Austin (Texas) may clamp down on ties to Arizona

[sabra]

Source: Austin Community Impact Newspaper

AUSTIN — In light of the recent passage of SB 1070, the controversial Arizona immigration bill that critics say effectively mandates racial profiling, Austin City Council announced today in a statement they will introduce a resolution at the May 13th meeting to limit employee travel to Arizona and possibly terminate business and investment relationships with the state.

Proposed by Austin Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez, City Council Member Bill Spelman and Mayor Lee Leffingwell, the resolution is being described as two-fold.

“First and foremost, we want to ensure that we are not exposing city employees to risk by sending them into an uncertain and potentially hostile environment in Arizona,” said Martinez. “Second, we want to send a loud and clear message to the State of Arizona that our community stands in vehement opposition to racial discrimination in any form.”

The measure comes with precedent, said Martinez. Past policies include prohibiting the city from doing business with manufacturers who utilize sweatshop labor.

Read more: http://impactnews.com/central-austin/recent-news/8216--austin-may-clamp-down-on-ties-to-arizona-

[WatchWhatISay]

1. Austin should secede from Texas

and take the rest of the hill country, Houston, El Paso, San Antonio and Fort Worth with it.

[struggle4progress]

3. Yeah! And then maybe they could arrest most of the Texas legislature for trespassing!

A lot of those folk belong in jail anyway

[sonias]

2. Yea for my city!

AAS 4/30/10
Austin may limit Arizona ties over immigration law

(snip)
"The law is overreaching and does not represent values that we care about or possess," Austin City Council Member Mike Martinez said. "It's important to send a message that we don't want to do business with folks that have those kinds of practices."

Separately on Thursday, Gov. Rick Perry said the new Arizona law would not be right for Texas, upholding the state's long-held tradition of rejecting harsh anti-immigrant policies.

Martinez, along with Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Council Member Bill Spelman , plans to introduce a resolution on the travel and business ban that the council will consider at its May 13 meeting.

Even that dimwit Perry doesn't think it's a good idea for Texas. Can you tell it's a Gubernatorial election year? How will the tea bag nuts take that?

[Melissa G]

4. Yea For Our Town!!!

This is astounding! Guv Goodhair willing to alienate his teabagger base! Maybe his crew did some basic math for him and they figured out there were damn few teabaggers in Texas compared to us Hispanic folk. :eyes: :hi:

[sonias]

5. I can't wait till the Latino tide in Texas runs over his racist ass!

And it will happen. And maybe Arizona will wake up our base. It could happen here too if we let the Texas Republicans stay in power.

:hi: Melissa.

[MajorChode]

6. His statement on the matter wasn't all that clear

He just said there was a few things he would have done differently. He fell way short of condemning the AZ law. As usual, Goodhair tries to play both sides.