I’ve become weary of the Chicago-style attacks on some of our commissioners over their objection to the IMAGE-mandating ordinance proposed by Commissioners Bob Ott and JoAnn Birrell.
Led by D.A. King and aspiring political candidate Keli Gambrill, the editorial pages of the MDJ have become the place for some to toss around false accusations without any supporting evidence. Commissioner Goreham seems to have become their primary target. King wants her out of office and Gambrill wants her job.
Many others have chimed-in with echoing remarks, most with little sign of knowledge of the IMAGE program or of the existing laws and regulations enforcing the federal work authorization program.
We already have strict federal and state laws requiring every employer to examine and verify the eligibility of all hires. Cobb County has carried those laws forward into all of its contracts, requiring all bidders to submit an affidavit swearing their compliance with the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act. One must wonder which contractors would be fool enough to violate the federal laws, state laws and their sworn affidavit with the county to risk employment of illegals.
IMAGE is a voluntary federal program which prescribes a set of practices for employers to follow to improve their ability to screen for fraudulent documentation presented by illegals. The program includes training and self-auditing processes which, if followed, should relieve the federal government of some of their auditing responsibilities. IMAGE is a good program and, hopefully, will be adopted by most employers.
However, the county’s proposed ordinance to mandate an employer’s participation in a voluntary federal program can only be viewed as arrogant, bureaucratic and intrusive. The existing laws and regulations are more than sufficient enforcements. The ordinance proposal should be dropped.
David Welden
West Cobb
Editor’s note: Mr. Welden served as campaign chairman for Mrs. Goreham during her 2010 campaign for commissioner.
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Just so you will knw...EVERIFY is a federally voluntary program too. You should go back to trying to seem like an expert on something to the clueless mouthbreathers who sit and gripe about issues they don't understand.
King has shown a lot of people who and what is really in charge of this sorrupt county. And we won't forget. The "Chicago-style" politics is coming from Tim Lee and that idiot pal of yours, Helen Goreham. Cupid is black. First. And last. She will never help stop illegals. Face. Meet. Nose. Ready....cut.
Where do I donate to Keli Gambrill and KING!?
Mr. Weldon, we know that Illegals were used on the new County Courthouse and it now appears that Illegal workers were used to build Smyrna's new Fire Station.
Mr. Weldon also worked with the executives of Cobb EMC to support candidates for the Board who continue the status quo at Cobb EMC of cover up and continue the policies of Dwight Brown and the former Board of Thieves.
And he is on the Citizen Oversight Committee while in the tank for the Chamber?
While working in MS. after Katrina on federally funded projects I personally caught nearly everyone of the contractors working on my projects with illegals on their payroll.
Ask Archer Western and Granite Construction how much they were fined for the illegals they had working on the Bay St. Louis bridge contract.
And you think our local contractors will not break the law. Fat chance some do it every day of the week.
You obviously know very little of what goes on in Cobb County. If you want an example, go back and read the papers during the invesigation of illegals on the county Courthouse job. And, if you believe that was all the illegals employed on county projects, you have been drinking the same Chamber of Commerce Kool-Aid that Goreham. Lee and Cupid regualrly partake of.
The practice still goes on, and will continuie as long as the C of C can buy politicians.