Thread: Shenandoah makes English official language

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Shenandoah makes English official language
Monday, 19 June 2006
By MIA LIGHT
shenandoah@standardspeaker.com
English is the official language of the Borough of Shenandoah. Borough council on Monday by unanimous vote proclaimed English as the official language of the Borough of Shenandoah, establishing that all documents, orders and directives, proclamations, resolutions and ordinances and communications of every sort will be communicated in one language: English.
The action came on the heels of council directing its solicitor to prepare an ordinance fashioned after the Illegal Immigration Relief Act Ordinance that Hazleton City Council on the recommendation of Mayor Lou Barletta, recently approved on its first of three readings.
According to borough Manager Joseph Palubinsky, Shenandoah’s version of the ordinance would primarily address landlords who knowingly rent properties to illegal immigrants.
“I don’t want to come out and say that we’re going to copy Hazleton’s ordinance, but we’re going to use it as a guideline,” Palubinsky said. “There’s a general fear that if (Hazleton) passes this ordinance and if we don’t do something now, any illegal people living there are going to come down here. So we want to make sure that we’re doing something to address both present and future illegal immigrants taking up residence in the community.”
According to solicitor Michael O’Pake, the motion and its subsequent unanimous vote, to establish English as the official language of Shenandoah is sufficient to establish English the borough’s official language.
The borough’s other intended action, which would impose fines upon landlords who knowingly rent to illegal aliens, will require adoption by ordinance.
Palubinsky was in contact with Hazleton City offices prior to Monday’s council meeting and acquired a printed copy of the city’s proposed ordinance, which O’Pake will use as a guideline in drafting Shenandoah’s proposed ordinance in time for next month’s regular council meeting.
Shenandoah council is expected to include in its ordinance similar language to the Hazleton ordinance, which declares: “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 and diminishes our overall quality of life.”
The Hazleton ordinance, in addition to prohibiting illegal aliens from leasing or renting property and subjecting the property owner who violates the ordinance by knowingly renting or leasing to an illegal alien to a fine of not less than $1,000, also prohibits businesses from aiding and abetting illegal aliens or illegal immigrants by providing them with employment. Such businesses would be denied business permits, denied renewal of business permits, and denied city contracts or grants or a period of not less than five years.
According to Palubinsky, the proposed Shenandoah ordinance would not likely contain business penalties, but would primarily address landlords who knowingly rent or lease to illegal immigrants.
O’Pake said Shenandoah’s ordinance would be “designed to curtail illegal immigrants from establishing a residence in the borough and would put the burden on the landlord to make sure that anybody they rent to has legal status.”
Monday’s motion and unanimous action to designate English as the official language of the Borough of Shenandoah is not intended to require people doing business in the borough to speak English, the solicitor said.
“This is not designed to require everyone doing business in Shenandoah to speak English. That’s not enforceable. As much as some people may want to see that, that’s just not enforceable,” O’Pake said.
While council’s unanimous voice vote on Monday to make English the official language of the Borough of Shenandoah is effective immediately, the solicitor said the action would be indelibly established in the ordinance as well, as in the Hazleton ordinance which states that, “unless explicitly mandated by the federal government, the state of Pennsylvania or the City of Hazleton, all official city business, forms, documents, signage, telecommunications or electronic communication devices will be conducted or written in or utilize English only.”
Other area municipalities, including McAdoo, Freeland, Hazle Township and West Mahanoy Township, are considering similar measures modeled after Hazleton’s proposal.

While council’s unanimous voice vote on Monday to make English the official language of the Borough of Shenandoah is effective immediately, the solicitor said the action would be indelibly established in the ordinance as well, as in the Hazleton ordinance which states that, “unless explicitly mandated by the federal government, the state of Pennsylvania or the City of Hazleton, all official city business, forms, documents, signage, telecommunications or electronic communication devices will be conducted or written in or utilize English only.”
Other area municipalities, including McAdoo, Freeland, Hazle Township and West Mahanoy Township, are considering similar measures modeled after Hazleton’s proposal.

JIM....you're on a roll this morning!

This is fabulous news coming out of Pa! Once Hazleton's mayor got courage, it began to snowball. These people obviously are smart enough to realize that ILLEGALS will just bowl over one town after another when no one has the guts to stand up to them.

Add Vento from Philly and I'd say Penn. stands out as the #1 State in the US right now & shares the spot with Georgia & her Gov.