This story is posted under General Discussion as well as in the Illinios section.
Thank you, Ev for getting the real story out there about Carpentersville, Illinois Village Pres. Sarto's betrayl of the citizens.This is happening in our own backyard folks!
A few weeks ago, Carpentersville Village President, Sarto, brought in his two "experts" on immigration (an attorney who calls people who want immgration laws enforced vigilantes and a retired INS agent who supports the Senate plan for amnesty) to tell the Village Board why "Hazleton type illegal alien ordinances should not be approved by the Carpentersville Village Board. Last night he [Sarto] attempted to burden the taxpayers of Carpentersville with the cost of lawsuits. Both of his "experts" threatened the city with lawsuits. Pro-illegal speakers during the public comment session of the Village Board meeting threatened the Village with lawsuits by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. The President of Otto Engineering (claimed to be the largest employer in Carpentersville) spoke during the pubic comment session and also demanded that the ordinances be voted down (his reason was that the ordinances are against the constition - last time I checked he is not a constitutional attorney and it makes one wonder if there is another reason for his opposition). People are welcome to argue both sides of the illegal ordiances but until the Supreme Court issues a ruling, the Board of Trustees are acting responsibly by having the ordinances left on the table to reflect the desire of the voters / taxpayers of Carpentersville who want current immigration laws enforced. When the illegal alien ordinances in Carpentersville were voted to be tabled, the reason was to wait for the final outcome of lawsuits and the subsequent outcome in Hazleton, PA. At the time, Sarto voted in favor of the tabling for that reason. In the interim, Bill Sarto has changed his mind and no longer wants the ordinances tabled but he wants to burden the taxpayers with threatened legal bills. As usual, the mainstream media will not tell you the truth behind the decision of the board to leave the ordinances on the table by not seconding a motion by trustee Linda Ramirez Sliwinski who also happens to be a very active member of the openly racist organization LaRaza. Interestingly the same Sarto moved to table a motion for a code enforcement committee to assist the Village code enforcement activities inCarpentersville. The number one complaint of Village residents is the lack of code enforcement yet the President would not last night directly support the formation of such a committee. ********* http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-sarto_06_jun06,1,6729567.story?coll=chi-news-hed
Trustees blink in game of chicken on bill
Carpentersville trustee, mayor call others' bluff on anti-immigration measure by bringing it up for vote, but no one would second the motion
By George Houde and John Keilman, Chicago Tribune. George Houde is a freelance reporter; John Keilman is a Tribune staff reporter
June 6, 2007
Carpentersville trustees Tuesday snubbed an attempt to pass a controversial ordinance aimed at illegal immigrants, leaving the measure in indefinite limbo.
The Illegal Immigration Relief Act ordinance failed to gain a second after Trustee Linda Ramirez Sliwinski motioned for passage of the measure. The action came after Village President Bill Sarto placed the ordinance on the agenda at Tuesday's board meeting. The turn of events placed Ramirez Sliwinski and Sarto, both avowed opponents of the law, in the unusual position of seeking a vote on the measure.
Sarto told a crowded boardroom that he wanted a vote on the measure to end the controversy and rid the village of what he called "an ongoing black eye."
"It needs to go away," said Sarto. "I'm here tonight to call the bluff of the people on the board who wanted to vote on this Oct. 3."
The failure of a motion for a vote indicated the board was not ready to act on the ordinance yet. There was no discussion among the trustees.
The move was the latest twist in a debate that has lingered since September, when Trustees Judy Sigwalt and Paul Humpfer proposed an ordinance to crack down on illegal immigrants.
The act calls for allowing the village to fine landlords who rent property to the undocumented and deny licenses to businesses that hire them.
It was inspired by a similar ordinance passed last year in Hazleton, Pa., a former mining town where officials have blamed crime problems on a recent surge of Hispanic residents who, many presume, are in the country unlawfully. That measure is the subject of a legal fight that experts believe could ultimately decide how much power local officials have to enforce immigration law.
A federal judge in Pennsylvania has heard the arguments but has yet to render a decision. Whatever his finding, both sides have vowed to appeal, which promises to extend the battle for years to come.
Some Sarto supporters had advocated for a resolution in the Hazleton case before taking a vote.
When the proposed ordinance in Carpentersville was up for consideration at an Oct. 3 board meeting, 3,000 protesters -- almost all of them opposed -- showed up, prompting the board to postpone the discussion. The trustees later voted to table the measure until the Hazleton lawsuit had run its course.
The measure was the central issue in the April election as Humpfer and Sigwalt retained their seats by comfortable margins, while ally Keith Hinz won the third contested seat.
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
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