Thread: Official Waffles on Avon Park Measure

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ ... 10378/1039

Published Friday, July 21, 2006

Official Waffles on Avon Park Measure
Councilwoman Brenda Gray voices qualms about illegal- immigration plan.

By Kevin Bouffard
The Ledger


AVON PARK -- Councilwoman Brenda Gray, the swing vote on passage of Avon Park's controversial illegal immigration ordinance, said she is rethinking her support for the measure, scheduled for a final vote Monday.

"I'm not sure today," Gray told The Ledger on Wednesday evening from her front porch. "This whole ordinance as stated is written poorly. Some things stated as facts, I don't know that they are facts."

Gray added that she doesn't accept the ordinance's initial premise that "illegal immigration leads to higher crime rates, contributes to overcrowded classrooms and failing schools, subjects our hospitals to fiscal hardship and legal residents to substandard quality of care and destroys our neighborhoods . . ."

However, Gray said, she does think housing code enforcement and other problems stemming from illegal immigration "diminishes our overall quality of life," as the ordinance also states.

The ordinance, which has brought unprecedented national media attention to the city of nearly 9,000 residents in northern Highlands County, would prohibit the city from giving a business license, contract or grant to any business "that aids and abets illegal aliens or illegal immigration for a period no less than five years from its last offense."

It would also make English the official language of the city and would bar any municipal business in any other language.

The councilwoman voted for the proposed ordinance on first reading at the June 26 meeting, even though she had seen it only hours earlier, she said. It passed 3-2.

None of the other four council members has indicated they are reconsidering their votes.

Gray said she had intended to vote for the ordinance at Monday's council meeting, when it is scheduled for a final vote, until she heard about outgoing City Attorney Michael Disler's remarks made Saturday.

"I was stunned at the city attorney's comments," she said.

In a July 13 Ledger story, Disler called the ordinance poorly drafted and unconstitutional. It was the first time the city attorney, who played no role in drafting the ordinance, had commented on it publicly.

Two days later, at a special council meeting on the new municipal budget, the five-person council voted unanimously to dismiss Disler. Gray said she was upset that Disler did not comment on the ordinance during the June 26 council meeting.

"He should have told us something. If that were the case, it would not have gotten this far. It could have saved a lot of grief," the councilwoman said.

The legal questions raised by Disler have caused her to reconsider her support, Gray said. She initially supported the ordinance because of concern about illegal immigration stemming from her work as a state parole and probation officer in Sebring.

"That's why I can't approve of anybody breaking the law. That's my job. That's near and dear to my heart," she said.

Gray said she wouldn't support the ordinance if she concludes it is unconstitutional and that she needs to do more research on the question before Monday's meeting. But she acknowledged that question might not be resolved by next week without a city attorney.

In addition to constitutional questions, Gray said she also agreed with Disler that the ordinance is vaguely worded. She pointed to how city officials enforcing the law would define "aid and abet."

Despite her concerns, Gray would not say Wednesday whether she would vote for or against the ordinance or even whether she would seek to delay a final vote to study the issues further.

One reason for her indecision is that the ordinance has strong support from Avon Park's black community, according to Gray, the council's only black representative.

"The majority of the black community is expressing wishes for the ordinance to be passed. They say it's been a long time needed," she said.

Out of some 100 black residents who've spoken to her about the ordinance, only two expressed opposition, Gray said. Both gave no reason for their opposition beyond saying it's not right.

One strong supporter of the ordinance was Willie Jenkins, 58, a lifelong Avon Park resident who was visiting Gray that evening.

"My main concern is jobs (taken by illegal immigrants) are not going to be limited to migrant jobs," Jenkins said. "You're going to have jobs at Winn-Dixie and Kmart that citizens could get that will go to illegal immigrants just because they can speak Spanish. We've got high school (graduates) looking for jobs, and they can't get them because they're not bilingual."

Gray agreed the black community supported the ordinance in part because of a long-standing competition with the Hispanic community for good jobs and housing.

The councilwoman pointed to the Palms of Lake Tulane, a new public housing development in her neighborhood where most residents are Hispanic. The rules used to determine eligibility for public housing, such as no misdemeanor or felony convictions in the past five years, disqualifies many black applicants, she said.

Gray said she was sensitive to the criticism raised by many Hispanic residents that the ordinance is discriminatory, but she rejected it.

"I don't believe the ordinance is discriminatory because it identifies only illegal immigrants," she said. "I want to be fair to the citizens of Avon Park."

Gray added that she doesn't accept the ordinance's initial premise that "illegal immigration leads to higher crime rates, contributes to overcrowded classrooms and failing schools, subjects our hospitals to fiscal hardship and legal residents to substandard quality of care and destroys our neighborhoods .

WHAT

Anybody have her email? There is so much documentation...how can she say such a thing?

Gray added that she doesn't accept the ordinance's initial premise that "illegal immigration leads to higher crime rates, contributes to overcrowded classrooms and failing schools, subjects our hospitals to fiscal hardship and legal residents to substandard quality of care and destroys our neighborhoods . . ."

They have got to her. Either she's been paid off or threatened..something that no one can prove. This is how they operate. The pro-new world order scumbags WILL have their way. But of course, mabey the woman is in a state of denial or extremely uninformed.

When Avon Park first got national news coverage. I wrote a letter of support to Mayor Tom Macklin. I had trouble finding an e-mail for him specifically but did find one for city hall and sent it there. They inturn forwarded to Mr Macklin and I guess other Council members. Mr Macklin responded to me and included my original e-mail and the forward. One of the names they forwarded to was Brenda Gray

Here is the e-mail that is associated with Brenda Gray:
taylor21@peoplepc.com

Here also is Mr Macklin:
tmacklin2@earthlink.net

And here is City Hall:
cbshirey@avonpark.cc

Please do write.

Thanks, alturact,

I'm going to email some documentation to her....

Anyone else game????????????

CP,

I'll call her up and give her an ear full about TEXAS! The great state GW left behind.

Brenda, you need to check out the Texas Hospitals that are left. Check the bankrupt files for the California ones. Check out how Texas and California children are doing compaired to the national level. Look at their per child expense. Yep, ESL classes, teachers and books cost extra. Don't for get all the free lunch programs. 33% of our prisons are housing illegal immigrants...

Maybe we should send her a link to Alipac.

Dixie

Great, Dixie,

Thanks! Pat

Perhaps Ms. Gray should read a transcript of her own comments. Sounds to me like she is really digging hard to find reasons not sign the measure into law. I have to ask myself why that is, because she has certainly made plenty of comments that should give her reason to sign.

"That's why I can't approve of anybody breaking the law. That's my job. That's near and dear to my heart," she said.

One reason for her indecision is that the ordinance has strong support from Avon Park's black community, according to Gray, the council's only black representative.

Out of some 100 black residents who've spoken to her about the ordinance, only two expressed opposition, Gray said. Both gave no reason for their opposition beyond saying it's not right.

Gray agreed the black community supported the ordinance in part because of a long-standing competition with the Hispanic community for good jobs and housing.

"I don't believe the ordinance is discriminatory because it identifies only illegal immigrants," she said. "I want to be fair to the citizens of Avon Park."

Bump

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Small town, big controversy
Sunday, July 23, 2006

Many illegal immigrants have long called the small Highlands County town of Avon Park home, but controversy started brewing at city hall three weeks ago when Mayor Tom Macklin presented an ordinance to the city council that would ban businesses from hiring illegal immigrants and prohibit landlords from renting to them.

"The way I look at it, a lot of people are going to move from here," said church pastor Jose Martinez. "Our churches are going to suffer. Our businesses are going to suffer."

Martinez has watched the population of his Spanish-speaking church boom the last two decades.

"It's a place that got a lot of working opportunities, especially for families who work in the groves and farm businesses," said Martinez.

An estimated 20 percent of the city's 8,500-hundred residents are Hispanic, many of whom worry what their futures will hold if the Illegal Immigration Relief Act passes.

"We're praying about it," said Martinez.

The proposal, which would also make English Avon Park's official language, has the whole town talking.

"If a man's willing to work and work hard for a good day's pay, let him work," said Avon Park resident Richard Decker. "I don't care where he comes from."

The mayor's ordinance maintains illegal immigration leads to higher crime rates, contributes to failing schools, and destroys neighborhoods. It passed 3-2 during its first reading. On Monday night, community members will get one more chance to speak about the proposal at a public hearing, and then the council will take a final vote.

http://baynews9.com/content/36/2006/7/2 ... ontroversy