By MICHELLE LOCKE, Associated Press Writer

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - A few months after he took office, Taiwan-born Councilman Danny Wan got a request from City Hall security: Could he come downstairs to help a resident who spoke only Chinese find the right department?

He was glad to help, but ``it made me really wonder. What other services are out there that no one can access?''

On Tuesday, Wan and fellow council members are expected to pass a groundbreaking ordinance requiring city departments that deal with the public to have, or make plans to hire, some bilingual staff.

``The city has an obligation to provide the basic city services such as police and fire to everybody who pays taxes. Just because somebody may not be fluent in English yet does not mean they should be excluded,'' Wan said.

Advocates believe Oakland would be the first city in California, and perhaps the nation, to mandate bilingual hiring in government agencies. San Francisco supervisors are scheduled to vote on a similar ordinance in May.

California and federal laws already require agencies to make their programs and services accessible to people with limited English, but those requirements aren't enforced and compliance is spotty, civil rights officials say.

The Oakland ordinance ``sounds more progressive than other municipalities,'' said Walter Bacak, executive director of the American Translators Association, based in Alexandria, Va.

The ordinance would require departments such as police, fire and senior citizens centers to identify public-access employees and determine if they speak Spanish or Chinese, the prevalent languages of limited-English speakers in Oakland. Departments that don't have such employees will have to start filling vacancies with bilingual workers.

The ordinance, which would be phased in over two years, also requires setting up an in-house translation center, estimated to cost $200,000 to $300,000 a year.

Mauro E. Mujica, chairman and CEO of the group U.S. English, which supports making English the official language, thinks Oakland is going too far.

Mujica said it's a good idea to hire bilingual workers, but ``to institutionalize it and pass a regulation that requires municipalities to hire people that are specifically bilingual in certain languages - that will get them into a lot of trouble.''

California is one of more than 20 states that have declared English the official language, although it hasn't been enforced.

Yu-Yung Shen, who had to pay a fine and sit through an all-English traffic school last year after he was unable to explain his case to a police officer, called the policy a ``very good'' idea.

``That way I can always present my case,'' he said, speaking through an interpreter. ``If I get into trouble, I can explain my situation.''

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On the Net:

City of Oakland, http://www.oaklandnet.com/

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