Thread: Foes of Farmers Branch delay petition

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 9ed6f.html

Opponents of illegal immigrant rule plan to file papers Wednesday


11:02 PM CST on Monday, December 11, 2006
By STEPHANIE SANDOVAL / The Dallas Morning News

A group of residents hoping to force a public vote on a Farmers Branch ordinance banning apartment owners from renting to illegal immigrants didn't turn in their petition Monday as they had hoped.

But they plan to submit it Wednesday, organizers said Monday night.

The volunteers had planned to submit signatures before the City Council meeting Monday, but they opted to take the remaining two days before the deadline to wrap up their effort.

If they get more than 726 signatures of registered voters – validated by the city secretary's office – they would force the council to repeal the ordinance or let the voters decide, City Attorney Matthew Boyle said.

Meanwhile, some opponents of the ordinance appealed to the City Council on Monday to rescind their decision on the ordinance.

No council action
While the agenda included several citizen-requested items from opponents of the ordinance, the council did not take action on those items. They could, however, bring them back for a vote later.

"I had hoped to achieve a revote," Farmers Branch resident Chris McGuire said. "They didn't feel it was appropriate at this time."

Supporters of the ordinance said there's no reason for the council to reconsider. Some displayed signs outside City Hall on Monday afternoon reading: "Thousands of residents spoke in favor of the rental ordinance. Are you deaf?"

Also Online
WFAA-TV's Bob Greene reports
Tom Bohmier, a Farmers Branch resident and one of the leaders of supportfarmersbranch .com, said thousands of residents responded to surveys showing their support for the city's actions.

He also said support was overwhelming among those who spoke at City Hall since council member Tim O'Hare suggested in August that the city crack down on illegal immigrants.

"The City Council heard they should do this," Mr. Bohmier said. "The people that aren't happy about it are sore losers, so they turned to a petition to get a vote."

Petitioners also have been accused of lying or failing to tell voters that the petition was to rescind the ordinance.

Mr. Bohmier and other supporters said they want the petitions thrown out. But city attorney Matthew Boyle said the signatures can't be thrown out unless they are not from registered voters.

Name verification
Several residents asked the City Council on Monday to verify that all signatures on petitions are not only registered voters, but are in the United States legally. They said they fear many illegal residents may be registered to vote.

Leaders of the petition group said that they've operated aboveboard and that people who want their names removed from the petition need either to contact them or file an affidavit with the city.

"Regardless of what people say, we've done nothing wrong," resident Salvador Parada said.

Besides asking that the council repeal the ordinance, opponents have criticized the council for voting before residents had a chance to see the official text and make comments.

Resident Paul Heller on Monday asked that in the future, the council ensure proposed ordinances are available in writing for residents to review and comment on before the council votes. He proposed having a first hearing on ordinances, a second hearing and then a vote.

"At least for everything the council does to the extent that it is a controversial or complicated issue," Mr. Heller said.

Resident Jim Manning also had asked the council to pass an ordinance that no city funds be used to pay the legal costs of any lawsuits related to immigration issues.

Resident Guillermo Ramos filed a lawsuit earlier this month accusing the council of violating the state's open meeting laws by discussing the ordinance behind closed doors, then voting on it before residents could comment on it.

Other groups have threatened lawsuits.

"You have chosen to do this against at least a minority of your citizens," Mr. Manning said. "You should have a right to pay for it yourselves and not take it out of any funds of the city of Farmers Branch."

Opponents and supporters of the ordinance had called for people to attend Monday's meeting, but unlike other recent meetings, only a few residents attended.

He proposed having a first hearing on ordinances, a second hearing and then a vote.

NO! This is absolutely a stupid idea! This waste time and energy and boggs down the system. They have long enough to discuss the ordinace before passage. All the 1-2-3 vote junk is just a delay tactic. Waste of Time! Two councilmen can keep putting the votes off. That's crap!

Dixie

Here's even more crap

"You have chosen to do this against at least a minority of your citizens," Mr. Manning said. "You should have a right to pay for it yourselves and not take it out of any funds of the city of Farmers Branch."

How's that fuzzy logic? Using this fuzzballs logic, the dems should leave and the repubs should get back the power.....minority rules

How's that for flipping representative government on it's backside?

Allowing the minority voice to be louder than the majority has been going on for at least a decade or so. It is scary. The illegal immigration groups, gay and lesbian rights groups and groups battling Christian symbols like the Ten Commandments and the manger scene, etc., seem to get the attention and privilege over the majority in many cases. Last time I checked, more citizens are against amnesty for illegals, don't support the homosexual lifestyle, and aren't offended by the sight of the Ten Commandments nor a manger scene. In fact, I would bet my house that the MAJORITY of Americans are Christian, whether practicing or not.
The fact that the minority is getting more attention than the majority is what our Founding Fathers feared. I'm not saying the minority should not have a voice, but I am saying that the majority should still rule.

Did I just open a can of worms?

Mr. Manning the people that it impacts the most are illegal aliens not citizens and those citizens that it does impact are those making money in violation of American law at the expense of the general public.