forward "to a lively issue-oriented debate" on the matter.

But in an interview yesterday, he said he would not go forward with a formal proposal.

"I've said my piece," Tirrell said.

Local governments in the Washington region routinely print pamphlets and signs in more than one language. Fairfax County, for example, publishes traffic safety and child welfare material in Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese and Farsi.

In Herndon, where Latino immigrants make up about 26 percent of the town's 22,000 residents, five departments provide more than two-dozen brochures, violation notices, license applications and affidavits in Spanish.

Town Manager Stephen F. Owen said that after DeBenedittis reviewed the documents, the mayor "got comfortable" with the reasons for also printing them in Spanish. Owen said he did not know how much the city spends on Spanish-language documents but added: "The cost of not doing it would be greater than the cost to do it when it comes to people not understanding their Miranda rights or when to put out the trash."

Owen said that the discussion of the proposal "raised our understanding of the issue" and that any future decision to print additional documents in Spanish would be made only with careful deliberation.

Tirrell said his proposal "was not a matter of belittling any group of people." It reflected his concern, he said, about a lack of commitment by immigrants to learn English.

He would revive the issue, he said, if the town begins to print documents in multiple languages.

"I'm concerned that if we do [official documents in] Spanish, someone knocks at the door and says, 'My cousin speaks Lithuanian,' " Tirrell said. "Then we've got problems. I don't want to go there."

The council has passed a series of measures in recent months to discourage illegal immigrants from living and working in Herndon, located near Dulles International Airport.

The council is looking for a new operator for its day-laborer center who will ensure that workers seeking jobs are in the country legally and has also voted to require contractors to certify that their employees are legal.

English and English alone!

Funny, we did not to print everything in German, Polish, French, Italian etc...Our country is losing their minds...oh, yeah, and their country!

The best part of that article is at the bottom. They have passed other ordinances to discourage illegal immigration in their community.

Dixie

Originally Posted by Dixie

The best part of that article is at the bottom. They have passed other ordinances to discourage illegal immigration in their community.

Dixie

Yes isn't that a good one!