Thread: Fremont Residents Get OK for Immigration Petition

Fremont Residents Get OK for Immigration Petition

Posted: Aug 28, 2008 11:14 AM EDT
Updated: Aug 28, 2008 11:15 AM EDT

FREMONT (AP) - Some residents in Fremont are moving ahead with a plan for a special election on a proposal targeting illegal immigrants.

Residents have gotten approval from City Clerk Kim Volk to circulate a petition to force a special election on a proposal to prohibit the harboring of - including renting to - and hiring illegal immigrants.

City Attorney Dean Skokan says the petition is similar to a proposed ordinance that failed to win City Council approval last month.

Petition organizers had to get approval from the city clerk before circulating the petition.
http://www.kptm.com:80/Global/story.asp ... =menu606_2

Go get em Fremont!

Published Thursday August 28, 2008
Fremont residents could vote on ordinance ousting illegal immigrants
BY JOHN FERAK
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

FREMONT, Neb. — A group of residents wants the entire community to have a voice in a recently failed City Council ordinance intended to drive illegal immigrants from Fremont.

The petition mirrors the wording of a proposed ordinance defeated at last month's City Council meeting. More than 1,000 people attended the meeting at which Councilman Bob Warner's proposal was decided.

It was the first attempt by a Nebraska city to crack down on illegal immigration.

Fremont resident Carl Schaffner said today that hundreds of Fremont residents remain bitter and angry with council members who voted against Warner's ordinance.

That's why Schaffner said he hopes the petition drive will garner enough signatures to force a citywide vote.

Fremont City Clerk Kim Volk said today that organizers have six months to collect enough valid signatures to force a special citywide election. Volk certified the group's ballot petition Tuesday. An initial petition contained flaws.

Three residents — Jerry Hart, Wanda Kotas and John Wiegert — are spearheading the petition effort.

Sharon K. Neuhalfen, deputy Dodge County clerk, said it appears that petition organizers need to collect at least 3,000 valid signatures to bring the special election to the city's 25,000 residents.

The earliest possible election is sometime next year, Volk said. It is too late to get the initiative on the Nov. 4 ballot.

In late July, Fremont Mayor Donald "Skip" Edwards broke a 4-4 deadlock, voting against Warner's proposed ordinance aimed at prohibiting illegal immigrants in Fremont.

Warner wanted Fremont to require contractors and employers that get licenses, permits or loans from the city to electronically verify a job applicant's immigration status.

The proposed ordinance said illegal immigrants place a fiscal burden on the city, increase the cost of public services and adversely affect wages. It also asserted that crimes committed by illegal immigrants harm the health, safety and welfare of legal residents.

Schaffner also is circulating petitions to get his name on the November ballot for Fremont mayor.

"This issue is not going to go away," he said. "It is time we stopped asking everyone else what they think about our town. I think for real Fremonters, a lot of people feel that their own opinion doesn't seem to matter."


• Contact the writer: 444-1056, john.ferak@owh.com
http://omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=10418138

City clerk OKs illegal immigration petition
By Don Bowen/Fremont Tribune
Thursday, Aug 28, 2008 - 10:28:36 am CDT

Fremonters have gotten approval from City Clerk Kim Volk to circulate a petition to force a special election so voters can decide on a proposal targeting illegal immigrants.

The proposal would prohibit the harboring of -- including renting to -- and hiring illegal immigrants.

Fremont city attorney Dean Skokan said the petition wording “is very similarâ€