The Great Divide

The special session on immigration issues starts tomorrow. Talking with other legislators, one thing is clear: a lot of people have strong opinions about the issue. These are excerpts from some of the (printable) messages I’ve received:

“I want a wall. I want employers punished for hiring illegal aliens. I don't want a guest worker program. If an American won't do the job, then the job isn't paying enough. The lower end wages need to be higher, the higher end needs to be lower and the middle class needs a tax break. I am not saying this to threaten you. This is just the truth: If you ignore this issue and refuse to pass tough enforcement, your career will be history.”

“I am a small business owner in the Green Industry. I have many friends and associates who also own small businesses. It would be disastrous for us, as business owners, to have to provide proof of citizenship or proof of validity of documentation for each employee.
We have come to rely heavily on the Hispanic community as a source of hardworking, dependable, conscientious labor. Before employing anyone we require documentation as mandated by the W-4 and I-9 government forms. All federal and state monthly, quarterly and annual employment returns are filed and payroll taxes paid. Most people do not realize the difficulty in finding good employees to perform the jobs the Hispanics are willing to perform for many businesses. The Hispanics have filled a lot of these positions in agriculture, the food industry, the ski industry, etc. If the government takes away this huge labor source from businesses, I feel this will have a tremendous negative impact on our economy as many businesses would be forced to downsize or go out of business. This is a time to make it easier for employers to hire these dependable workers, not more difficult; as it is very hard for small businesses to succeed as it is. Our state and nation depend on small business as the back bone of this economy.”

“Every baby born in the US to illegal parents qualifies for welfare. The state hospitals and other hospitals have to write off health care because they have to eat their hospital costs. County jobs that used to pay citizens a decent pay now go to illegals' who speak Spanish. I, as a citizen, can not get a job in my field and I am being discriminated against because I do not speak Spanish.” “You can't help but think that if the indigenous people of this continent had the strict immigration laws then that we are demanding now.....well you and I would be pledging allegiance to another flag.”

“I am disgusted with the phony deal that Lamb did behind everyone's back! It is nothing more that Lamb (sic) flipping his democrat card when the party Dons came to visit. This is his parties deal, NOT the Voters of Colorado's deal. The voters need to get rid of every legislator that is against this amendment! Make them stand up and vote, UP or Down on getting this on the ballet! I am sick of this deception and manipulation by our ELECTED OFFICIALS!!! We have the basic right to decide where our hard earned tax dollars are going!”

“The solution to this problem is not simple but I think the effects of allowing the immigration of Hispanic workers from Latin America (Mexico) has had a very positive impact on our country. If the farmers or businesses were fined for illegal workers they would be out of business. Prices for food and vegetables would rise quickly. Without these workers, no one would be available to pick the peaches or crops on the western slope. The new homes we are enjoying would cease to exist and if they were produced, they would be much more expensive. Many of these illegal immigrants now have homes in the Metro Area. They pay many types of taxes. Probably the biggest tax they pay and the area they benefit our region the most is sales tax. One of the reasons the Federal Government has a deaf ear to this issue is that they are taking in millions of dollars in Social Security taxes and not paying any of this money out in benefits. One of the greatest days in history was the day the Berlin Wall came to the ground. Don’t let Tom Tancredo and Peter Boyles (media talk host) talk you into creating a “US Wall” or “Mexican Wall” to keep these people out of our great country.”

And this from the North Metro Chamber of Commerce:

Call to Action...
Contact your Legislators Today!
Special Session Policy Alert

Issue: Immigration The Governor has listed the following items in his call for a special session:

• Prohibiting state funds for illegal immigrants
  
• Employer verification
  
• Prohibiting tax benefits for employers hiring illegal immigrants
  
• Proof of citizenship to vote
  
• Strengthening human trafficking laws
  
• Referred measure for statewide vote of the people
  

The item of real interest for Chamber members is the item of employer verification. The Governor is looking to create significant fines to be levied against employers who submit false documentation without taking reasonable measures to validate such employment documents. Employers need to have real and effective tools from both the Federal and State Governments to utilize in the process of checking employment documents. Employers are not document experts and putting additional liability on employers without providing them the means and data bases to make the right employment decisions is unacceptable.
Please contact your state representative or senator and make they know we need reasonable and workable systems for checks before we begin to penalize our employers. Chamber businesses take the duty to hire legal workers very seriously but we need better tools to make those employment decisions.