April 18, 2008 7:29 AM
According to Newsday, the anti-immigrant head of the Suffolk Legislature took advantage of Legislator Elie Mystal's family emergency to push IR 1105 through the legislature's Consumer Protection Committee. Mystal was in Miami trying to untangle problems his sister was having getting out of Haiti when Presiding Officer Bill Lindsay took the unusual step of joining the committee for the purpose of voting for the bill which will require contractors to fire undocumented immigrants or face permanent loss of thier licenses. Here is the LI Wins toolkit for fighting the bill. Please go to it to understand the arguments against the bill. Then call the legislators and express your outrage. All the contact info is in the toolkit. Finally, make plans to speak at the legislature a week from Tuesday on April 29.
YOUR CCONTRIBUTIONS ARE NOT WELCOME IN SUFFOLK OR ARE THEY?
IR1105 has been described as an economic disaster in the making. In fact, the Long Island Association (LIA) has clearly asserted the negative consequences of such bills. LIA suggests that the effects of IR1105 will be felt in both the short term and in the long term. Anti-immigrant bills that paint an intolerant picture of the sponsoring Counties, towns, etc., may in fact encourage some to leave but also discourage others to relocate there. Riverside, New Jersey is a good example -- check it out. Another example, Valley Park has just elected a new mayor thus replacing the incumbent whose intolerant policies were soundly rejected.
Call Suffolk County legislators urge them to oppose IR1105, Tell them you want an inclusive Suffolk County!!!
By Luis April 18, 2008 10:00 AM
Congrats Legislator Lindsay for taking advantage of a colleague's family-crisis to push through your agenda.
Bill Lindsay should be ashamed of himself...
By Lisa Votino-Tarrant April 21, 2008 11:58 AM