** Please visit our website: http://www.africanassociation.org **
The e-mail below was forwarde to the Lucha/CU and LaSup lists from ALder
Brenda Konkel. I am just the messenger, but think this information may
help you decide where YOU personally stand on this issue so you can take
the appropriate action for yourself. Hedi
****************************************
The e-mail exchange below leads me to believe that this may be
controversial at the next council meeting and it would be great to have
some supporters there to speak to this issue . . .
Amending Madison's 2005-2006 Program Funding Framework for Community
and Neighborhood Development to permit programs funded through the City
CDBG Office for homebuyer, rehab, and rental housing development to
offer assistance to undocumented immigrants who otherwise meet the
guidelines for those programs, and authorizing the City funded rehab
loans to undocumented immigrants.
b
Subject:
Re: [Emerson East Neighborhood Assn] Fw: Undocumented immigrants..get
city rehab loans?
From:
Margaret Bergamini <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 20 Apr 2005 23:44:26 -0500
To:
Robert Gibbons <[log in to unmask]>
CC:
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask]
Thanks for the heads up Robert. I think this is a very important issue
and I appreciate your effort to solicit citizen input so we all can be
heard. Having said that, I must also say that I respectfully disagree
with you and I amm cc'ing this to Brian and Brenda to let them know I
strongly support this amendment to permit undocumented persons to
participate in these critical housing initiatives for the following
reasons.
First, I believe that everyone in the world, regardless of their
citizenship status or geographical location has a right to decent
housing, and we have a moral obligation to to do our best to meet
those
needs.
Second, I know that immigrants pay local, state and federal taxes just
like you and I, whether as a part of their rent or via payroll taxes
or
via sales taxes, gas taxes, fees, and any other public funding
mechanism
you could think of. I can't think of any reason that would justify
excluding them from a program they help fund.
Finally I feel it would be indefensible for me, granddaughter of an
illegal immigrant, to turn around and tell other humans they should
be
denied the aid and the opportunity to contribute that my own ancestor
and we his descendants have enjoyed in the US. (Heck, I owe my very
existence to his illegal act.) How many among us who are descendants
of
immigrants know with a degree of certainty that our people all had the
proper papers when they migrated here?
Yes, there are sometimes great stresses and strains that come with
migration, economic and otherwise.Benefits flow as well, including
economic ones such as knowledge transfer, labor power, both of which
have specifically benefitted Madison and Dane County's economy for
generations, and in every income bracket from low to high, from
migrant
farm workers to migrant professionals. Even on instrumentalist
grounds,
the more people in our community who have stable housing, and the more
housing that is owner-occupied, the better off we all are, so it only
makes sense to do all we can to encourage participation in programs
like
these by everyone.
Miigrants are contributing members of the Madison community. Many
will
stay here for much if not all of the rest of their lives. As community
members and as human beings I believe we have mutual obligations and
have a mutual interests to care for and respect one another's rights,
and those obligations outweigh concerns about which nation's papers
someone carries.
Thank you again for encouraging us to share our thoughts on this
matter
with our alders.
Margaret Bergamini
Robert Gibbons wrote:
>> FYI - Brian Benford, introduced an amendment at last night's
Council
>> meeting to permit programs being funded through the City CDBG
Office
>> for homebuyers and rehab, and rental housing development to
receive
>> City funded loans to undocumented immigrants. It is being referred
to
>> the May 5, 2005 Council meeting. If you are opposed to the proposed
>> amendment e-mail or call Brian or, if you don't live in the 12th
>> district, contact your alder. Agenda item #137 - Amending Madison's
>> 2005-2006 Program Funding Framework for Community and Neighborhood
>> Development to permit programs funded through the City CDBG Office
for
>> homebuyer, rehab, and rental housing development to offer
assistance
>> to undocumented immigrants who otherwise meet the guidelines for
those
>> programs, and authorizing the City funded rehab loans to
undocumented
>> immigrants.
>> 135. 01054
>> Sponsors: Brian Benford
>> Legislative History
>> 4/14/05 CDBG Office Fiscal Note Required / Approval to the
>> Comptroller's Office/Approval Group
>> 4/14/05 Comptroller's Office/
>> Approval Group
>> Approved Fiscal Note By The Comptroller's
>> Office to the CDBG Office
>> Bohrod
>> 4/14/05 CDBG Office Refer for Introduction to the COMMON
>> COUNCIL
>
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