YESTERDAY CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ORLANDO RAMOS ACCUSED MAYOR
DOMENIC SARNO OF "CONSTANT CONTEMPT" TOWARDS IMMIGRANTS.
AFTER HE PROMISED TO VOTTO AN ORDINANCE THE COUNCIL GAVE
INITIAL APPROVAL TO.
WHAT IS BEHIND RAMOS' VIEWPOINT?
HERE IS WHAT HE SAID.
>> THE CITY COUNCIL HAS PASSED SEVERAL PIECES OF LEGISLATION
RELATED TO INCREASING DIVERSITY AMONG THE WORKFORCE.
WE HAVE PASSED LEGISLATION TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES IN
OUR CITY.
MOST OF THOSE MEASURES HAVE BEEN VETOED BY THE MAYOR.
THE MAYOR HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR WHERE HE STANDS ON IMMIGRATION
ISSUES.
IT IS CONCERNING TO ME AS A LEGISLATOR AND A RESIDENT OF OUR
CITY BECAUSE WE ARE A MINORITY MAJORITY CITY AND ONE OF THE
MOST DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN NEW ENGLAND.
>> DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS THE MAYOR'S PERSPECTIVE TOWARD ALL
IMMIGRANTS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE UNDOCUMENTED?
>> WELL, THAT WOULD BE MORE OF A QUESTION FOR THE MAYOR.
BUT FROM WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME AND THE COMMENTS HE HAS MADE
PUBLICLY ARE VERY CONCERNING.
WHEN YOU HAVE THAT SORT OF A PLATFORM AS THE CEO OF OUR CITY,
AND YOU SPEAK, PEOPLE LISTEN.
AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT THE MAYOR WOULD USE HIS VOICE TO
PROMOTE COMPASSION AND LOVE FOR THE PEOPLE IN OUR CITY RATHER
THAN MAKE DIVISIVE COMMENTS.
>> WE DID INVITE THE MAYOR IN TO TAKE PART IN THIS INTERVIEW.
HIS SPOKES PERSON SAID HE HAD A CONFLICT.
THIS WOULD DESIGNATE SPRINGFIELD AS A WELCOMING COMMUNITY FOR
PEOPLE, ALL PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF LEGAL STATUS.
AND THE MAYOR HAS SAID IT WILL CAUSE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES,
JEOPARDIZE PUBLIC HEALTH AND HE SAYS IT IS A LIABILITY ISSUE FOR
CITY EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE SWORN DUTIES TO FOLLOW "THE LETTER OF
THE LAW." IS HE RIGHT?
>> NO.
THOSE ARE ALL INCORRECT STATEMENTS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE.
THERE IS A PROVISION IN THE ORDINANCE THAT SAYS NO MUNICIPAL
EMPLOYEE CAN ASK SOMEONE OF THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS UNLESS
THEY ARE REQUIRED BY STATE OR FEDERAL LAW.
THERE ISN'T ANYTHING CONTRADICTORY TO FEDERAL LAW.
THERE ISN'T ANYTHING ILLEGAL ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE.
IT IS LEGALLY SOUND.
WE ARE SIMPLY MAKING SURE OUR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ARE NOT
DOING THE WORK OF FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS.
WE DON'T TRAIN OUR MUNICIPAL WORKFORCE TO DO THE JOB OF
FEDERAL AGENTS.
>> THE MAYOR HAS SAID IF THE COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD AND
APPROVES THIS, HE WILL VETO IT.
YOU TOLD MASSLIVE THE CITY COUNCIL WILL OVERRIDE THAT
REITO.
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> DO YOU THINK YOU WILL HAVE THE VOTES?
IN PRELIMINARY IT WAS 12-0.
SO IT IS MOST LIKELY IT WILL BE PASSED.
>> MM-HMM.
>> IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THIS, YOU SAID SPRINGFIELD IS ONE OF
THE MOST DIVERSE CITIES PROBABLY THE MOST DIVERSE IN WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS, EASILY.
WHAT ARE YOU HEARING, IF ANYTHING, FROM RESIDENTS AROUND
THIS ISSUE?
IT HAS BEEN A CONSTANT BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND CITY
COUNCIL?
>> IT IS A DIVISIVE ISSUE ANY TIME YOU SPEAK ABOUT
IMMIGRATION.
THE PROBLEM IS THIS IS NOT AN IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE.
WHEN YOU ACTUALLY READ IT, WE ARE NOT TAKING A STANCE ON
IMMIGRATION.
IT IS NOT OUR POSITION, IT IS NOT OUR JOB TO ENFORCE
IMMIGRATION.
ESSENTIALLY THAT IS WHAT THIS ORDINANCE SAYS IS WE WILL NOT
DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANYONE AND OUR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES WILL NOT
DISCRIMINATE ON ANYBODY BASED ON THEIR PER SPEPGS OR THEIR
IMMIGRATION STATUS.
IT IS UNFORTUNATE WE HAVE TO LEGISLATE IT.
>> HAVE YOU HEARD CITY EMPLOYEES ARE DISCRIMINATING OR ENFORCING
THE FEDERAL LAW?
>> IF WE LOOK AT THE SITUATION WITH THE CHURCH --
>> A PERUVIAN IMMIGRANT WHO TOOK UP SANCTION IN THE CITY.
>> THERE IS NO REASON FOR THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION TO TARGET
THAT CHURCH BECAUSE OF THE SERVICES THEY WERE PROVIDING.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
>> WHEN YOU SAY TARGET YOU MEAN THE CHURCH HAD PASSED ITS SORT
OF ANNUAL CITY INSPECTIONS, THE MAYOR CALLED FOR THE CITY TO GO
IN AND REINSPECT AND THE MAYOR HAS SAID HE WAS JUST MAKING SURE
IT WAS A SAFE PLACE AND THINGS WERE FOLLOWING THE LETTER OF THE
LAW, ALTHOUGH HE DID ALSO SAY TAX EXEMPT STATUS FOR THE CHURCH
COULD BE IN QUESTION REGARDING THAT WHOLE GENERAL SITUATION.
>> YEAH.
>> ARE TENSIONS MOUNTING BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR?
THE MAYOR THREATENED TO VETO THIS.
HE VOTTOED YOUR CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER POSITION AND TAX
INCENTIVES EARLIER IN CAREER.
>> SO I'M ALWAYS WILLING AND OPEN TO WORK WITH ANYONE.
I HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE MAYOR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND I'M
HOPEFUL THAT MOVING FORWARD NOW THAT THE MAYOR DID HIRE FORMER
CITY COUNCILMAN THOMAS ASH AS HIS CHIEF OF STAFF AND HE HAS
BEEN HELPFUL BEING A CONDUIT BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE I'M HOPEFUL WE CAN MAKE PROGRESS.
WE HAVE THE SAME COMMON GOALS IN MIND, TO PROVIDE THE BEST
SERVICES POSSIBLE FOR OUR CITY AND BUILD THE STRONGEST LOCAL
ECONOMY FOR OUR CITY AND MAKE SURE OUR RESIDENTS ARE BEING
TAKEN CARE OF.
>> DO YOU THINK IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO GET THINGS DONE
GIVEN THE SORT OF TENSION BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND CITY
COUNCIL?
>> IT IS CHECKS AND BALANCES.
THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD.
ANY TIME YOU HAVE TWO SEPARATE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT,
EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE
DISAGREEMENTS.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE CHECKS AND BALANCES.
SO THIS ISN'T SOMETHING UNIQUE TO OUR CITY.
I THINK THAT DESPITE OUR DISAGREEMENTS, DESPITE THIS
ISSUE BEFORE US NOW, I'M CONFIDENT WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK
TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE.
>> I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT A DIFFERENT ISSUE.
THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF MADELEINE ELLEN, LIZ MYER GANED NATIONAL
ATTENTION, SHE PASSED AWAY.
HER FAMILY RELEASED AND OBITUARY ABOUT THE ODE YOID CRISIS.
HER FAMILY IS SUING THE CITY AND POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYING THEY
WITHHELD RECORDS FROM THEM.
WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD HAPPEN WITH THE RECORDS?
SHOULD THE CITY RELEASE THE RECORDS?
>> I'M NOT SO FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
I'M VAGUELY FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
I HAVE NOT READ THE DETAILS OF WHAT OCCURRED THERE.
SEEING AS THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD IS A DEFENDANT IN
THE CASE I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GIVE INFORMATION ON THAT
ANYWAYS.
>> YOU HAVE APPOINTED THE COMPENSATION REVIEW COMMITTEE,
COMPENSATION FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR.
THE COMMITTEE SAID THE MAYOR SHOULD GET $20,000 BUMP, 14%
INCREASE.
CITY COUNCIL 28% BUMP WHICH BRINGS YOU UP TO $25,000.
POINTING OUT THERE HASN'T BEEN A SALARY INCREASE SINCE 2014.
WHERE DOES THIS GO?
>> WE INCLUDED THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE IN THAT STUDY AND
THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION FOR A SCHOOL COMMITTEE RAISE AS WELL.
IT IS IN COMMITTEE.
WE WILL BE DISCUSSING IT IN COMMITTEE PRIOR TO MONDAY'S
MEETING AND DECIDE HOW TO PROCEED FROM THERE.
>> FOLLOWING OUR INTERVIEW, MAYOR DOMENIC SARNO RESPONDED
VIA E-MAIL TO RAM MOS' CONTENTION SAYS "HE HAS ALWAYS
SHOWN RESPECT AND EMBRACED AND CELEBRATION OF OUR CITY'S
DIVERSITY."
SARINO SAID AS A SON OF IMMIGRANTS HE SUPPORTS LEGAL
IMMIGRATION AND A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP.