TimBen Boydston statement on illegal immigration issue
Public Participation portion of City Council meeting February 9, 2010

Good Evening,
Mayor Weste, Councilmembers and City Manager Mr. Pulskamp.

I am Former Councilman TimBen Boydston, and in the interest of full disclosure, I am speaking as a candidate for City Council.

I wish to speak to you this evening on the issue of Illegal Immigration. This topic has been in the news a great deal the past few weeks, and many people came before this Council at the last meeting, expressing their concern over the impacts that illegal immigration has had upon our City and our Country. 

I would like to repeat what I said at the last Council meeting “I recommend that the City Council form a citizen’s task force, made up of all of the diverse elements of our great City to study this issue, and bring forward recommendations to the City Council of ways in which we the people of Santa Clarita can encourage and help our State and Federal Government to solve this problem”

The proper place for this discussion is here in City Hall, not on a street corner.

The City Council should lead this discussion, and should not be afraid to address it within a framework of civility. We should have representatives from the community, the business community, the legal immigrant community, law enforcement, government, and the legal community come together to discuss what can be done, how much it would cost, what type of resources we as a City would possibly want to commit, and where those resources would come from.

Dialogue in a Democracy is never a waste, and at the very least we would be educating all of those who are participating and observing, and create a better understanding of the issue. 

As a City we have not backed down before on addressing issues which fall under Federal jurisdiction. If we had backed down, we would all be breathing Cemex air today.

Each and every member of this Council can put the issue of illegal immigration on the agenda at any time, and has always had that ability. When I was on the Council, our City manager made that policy very clear, and always put any issue that I requested on the agenda. 

So I say to you this evening, please put the issue of illegal immigration on the agenda. If no one on this Council is willing to put this issue on the agenda, then let me say to you and to the people of Santa Clarita, I will put it on the agenda… as soon as I am elected…. I will.

Thank you. 

Committee to Elect TimBen Boydston to City Council 2010
ID#1322176
19623 Green Mountain Drive
Santa Clarita, CA 91321

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