Lino Lakes trying to go English Only (Austin, Welcome: purchasing, construction)

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Lino Lakes considers English-only ordinance | StarTribune.com

This came up in the newspaper a couple weeks ago but remains a hot issue as it seems like it actually is going to pass now. I personally think it's a terrible idea and just shows how ignorant some people in the outer burbs still are, especially in one where there has never been a request made to have a document translated and which has a basically non-existent immigration population.

[Kid Cann]

Originally Posted by Slig

Lino Lakes considers English-only ordinance | StarTribune.com

This came up in the newspaper a couple weeks ago but remains a hot issue as it seems like it actually is going to pass now. I personally think it's a terrible idea and just shows how ignorant people in the outer burbs still are.

While I agree that much of the stuff that surrounds these issues are due to ignorance and the Midwest is years behind the English/Spanish integration. I have no problem with Spanish speaking communities, but I think it is a problem when it becomes a hinderance on English speaking lives/lifestyles. When does it become a hinderance??? Well, when schools use tax dollars to teach children the proper way to not only speak English, but to read it, analyze it and write it the best way possible. Tax dollars are used for signage in our cities. As consumers, we pay for signage and packaging instructions indirectly through costs associated with the good or service we are purchasing. I don't think that is right. Communities in the SW part of the United States -Phoenix, San Diego, Tuscon, Las Vegas, and South - Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Abq, have spent MILLIONS$$ of dollars in the recent years to convert signage to Spanish/English. Department of Transportations across the US are constantly updating signage from primarily english to Spanish/English. Why should part of my taxes go to making a sign so someother person can read it better?

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Originally Posted by Kid Cann

While I agree that much of the stuff that surrounds these issues are due to ignorance and the Midwest is years behind the English/Spanish integration. I have no problem with Spanish speaking communities, but I think it is a problem when it becomes a hinderance on English speaking lives/lifestyles. When does it become a hinderance??? Well, when schools use tax dollars to teach children the proper way to not only speak English, but to read it, analyze it and write it the best way possible. Tax dollars are used for signage in our cities. As consumers, we pay for signage and packaging instructions indirectly through costs associated with the good or service we are purchasing. I don't think that is right. Communities in the SW part of the United States -Phoenix, San Diego, Tuscon, Las Vegas, and South - Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Abq, have spent MILLIONS$$ of dollars in the recent years to convert signage to Spanish/English. Department of Transportations across the US are constantly updating signage from primarily english to Spanish/English. Why should part of my taxes go to making a sign so someother person can read it better?

Yes, but you could say the same thing for hundreds of services you pay taxes for but don't use. Not every tax or fee is going to apply to every single citizen of a city, state or country, but they will apply to other people....it's a fact of life. To me it's funny that the guy on the city board's explanation is that he wants to be "pro-active" to take action before it becomes an issue later. If he really wanted to be pro-active he'd start picking up on the foreign languages that are being spoken by the immigrant population residing in his town.

[Kid Cann]

Originally Posted by Slig

Yes, but you could say the same thing for hundreds of services you pay taxes for but don't use. Not every tax or fee is going to apply to every single citizen of a city, state or country....it's a fact of life.

That's true... but for Spanish speaking in the Upper Midwest, it just simply does not add up. For Lino Lakes, out of the said 19,000 residents in that city, how many are Spanish-speaking ONLY residents? I'd say 100 Spanish only speaking individuals in Lino Lakes is even a VERY HIGH estimate. So, for 50 people (who you can't even guarantee reads city press releases or cares about meetings) you want to have an interpretur and to ensure that messages are being conveyed in spanish? It just doesn't add up.

About 40 people in Lino Lakes speak Swahili, better start doing everything in Swahili now too.

I love how the woman says "This perception is unwelcoming and might cause troubles for attracting skilled workers" --- Seriously? Most Spanish Speaking immigrants (and illegals) CAN speak some sort of English and most are willing to learn. A company looking to relocate to Lino Lakes (which is primarily a bedroom residential community anyway, not too sure why they all of a sudden are an Economic Development guru interested in attracting business) isn't going to say "No, we are not going to locate in Lino Lakes because their city doesn't release press releases in Spanish"..."no, we definitely don't care about bigger issues like transportation costs, construction costs, tax incentives, access to major transportation lines, educated workforce, skilled workforce, land aquisition, zoning, ordinances and eco-friendlyness"

I could see if this were the Southwest but it's not. it's the upper-midwest. It should be a non issue, honestly. Just like it was mentioned- Lino Lakes never has released stuff in spanish in the past, they are just taking measures to ensure that it doens't become an issue in the future- just saying from here on out we will only issue our stuff in English, so now you now.

[Norsky1]

If I were to move to Mexico or any other non english speaking country. I would learn their language before I moved there.

[nick is rulz]

Such stupid, misguided nonsense. I dont understand why people feel so threatened by people speaking other languages.

[nick is rulz]

Originally Posted by Norsky1

If I were to move to Mexico or any other non english speaking country. I would lean their language before I moved there.

[northstar22]

I disagree with this. It appears racist, even if it is not, and communities should stay away from even the appearance of racism. Minnesota is a progressive state, and I'd hate to see it lumped in with places like Arizona and Alabama.

[Kid Cann]

Originally Posted by nick is rulz

Such stupid, misguided nonsense. I dont understand why people feel so threatened by people speaking other languages.

Welcome to the day and age of cutbacks. Cities (local governments) are trying to cut expenses at any cost. This is just an unneeded expense. A totally worthless expense.

And, if you read the article, Lino Lakes said that they are just setting this precedent for movign forward, they aren't changing anything at all. They currently do not print in spanish, and they said moving forward, we won't be issuing releases in Spanish.

Why should they?

I'd rather have my local tax dollars go be used on the city maintenance department to keep my streets clean, cut weeds, use trash bins, clean parks, build parks... not go to hiring an interpreter and printing things in both languages.

[Norsky1]

Originally Posted by nick is rulz

Didn't say I needed to learn to spell it, just speak it. LOL