Thread: Bad petitioning? No way!!!

Some Want Names Off Farmers Branch Petition
Controversy, Confusion Continue In Farmers Branch

Raquel Eatmon
Reporting

(CBS 11 News) FARMERS BRANCH Some citizens in the city say petitioners are not stating the true intention of their request in gathering signatures.

The debate is over a petition drive led by a group called Let Voters Have The Last Say.

Organizers of the drive say they are gathering signatures so city councilman Tim O'Hare's proposed illegal immigration ordinances can be on a city-wide ballot. There must collect 7,000 signatures from registered voters.

Some residents who signed it, however, now want their names off the list because they feel misled.

"There's a number of individuals who feel like they were duped into signing the petition," one upset resident said in an email to CBS 11 News.

Petition organizers say they've done nothing wrong.

"Everybody that believes in democracy should be signing this petition." A supporter of the petition said.

O'Hare's ordinance wants to toughen illegal immigration laws in the city. One of the items, which makes English the city’s official language, passed last month.

In a series of 6-0 votes on Nov. 13, council members also approved fines for landlords and businesses that deal with illegal immigrants, and allowed local authorities to screen suspects in police custody to see if they are in the country illegally.

"We felt it was important that [all] the citizens of Farmers Branch vote on this issue --- not five white male Republicans, three of whom belong to the same church," says supporter and local businesswoman Elizabeth Villafranca.

The top of the petition states the intention” "To require vote pursuant to Farmers Branch City Chapter Article 11."

Long time resident Tim Scott said some citizens signed it under false pretenses.

“There have been all out deceits told to individuals who happen to be Hispanic who have been threatened and manipulated and have been told, if they don't sign the petition they could be as much deported."

Villafranca insists their approach is by the book.

"We are going out and telling them this is bipartisan effort; it doesn't matter if you are for or against the ordinance, the only thing that matters is that we want this to go to a public vote."

Tom Bohmier believes in the issue, but questions the tactics.

"If people want to change the direction of the ordinance, that's the will of the people, but it had to done in a fair, ethical and legal manner and it's not."

Petition organizers plan to deliver the signatures to City Hall on Monday.

Distressed residents will ask the city council to dismiss the petition, investigate each signature and re-do the petition drive.

This is hilarious!
So they threatened people? Legal people?

Uh ohhhhhhhhhh Looks like they cut their own legs off before they made it to the finish line.

.

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/w ... d700f.html

Push for Farmers Branch public vote on immigration

07:37 PM CST on Saturday, December 9, 2006

By BOB GREENE / WFAA-TV

WFAA-TV
The volunteers only needed about a 100 more signatures to get to the 726 required to qualify as a legal petition. Also Online

Bob Greene reports
FARMERS BRANCH - The fight is far from over in Farmers Branch, especially for members of the Hispanic community and others who argue that city's new ordinances on immigrants go too far.

"They feel like the city has operated out of a vacuum and it does not clearly represent their interests," said Michael Gonzales.

So today Gonzales and other volunteers went from property to property, door to door, to get signatures for a petition asking Farmers Branch to put the newly passed ordinances up for public vote.

In particular, they want a vote on the portion that requires property owners to verify citizenship before leasing apartments and homes to potential tenants.

"I think they're going to be losing a lot of residents that just won't put up with that type of scrutiny... and they shouldn't," said Gerry Henigsman from the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas.

They only needed about a 100 more signatures to get to the 726 required to qualify as a legal petition and they got plenty of signatures today.

Farmers Branch mayor Bob Phelps says, if a petition is presented Monday, by law the city will either have honor the petition by putting the ordinance to vote or resend the ordinance all together.

Councilman Tim O'Hare - who originally proposed the ordinances - is not opposed to the petition.

"I think it's a good thing. I support the idea behind it," he said.

But he believes, in the end, it won't make a difference.

"This isn't about Tim O'Hare... this isn't about Farmers Branch city council, it's about what the people of Farmers Branch want. I think what we'll find is that the people overwhelmingly want to see these measures passed," he added.

“There have been all out deceits told to individuals who happen to be Hispanic who have been threatened and manipulated and have been told, if they don't sign the petition they could be as much deported."

I don`t believe that.

It sounds like their trying interpet from a letter sent to illegals here in California.

http://cbs11tv.com/local/local_story_342170302.html

Dec 11, 2006 4:10 pm US/Central

Deadline Approaches For Farmers Branch Petition

Raquel Eatmon
Reporting

(CBS 11 News) FARMERS BRANCH Controversy is brewing in Farmers Branch over a petition drive by a group called 'Let the Voters Decide.'

Inside the group's campaign headquarters, the message is clear: gather as many valid signatures on their petition by December 11. This organized effort is pushed by a diverse group made up of friends, residents, and community leaders, all wanting the Farmers Branch City Council to hear their voice, and the voice of the people.

The group is against Farmers Branch city councilman Tim O'Hare's proposed ordinances, which would toughen illegal immigration laws in the city. One of the items, which makes English the city's official language, passed last month. In a series of 6-0 votes on November 13, council members also approved fines for landlords and businesses that deal with illegal immigrants, and allowed local authorities to screen suspects in police custody to see if they are in the country illegally.

The petition drive could change these moves. The goal is to force city council members to repeal the ordinances or put the issue on the ballot come May 12. According to city leaders, a minimum of 721 signatures (5 percent of the Farmers Branch registered voters) is required.

Travis Carter, a volunteer for the group and president of Carter Public Relations, said, "What we're finding is that hundreds and hundreds of people in this community have an interest in this issue, and they want a public vote in the issue."

"We felt it was important that the citizens of Farmers Branch vote on this issue, not five white male Republicans, three of whom belong to the same church," said local businesswoman and volunteer for 'Let the Voters Decide' Elizabeth Villafranca.

They've been pounding the pavement for two weeks, targeting neighborhoods of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Villafranca said, "We've been over by the country club and working class neighborhoods and everything in between."

"Everybody that believes in democracy should be signing this petition," a supporter said.

Farmers Branch resident Maria Sordeno signed the petition on Sunday and said, "It's very important, because it is for my people and it's not fair."

Some residents, however, claim that petitioners are using unfair and deceitful tactics to collect signatures, and not stating the true intention of their request. They now want their names off the list because they feel misled.

"There's a number of individuals who feel like they were duped into signing the petition," one upset resident said, in an e-mail to CBS 11 News.

Kirstin Heckt, a Farmers Branch resident of more than three years, said that she was contacted last week by some petitioners. She said that she didn't sign. "They repeatedly said it was just the process, and I thought that felt like that was a little strange, I thought. Well, I felt like the citizens were given the opportunity to voice their opinions at meeting, on the phone and e-mails."

Long time resident Tim Scott said some citizens signed the petition under false pretenses. “There have been all out deceits told to individuals who happen to be Hispanic, who have been threatened and manipulated and have been told if they don't sign the petition they could be as much deported," he said.

In a statement, councilman O'Hare said: "I have received a number of e-mails from people that I do not know, and they say they have been deceived. I fully support the idea to petition the city government and we will review the petitions soon."

The top of the petition simply states: "To require vote pursuant to Farmers Branch City Chapter Article 11."

According to city leaders, 14 people have already taken steps to have their names removed.

Villafranca insists that the group has done nothing wrong, and that they have collected more than enough names to repeal the illegal immigration ordinances, or to let the voters have a say on the issue. "We are going out and telling them this is bipartisan effort; it doesn't matter if you are for or against the ordinance. The only thing that matters is that we want this to go to a public vote."

Tom Bohmier believes in the issue, but questions the tactics. "If people want to change the direction of the ordinance, that's the will of the people, but it had to done in a fair, ethical and legal manner, and it's not," he said.

The group has said that it is prepared to deliver more than 700 signatures from registered voters to City Hall on December 11, but no petition has been submitted yet. The actual deadline for the the petition is December 13.

Regardless of the outcome, O'Hare said that he is confident the ordinances will pass by a huge margin. Others beg to differ. Carter said, "No, we're not nervous about it."

Councilman O'Hare said that the council will review the petitions in early January. He isn't sure how long the process might take.

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

The top of the petition is in English only and the instruction portion below the signature line is in English and Spanish.

No telling what the Spanish speakers were told they were signing.

Dixie

okay folks, i can throw my two cents in on this topic as i live in the dallas area and have heard reports on the tv like those mentioned above.
however, i also heard two people call into a local call in show and
one man told about how he came out of Kroger and was told that the petition was in regard to alcohol sales. two hours later someone came to his house and asked him about signing a petition, and he said. you mean the one on the alcohol sales. and the person said no. the one about the immigration ordinances. that is when he got suspicious and he didnt sign a second time.

the second person also said he was told that it was to put alcohol on the ballot, too

Wow...I am just...NOT shocked by the above article and by the desperate cheating by the other side in this. Of course, some of their own petitioners probably had no idea what the petition was about. What a very poorly organized group of unamerican racists! I look forward to seeing these ordinances get voted in, again. These people get the bad attention they deserve.

http://www.news8austin.com/content/head ... 36&SecID=2

Petition forces action on Farmers Branch immigrant rental law
12/28/2006 3:50 PM
By: Associated Press

FARMERS BRANCH, Texas -- A Farmers Branch ordinance requiring landlords to verify the immigration or citizenship status of apartment renters could be headed to a city vote.

City officials say a petition drive by opponents of the measure collected enough valid signatures to force the City Council to reconsider the issue.

The council can repeal the ordinance or call for a special election.

Tom Bryson, a spokesman for the Dallas suburb, says the petition drive gathered at least 908 valid signatures, more than the 721 required.

The Farmers Branch City Council passed the measure last month. It was part of a series of anti-illegal immigration rules adopted by the city.

The rules have attracted a lot of attention, including two lawsuits challenging their legality.

The council can repeal the ordinance or call for a special election.

908 < Rest of City i think it should go to a vote.... IF all of the signitures can be validated