[RP TownTalk] EXT : Proposed "Voter Expansion" legislation

[Aunt Emily]

Thank you Dwight for bringing to people's attention the false misconceptions about immigrants.  This was needed.
 
In a message dated 3/9/2018 10:40:26 AM Eastern Standard Time, dwightrholmes at gmail.com writes:

 
I see I neglected to include the link to the unemployment rate news release I mentioned. It is here: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/forbrn.pdf

_____________________________________
"A budget is a moral document." --Jim Wallis 

On Fri, Mar 9, 2018 at 10:14 AM, Dwight Holmes <dwightrholmes at gmail.com> wrote:
Actually, it's quite the opposite.  Benefits such as TANF, social security disability, etc. are not available to non-citizens. And they do pay taxes. The most recent estimate I could find for Maryland is that undocumented residents of Maryland paid over $332 million per year in state and local taxes in Maryland (https://itep.org/immigration/) They pay sales taxes, gasoline and other excise taxes, property taxes (either directly as property owners or indirectly as renters). And if they do work with a false social security number then they pay payroll taxes (social security and medicare) for benefits they can never receive, and may de facto pay income taxes through payroll withholding.
 
Every study I've seen has found that immigrants commit fewer crimes and are as likely (if not more likely) to be employed than those of us who were born here.  A quick Google search found this news release from Bureau of Labor Statistics from about a year ago, reporting that the unemployment rate among foreign-born residents was 4.3% while at the time the rate for native-born residents was 5.0%.
 
I have not weighed in on the issue of whether or not to extend the right to vote in local elections to our noncitizen residents, but I found myself unable to let such false assertions as these go without a response.
 
Dwight Holmes
 

_____________________________________
"A budget is a moral document." --Jim Wallis 

On Fri, Mar 9, 2018 at 10:01 AM, McDougall, Sherene [US] (Law) <Sherene.McDougall at ngc.com> wrote:
Bruce,
 
They don’t want to become citizens because that would mean getting a job and having to pay taxes.   Why go through all that hassle to become a citizen when they are receiving food, money, housing and education.  Things that we taxpayers are paying for.
 
Sherene
From:towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org [mailto:towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org] On Behalf Of Bruce Wernek
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2018 9:41 AM
To:towntalk at riverdale-park.org; townannounce at riverdale-park.org
Subject: EXT :[RP TownTalk] Proposed "Voter Expansion" legislation
 
The proposed "Voter Expansion" legislation appears to patently marginalize town residents and US citizens in general.  If I understand it correctly, a non citizen can break the law, illegally enter our country, and 6 weeks later be rewarded for doing so with the right vote our Town.  Essentially, there are no requirements for voting privileges other than being 18 years of age or older and being a "resident" of Riverdale Park for 30 days.  I don't think the bar could be much lower.  Given this proposed legislation, one has to wonder, what benefit is there in being a long time resident committed to the Town, a tax payer, and a US citizen?  
 
I find it hard to believe this legislation wasn't patently rejected by our Mayor and Council much less drawn up in the first place.  If non citizens want the right to vote, they have to demonstrate their commitment to our Town and country by becoming naturalized citizens.  My grandparents and father did.  Why don't these people have to?
 
Bruce


 Bruce




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