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Language debate Oakland's proposed bilingual services law ensures city services are accessible by all Danny Wan |
Tuesday, April 24, 2001
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BECAUSE I am bilingual, I am often called upon to translate everything from flyers announcing crucial city services which affect immigrant communities to directions to City Hall for Chinese visitors. Not that I mind. But it made me wonder how well city employees are able to provide services to many Oakland taxpayers if they must ask a council member to translate. I have heard from residents who cannot get police officers to understand their safety concerns, from seniors who are excluded from service at "English- only" senior centers, and from neighbors who have kept silent about their frustrations for years because no one at city hall could lend a comprehending ear. These stories and city personnel data suggest that Oakland is excluding from basic services entire segments of the city's population because they are not fluent in English. According to the 1990 census, nearly 55,000 -- or 17 percent -- of Oakland residents do not speak English well. The 2000 census is expected to show an increase. I, along with Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente, have proposed an "equal access ordinance" to assure that Oakland provides basic services to all taxpayers. As modest and simple as the ordinance is, it has been subject to exaggerated claims and criticisms. To correct some of the misrepresentations by detractors, let's begin with what the ordinance does not do. -- It does not mandate hiring of bilingual personnel. -- The ordinance does not require that every city employee be bilingual; it does not set any quota or goal, nor any "official language," as detractors have claimed. Here's what the law would do: It establishes a policy of nondiscrimination and equal access to city services. The simple premise is that all taxpaying Oakland residents are entitled to basic services, including police and fire protection, street repairs and other essentials, regardless of whether they speak English fluently. It requires the translation of pamphlets, flyers and notices that advertise the availability of city services. Tax bills will also be translated so that businesses and property owners know when the tax deadlines are, whether or not they understand English. Official business and administrative documents, such as meeting notices, minutes, ordinances, environmental documents and others which are not of a "public contact" nature, are not required to be translated. Upon enactment of the ordinance, each city department will need to submit a compliance plan. To encourage speedy planning, hiring to fill vacant positions will be frozen until the department submits its plan. The plans should identify the need, if any, for bilingual staff in public contact positions. One of the methods of complying with the ordinance is to hire bilingual personnel to fill vacant positions. The ordinance prohibits firing or replacing staff to comply with the policy. The proposal is not a significant departure from standard state and county government practices. It merely codifies and makes uniform what Oakland has been attempting in piecemeal fashion. Furthermore, the enactment would put the city in compliance with state law that requires access for residents with limited proficiency in English. I am extremely disappointed that "English-Only" activists would misrepresent this simple, narrow ordinance in order to deceive the public into a false debate over immigrants' obligation to learn English. In my experience, every immigrant tries very hard to learn English. Most
succeed, while others fail because of old age or lack of resources. The equal
access policy fulfills Oakland's obligation to provide basic services to all.
On the agenda The Oakland City Council will vote tonight on an ordinance establishing equal access to city services and programs by requiring city departments to offer bilingual services and materials. The council meets at 6 p.m., City Council Chambers, City Hall, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Oakland. www.oaklandnet.com Danny Wan is an Oakland city council member from District 2. |
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