Vice Mayor's letter details 'English Only' history

Metro Council to vote on resolution tonight

Email | Print By Nate Rau and Ken Whitehouse

08-07-2008 10:06 AM — With Metro Council set to vote on a memorializing resolution encouraging Davidson County voters to oppose an English Only charter amendment at its meeting this evening, Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors sent a letter to the legislative body detailing the movement’s history in Nashville.

Neighbors states in her letter she is not trying to influence the views of Council member but to establish a timeline of the English Only initiative.

Councilman Eric Crafton has started a signature drive to put a charter amendment proposal on the November ballot that states no individual has a right to receive Metro services in any language but English. Crafton has said he is close to garnering the 10,103 signatures from Davidson County registered voters he needs to put the charter amendment proposal on the ballot.

At-large Councilman Ronnie Steine has proposed a memorializing resolution that encourages Davidson County voters to oppose the charter amendment.

Everyone from Mayor Karl Dean to immigrant rights advocates have called the initiative divisive.

Neighbor’s letter points out that previous Mayor Bill Purcell vetoed a similar resolution passed through Council last year.

A legal opinion written by Metro Department of Law found the vetoed legislation unconstitutional.

English is already the official language of Tennessee and federal laws would require Metro to continue offering its most-essential services – health, safety and education – in other languages.