Carmen Salavarrieta of Angels for Action will meet with city officials to forge cooperation before the ordinance comes up for second reading and final passage on Feb. 8.
Both cards benefit populations including Latinos, young people, parolees, homeless, seniors and others who need ID cards and may not have some of the standard identifications such as a driver's license. Many speakers noted the usefulness of the alternative IDs in case of accidents or medical emergencies where families need to be notified to aid a loved one. Both require proof of identity and Plainfield residency and have fees for the cards.
See more details on the proposed municipal ID card here.
Despite much talk of cooperation, speakers in public comment at the council meeting also expressed some turf issues.
Sharon Robinson-Briggs
Former Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, who endorsed Salavarrieta's card before she left office, recounted how Salavarrieta was invited to other municipalities to teach officials how to replicate her effort. (See Angels for Action ID card info here.)Robinson-Briggs' rival and successor, Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, called on Salavarrieta to "cease and desist" soon after taking office in 2014. He charged the organization with improperly using the city seal and said he had received complaints about cardholders being unable to get back documents they submitted in order to obtain the cards.
Carmen Salavarrietta
Although Salavarrieta cited Latino organizations she consulted in developing the cards, Flor Gonzalez of the Plainfield Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs named other Latino groups the commission had met with while researching the municipal ID card.
Carlos Ponton of PACHA mentioned meeting with members of the Tri-County Latino Coalition of New Jersey regarding a municipal ID card and also consulting with the Center for Popular Democracy.
Councilwoman Gloria Taylor suggested the ordinance could be held until Angels for Action was included, saying it was "not right and not fair" to leave them out of the discussion.
"Let's try to build it and work out a win-win," Taylor said.
After City Administrator Rick Smiley said the ordinance was up for first reading Tuesday and the administration would have an opportunity to speak with Angels in Action before second reading, the council voted approval unanimously.
--Bernice
This is not just a City of Plainfield pRobles but a state-wide problem. Many states issue state ID cards which is handled by their Division of Motor Vehicles. Our efforts should be to urge state officials to issue a state ID card and not have individual towns issue ID cards. One standard ID card for state residents seems to be the answer to this issue.
ReplyDeleteI wod urge our local officials to table this idea and look to the state to issue ID cards. A city ID card will not be an acceptable proof of identification for anything except for local use maybe.
Input should also come from advocates for the young, parolees, homeless and seniors. Why is there no concern for their needs?
ReplyDeleteIn response to the 11:26am anonymous comment: NJ does issue state non-driver's identification cards via the DMV. The same identification criteria needed for a driver's license is necessary for the state photo ID. It seems that the folks seeking the municipality ID cards might not have those six points of ID required by the state.
ReplyDeleteGloria Taylor wasted about 20 minutes of time of the people in the audience who are not getting paid.
ReplyDeleteCorporation Council made it perfectly clear, in a short statement, that the city planned on consulting with Angels for Action and that the city planned on tapping into their expertise when they create their plan.
Gloria Taylor could not understand that simple statement, and spent 20 minutes "saying it was "not right and not fair" to leave them out of the discussion."
What part of "we plan on consulting with them" is hard to understand? The only thing I can think of, and Taylor stopped short of saying this, was that she wanted to city to give them jobs (I don't know if that was her intent, but her continuing to talk about an issue that did not exist makes me think she was angeling for a deal of some sort).
Waste of time.
Since they dont have the 6 points for a DMV id card, why should the city issue one? You have no way of knowing who these people are. At a minimum they should have a passport. If they dont, let them go home and get one. They can go to their embassy in DC and get one as well. What will they use to verify who they are? A fake id card with someone else's name on it?? And why only the hispanic community? What about the chinese or indians or any other undocumented individual for that matter? I was born here and have to do it. It is ridiculous to have the 6 pts all over again when they renewed the license with a photo on it the last time. Just venting...
ReplyDeleteThis ID would be for everyone not just Hispanics. It just so happens that the Plainfield Advisory Commission for Hispanic Affairs researched this and brought it to the council knowing that it would benefit many people beyond Hispanics. The municipal ID card is a step in the right direction while we wait for the state to pass driving Privelege cards for unauthorized immigrants.
DeleteEveryone should carry emergency contact info in their wallet. Keep extra copy in your pocket in case wallet is stolen. Nobody needs to rely on any government entity to provide ID to keep emergency or family phone numbers on their person so loved ones can be notified if the person is a crime or accident victim. Just common sense.
ReplyDelete