From Charlene Carlson

Monroe

To the Editor: 

Mayor Douglas, when does a small town Mayor make proclamations that do not represent their constituency? Since a proclamation almost identical to the one put forward previously was voted down, what gives you the right to personally go again the decision?

In a small town already reeling from increasing taxes, and a school district that wants even more, you want to increase the tax burden on every single family in Monroe by taking in an illegal group that can neither support itself, nor provide any benefit to the community. Food banks and charities are already stretched to provide services and food to local, legal residents in need.

Illegal residents are not permitted to get Medicad or food assistance by federal law. Schools have had to add staff to teach students to speak English, increasing district debt. Illegals have no medical insurance and take up valuable ER space since that is the only place they can get treatments at, all the while putting the rest of the community at risk for communicable diseases.

That said, the proclamation you put forth is a green light for any illegal, non-English speaking, non tax-paying, non-contributing person to come to Monroe to live. Are these steps to begin to strip away the town’s proud Swiss history and its American values?

Legal immigrants have ALWAYS been welcome here. Are you so in favor of harboring illegal people that you are willing to go against federal policy and law?