Thread: Cape to put businesses on notice concerning hiring of illega

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Saturday, January 20, 2007 — Time: 2:46:47 AM EST
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Cape to put businesses on notice concerning hiring of illegal aliens

By RYAN REITERMAN, reiterman@breezenewspapers.com


It’s very rare that city council receives a standing ovation after passing a resolution.

That’s what council got Monday night when it passed a resolution outlining state and federal laws regarding the hiring of illegal aliens for new and local businesses.

The statutes will be given to businesses when they apply for a local business tax receipt or a building permit.

Americans Standing Tall, a group of local citizens who for months have petitioned council to enforce state laws on illegal immigration, stood up and cheered when council passed the resolution 7-1. Councilmember Mickey Rosado voted against it.

“The council took a giant step forward,” said Anthony Maida, co-founder of Americans Standing Tall. “It puts companies on notice.”

The group started petitioning council in the summer, asking the board to pass illegal immigration ordinances similar to ones passed in other states. Those ordinances punish companies for hiring illegal immigrants, and property owners from renting to illegal immigrants.

But several groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, are challenging the ordinances in court.

Council maintained illegal immigration was a federal-government issue, and it would be up to them to enforce the laws. Police Chief Rob Petrovich said his department was doing everything it could to enforce the laws.

Americans Standing Tall began meeting with individual council members to see if there was something, anything, they could do. One option was making sure businesses knew exactly what the laws are regarding the hiring of illegal immigrants.

The resolution was drafted, and council voted on it Monday night during its first meeting of 2007. Before council voted, Americans Standing Tall was unhappy with the language of the resolution.

The original resolution stated businesses simply had to sign that they received a copy of the laws. Nothing stated they were in compliance with the laws, or would adhere to the laws.

“If you pass it, it’s a worthless piece of paper,” Maida said. “It doesn’t do anything.”

Council agreed to add the compliance language, but some council members still questioned the effectiveness of the resolution.

“What does it do to stop the existing problem?” said Councilmember Alex LePera. “Enforcement is what our problem is. What does this actually do?”

“It won’t solve the problem of illegal immigration, but it does send out the right message,” said Mayor Eric Feichthaler.

A standing ovation! Imagine that! Another example of how people are fed up with our feds not doing anything to address this issue.

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It’s very rare that city council receives a standing ovation after passing a resolution.

They are getting one right now too!

Three cheers!!

Cape Coral Reverses Decision

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 0770122044


Also tonight, the council didn't get a chance to vote on Councilman Richard Stevens' plan to form a committee to look at the illegal alien worker situation in Cape Coral. He withdrew the proposal.

“I will not pursue that anymore,” Stevens said. “We don’t have to do anything more.”

Stevens proposed the committee after members of the group Americans Standing Tall, lobbied the council to enforce immigration laws. But members of the same group said that that they didn't want the committee.

But the council did reverse a previous vote to approve a resolution that required the city to give business owners and building permit applicants copies of state and federal employment laws about hiring aliens.

Stevens faced an uphill task to form the illegal worker committee.

Three members of the council -- Bertolini, Tim Day and Feichthaler -- said during a workshop this afternoon that they were not in favor of the committee. Councilman A.J. Boyd was absent today, so Stevens needed the support of the remaining three members to set it up.

The intention was not to send people out to check employment records, Stevens said.

“No ethnic group is targeted. There are illegal immigrants in this country from all over,” Stevens said.

“We know this is a national problem. I want to know how it affects Cape Coral,” Stevens said.

But Mayor Eric Feichthaler said he saw no benefit for the city from the committee.

"It is a difficult issue,” Feichthaler said. “It can only be divisive.”

Stevens decided to withdraw the proposal after two members of Americans Standing Tall said they didn't want the committee.

"Just enforce the laws," said member Sid McKenna.

Councilwoman Dolore Bertolini asked for reconsideration of the resolution because of requirements to ask businessowners and applicants to sign a notarized form attesting to their compliance with the laws.

"I'm hurt that they killed this thing," said Tony Maida, leader of the Americans Standing Tall group. "The city officers and administration don't want to get involved in enforcing immigration laws."

Mary Ann Redman, who also is a spokeswoman for the group said more than 700 people signed a petition to have the city council address illegal immigration issues and more have added their names over the past few months.

"They just killed it. It's a sad day for Cape Coral," Redman said.

Mayor Eric Feichthaler opposed the resolution because it singled out immigration laws. It didn't require the city to distribute copies of worker safety laws, he said.

“I saw this as more information,” Day said. “I can’t see throwing this out.”

It will help businesses avoid making a mistake, Day said.

COWARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just like here in California!
The answer is getting more clear on how this will be handled and who has to handle it.