Citizen About Town

By Nancy C. Arcuri, Editor and Publisher

Email address: nancyarcuri@thecitizensvoice.net

The Monterey Park City Council had a Special Meeting on February 1st in Room 266, which is located on the second floor of city hall.

Vice Mayor Teresa Real Sebastian asked that our City Council create a Resolution declaring Monterey Park to be a “Sanctuary City”?

“In the United States, a sanctuary city is a municipality that has adopted a policy of protecting illegal immigrants by not prosecuting them for violating federal immigration laws in the country in which they are now living. Such a policy can be set out expressly in a law (de jure) or observed only in practice (de facto). The term applies generally to cities that do not use municipal funds or resources to enforce national immigration laws, and usually forbid police or municipal employees to inquire about a person’s immigration status. The designation has no precise legal meaning.^”

I expressed my concerns during the meeting: Why would our City Council want Monterey Park to be come a sanctuary city protecting people who are not legally entering our country? Some of them have not been vetted by our U S government as people who want to join us in our free country.

The police department has always told us not to let people you don’t know enter into our homes.  We are responsible to protect our families, ourselves and our neighbors.  That is why we have Neighborhood Watches.

You, Councilmembers took your oath of office to uphold the U S Constitution and protect our country from all enemies both foreign and domestic.

Why are you now demanding that Monterey Park become a sanctuary city?

You will also be helping protecting criminals who will steal, rape and kill us because they hate our American freedoms.

If you pass this Resolution you may lose our votes if you run for re-election by proud Americans who want to live safely in our own homes.

You will also open up the doors to the many lawsuits that will be filed against our city by victims of their crimes.

I also reminded Teresa Real Sebastian that she stated during the Council Meeting that following the November election: If you voted for Measure 57 (which allowed for early releases for some non-violent criminals) that if they attack you…. you asked for it.

She claimed that she had many phone calls from residents who were fearful for themselves and their family members who were not legally in our country.

One speaker from Trinity Church wanted Monterey Park to be a Sanctuary City to protect the women and children.

Councilmembers Stephen Lam, Hans Liang and Peter Chan were not prepared discuss the issue at the meeting since they just received the staff report.  They also received an additional six inches or more of paperwork during the meeting.

They voted to have the Sanctuary City issue addressed at the February 15th meeting.

I recall that during the Vietnam War young children were wired with explosives to help kill our American service members.

According to the news stories out of the Middle East young women and young men have become human bombs to kill our American service members.

The male members of the family in some cultures consider women and children property.

During the February 1st Regular Meeting I spoke at Oral Communications.

Tonight, this Council will review our midyear budget with proposed adjustments for 2016-2017.

Please tell us, the taxpayers, how much money does Monterey Park receive a year from our federal government?

Governor Jerry Brown has declared to fight against President Trump and his cabinet.

Supervisor Hilda Solis and three other supervisors have declared Los Angeles County as a sanctuary county.

Members of the Montebello and Alhambra School Boards have declared their schools sanctuary schools.  They have already received property tax increases for their school districts during the November elections.

Congressmember Judy Chu snubbed President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

I asked Assemblymember Ed Chau on January 14th will California still be eligible for federal funds since many of our cities, counties and school districts have declared themselves sanctuaries?

Ed Chau said we will have to wait and see.

If Monterey Park does not receive any federal funds will we still be able to balance our budget?

The Council reviewed the Mid-Year Budget with staff. Monterey Park does have a balanced budget with reserves.

Councilmember Peter Chan has asked staff to determine how much money does the federal government put into Monterey Park’s annual budget.

This information was not yet available to the Council or the public.

Every ten years the U S government conducts a census to count the number of people living in each city or community is our America.

The last census was held in 2010 and the next census will be in 2020.

The census provides the federal government with an estimated count of every man, woman and child living in our America.

This data provides the distribution of billions in federal funds to local communities.

One of the many questions that should be asked is if Monterey Park is declared a Sanctuary City will be still get federal funds and will be safe from criminals in our own homes?

No one knows the answers to these questions or any problems that may arise if Monterey Park is declared a “Sanctuary City”?

Do you believe in making your city, your county, your school districts and your state part of this Sanctuary movement?

Please vote in the March 7th election while we still life in a free country.