Resolution Condemning ‘English Only’ Petition Passes

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean made a special appearance before the Metro Council last night to condemn the “English Only” petition.

Councilman Eric Crafton has been soliciting signatures from voters, trying to get a charter amendment onto the November ballot that would make English the official language of Metro Government.

The Mayor has only made two addresses to council before, and neither was on a specific issue. Dean says the charter amendment, were it to make it to the ballot, is bad for business.

“The referendum alters our charter in a matter that will create legal, political, social and even moral consequences for years to come. While the initiative is called ‘English First,’ to be clear, the language of the amendment is so broad, that it would restrict all government communications to English only.”

Dean was law director when the ‘English First’ amendment was passed last year. At the time, he said it wouldn’t pass constitutional challenges.

The Metro Council approved a resolution last night urging voters not to sign the petition, but it has no legal effect. Crafton says English needs to be protected as the form of communication for government.

“And I don’t see how it’s mean spirited when you come an interface with the government, you’re going to be expected to speak in English. If you’re having trouble, you can bring an interpreter. If you can’t read English, bring a translator. But it’s not government’s job to provide all these extra services to people.”

The resolution criticizing the petition passed 25 to 8.

Councilman Randy Foster, though he abstained from voting on the issue, says Steine’s resolution overstepped Council’s boundaries.

“We must not set foot on this slippery slope. Where will the next step take us? How ever you feel about the proposed charter amendment, it is not for us, the Metropolitan Council as a corporate body, to tell our citizens how to vote.”

Last night’s anti-petition resolution passed with two more votes than the Council’s 2007 vote in favor of requiring all Metro communications to be in English. Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors says that’s a sign of how much the council has changed after last summer’s elections.

“The Council that approved this last time is not the Council that’s here today. 50-percent of the members that were here that year, aren’t here anymore. So I think it’s time for this Council to go on record as to how they feel about this.”

Councilman Ronnie Steine sponsored last night’s resolution. He says the vote on his resolution is just a starting place.

“[The vote] is a huge shift for the community. That begins a focus on the real issues surrounding the charter proposal that I think begins the public discussion to take place.”

He says the Council will have to wait to see if the charter amendment makes it to the ballot, and then if voters approve it, before deciding whether it’s necessary to pass an ordinance in favor of allowing multiple languages.

Of the eight members voting against Steine’s resolution, only four also voted for the ‘English First’ bill in 2007.

Voting to Adopt Steine’s Resolution:

Tim Garrett, Megan Barry, Charlie Tygard, Ronnie Steine, Jerry Maynard, Lonnell Matthews, Walter Hunt, Pam Murray, Mike Jameson, Erik Cole, Jim Forkum, Rip Ryman, Carl Burch, Anna Page, Sandra Moore, Keith Durbin, Erica Gilmore, Edith Langster, Emily Evans, Jason Holleman, Mark McGuire, Parker Toler, Sam Coleman, Carter Todd, and Bo Mitchell.

Voting Against:

Michael Craddock, Karen Bennett, Jim Gotto, Phil Claiborne, Buddy Baker, Eric Crafton, Duane Dominy and Robert Duvall.

Randy Foster and Vivian Wilhoite abstained.