Let The Multi-Language Bill Die

The Board of Directors of the Ridgewood Property Owners and Civic Association voted unanimously to call upon its two City Council members, Dennis Gallagher and Diana Reyna, not to override the Mayor’s veto of a bill, Intro 464-A, that required translation of school documents into numerous languages.
Estimated to cost $20 million dollars, the bill excludes, however, thousands of foreign-language speaking families with children in the public schools. Ridgewood’s recent influx of Polish immigrants, to take one example, who are not fluent in English, are not helped by this bill.
Many of Ridgewood’s long-time residents are the children and grandchildren of immigrants who came to America not knowing any English. They struggled to learn the language and the customs of their adopted land. Our current newcomers are no less intelligent or gifted or resourceful; they can do the same. It is not too much to ask.
English is the unifying dynamic in our society; every effort must be made to encourage its use in the public forum, by everyone. Mayor Bloomberg was right to veto this bill. Let the bill die.
Ridgewood Property Owners and Civic Association