Compiled by the El Reportero’s staff
Statement by Hermandad Mexicana and MAPA: The Mexican American Political Association (MAPA) and the Hermandad Mexicana Latinoamericana have been at the forefront of the advocacy to outlaw the illegal towing of vehicles of individuals solely due to the lack of a driver’s license.
This practice is rampant throughout California, and municipalities have been found using vehicle towing as a budget revenue booster.
It is estimated that the city of Los Angeles receives above $60 million annually from the fi nes and auctions of confi scated vehicles from undocumented owners.
MAPA and HML expressed delight that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has fi nally agreed to a moratorium of vehicle towing and recognizes it as the equivalent of Arizona’s recently enacted law, SB1070. The mayor marched with hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their families and friends advocating for fair and humane immigration reform on Saturday, May 1st, the now traditional MAY DAY immigrant worker’s march.
“I am delighted that Mayor Villaraigosa now understands that criticism of Arizona begins at home by declaring a moratorium of the retrograde policy of illegally towing the vehicles of hard-working immigrants. It constitutes nothing short of robbery of the personal property of another, but conducted by the government under the color of law,” stated Nativo V. López.
Both organizations and many others have advocated for Mayor Villaraigosa to suspend this policy and practice due to the obvious racial profi ling used by local police officers who target immigrants during vehicle check-points or the pretext of some traffi c violation.
District and Teachers Union Reach Conceptual Agreement to reduce layoffs
At 6:00 p.m. today the teachers union and the school district leadership reached a conceptual agreement just as the full meeting of the Board of Education was set to begin.
While the agreement has yet to be ratifi ed by either party, the superintendent is confi dent that the agreement discussed between the two parties could allow the district to bring layoff numbers to below 200 positions, down from the 350 that would have to be executed without an agreement.
California law requires that fi nal layoff notices be sent to certificated staff by May 15. Until the fi nal agreement with the teachers union is ratifi ed by their membership, given the legal time constraints, the district will still have to issue fi nal notices for nearly 350 certificated positions. When this evening’s conceptual agreement is formally adopted at least 150 of these notices will be rescinded.
Senator Gloria Romero withdraws from UC Berkeley Latino graduation ceremony
AFSCME planned to strike at event if Romero attended — Sen. Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles), Chair of the Senate Education Committee, announced today that she will refuse to cross a picket line and will honor the current boycott of the University of California campuses by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and University Professionals & Technical Employees (UPTE).
Senator Romero regretfully said that she will withdraw from attending the UC Berkeley Latino commencement celebration on Saturday, May 15, where she was scheduled to give the keynote address.
Senator Romero has made calls to the University Chancellor urging him to meet with the students and unions in order to come to a “good faith” agreement on the issues so that the graduation ceremonies would not be picketed.
