Citizen About Town

By Nancy C. Arcuri, Editor and Publisher

Email: nancyarcuri@thecitizensvoice.net

Fax: 626-307-9081

I spoke at Oral Communications during the December 18 Council Meeting.

I thanked the Snow Committee, the Parks and Recreation Department, sponsors and entertainers for our wonderful Christmas Holiday celebration.

It was an evening of harmony enjoyed by hundreds of residents and their guests.

Monterey Park is the home to people of many cultures who speak, read and write many languages. English is our common language.

To date Monterey Park does not have a sign ordinance that requires the use of the   Modern Latin Alphabet or Roman letters on any new foreign language business signs.

The old ordinance requiring English on our business signs was removed from our laws.

The city attorneys wrote the new ordinance and stated they could defend it in court if anyone challenged it.

The issue became political. Peter Chan, Hans Liang and Anthony Wong delayed the second reading until the December 4 meeting.

High school students and their puppet masters from Asian American Advancing Justice packed the council chambers on December 4.  They asked the Council not to vote on this ordinance and adopt their resolution for harmony.

These speakers determined the business signs use the Modern Latin Alphabet now and the businesses can be located by GPS systems so this ordinance is not necessary.

AAAJ’s attorneys spent 100 billable hours but could not state any case law to support their opinion that this ordinance is unconstitutional.

Point of information all real estate signs in California must use English along with any foreign languages to prove that the realtor is not selling properties to one ethnic group.

Teresa Real Sebastian and Mitch Ing explained to the speakers that we do not have any ordinance on the books that require the use of Modern Latin Alphabet on foreign business signs.

They expressed their concerns to protect the health and safety of residents, business owners and visitors in event of any emergency that require a quick response from fire and police personnel.

Councilmembers Chan, Liang and Wong determined that this ordinance is unnecessary since all of the new business signs are still using the Modern Latin Alphabet.

It was pointed out that the sign manufactures still believe that Monterey Park requires the use of the Modern Latin Alphabet on foreign language business signs.

The Council let the ordinance die.  They did vote to require a report from the city staff in six months on numbers of business signs permits requested and if the signs use the Modern Latin Alphabet.

This issue is not over as the residents are complaining to Councilmembers Chan, Liang and Wong about all the Chinese only signs through out the city.

We will be requesting a monthly report from the city on the requests for new business signs and visiting the businesses with Chinese only signs.

The residents of Monterey Park will not have their constitutional rights denied by one ethnic group.

Thank you Teresa Real Sebastian and Mitch Ing for supporting the residents, employees, business owners and visitors who want their personal safety protected in case of a fire, medical emergency or violence.

Shame on Peter Chan, Hans Liang and Anthony Wong for kowtowing (a Chinese word in English) to racist groups who used our ordinance for their personal political clout. Why are you betraying the voters who supported you during your run for Council? We voted for you as good people who would support our hometown.

When our city is sued for violations of civil rights and constitutional rights by people excluded by Chinese only business signs are AAAJ, MALDEF and ACLU going to defend Monterey Park?

Councilmember Liang was absent from the meeting so he did not hear my message.

He recovered his health enough to attend a victory party sponsored by Asian American Advancing Justice at J J’s Café on December 19.  They were celebrating their victory that English or the Modern Latin ABCs will not be required on any foreign language business signs in Monterey Park.

Councilmembers Wong and Chan also attended the party.

I heard from the grapevine that these Councilmembers hoped to see English on the business signs. They did not want to drive down Garvey Avenue in the future to see all of the business signs in Chinese only.

Now they have buyers’ remorse when they could have voted to approve the new ordinance with some Modern Latin ABCs on the signs like restaurant, sea food, clothing, books, furniture, etc.

Former Mayor Francisco Alonso suggested that the city have a new requirement that all business and commercial properties have their Arabic street numbers one foot high and well-lit at all times.

This idea would cost the business owners and commercial property owners some additional money but it would promote the health and safety of all the residents, business owners, property owners, employees and guests in Monterey Park.

Council should consider Mr. Alonso’s idea and vote to add this requirement to our sign laws.

2014 is a new year with a chance to begin a fresh start.

I wish you and yours a Happy and Safe New Year!