HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 95-02 ORIGINAL
CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS
SUPPORTING LEGISLATION THAT OUR COMMON LANGUAGE BY OUR GOVERNING
LANGUAGE
WHEREAS, the United States of America is a magnanimous nation of
diverse peoples, mostly immigrant people who come for the common
purpose to create and obtain American jobs to improve their
standard of living; and
WHEREAS, a common language allows Americans to participate fully
in our democracy: obtaining jobs, owning a business, attending
school, completing tax forms, voting, acquiring a driver's
license, paying utilities, obtaining welfare, and shopping; and
WHEREAS, full economic, social, political and religious
participation depends upon knowing the common language; and
WHEREAS, English is our single, shared language -- the one
language that crosses all ethnic, racial, nationality, and
religious lines and allows Americans to share their heritage with
other citizens; and
WHEREAS, the common language movement is supported by citizens
from the full demographic spectrum in our country and by new
immigrants, most of whom come from countries with official
languages; and
WHEREAS, multilingual individuals are an asset to the nation, but
multilingual government is a formula for bankruptcy; and a common
language will save millions of federal and state tax money for
critically needed county social services; and
WHEREAS, priorities are misplaced when agencies spend money
duplicating government in multiple languages while immigrants
lack enough opportunity to learn English; and
WHEREAS, we strongly feel that our nation should have one
dominant and common language -- English.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of
The Colony calls for the adoption of logical, coherent, Language
of Government legislation that will:
(a) Save taxpayers costs of duplicating every government
function in many languages;
(b) Establish sensible public policy on government use of
multiple languages: allowing for essential services -- emergency,
health, justice and safety -- while stipulating that official
acts and records be in our one common language;
(c) Place the focus where it belongs: on including and
empowering new Americans by teaching them our common language,
English; and
(d) Place the ultimate cost for teaching English on the
federal government which controls and regulates the admission of
non-english speaking persons.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of The
Colony supports federal bills 123, 124, 739, 2859, HCR 13, in the
House of Representatives, SB1678, 425 in the Senate, and state
legislation, that our common language be our governing language;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be
forwarded to President Clinton, Vice President Gore, U.S.
Senators Gramm and Hutchison, U.S. Representative Armey, Governor
Bush, State Senator Nelson, State Representative Solomons, Mr.
Thomas Brachko of California, and such other public officials as
the Council may deem appropriate.
PASSED AND APPROVED this ~ ~ day of ~~j , 1995.
~illiam W. Manning, Mayor~
ATTEST:
Patti A. Hicks~ TRMC, City Secretary