English-Only Foes to Press Fillmore Fight
Opponents of the City Council’s controversial decision to adopt English as Fillmore’s “official language” vowed to continue their fight Wednesday even after they failed to recall three council members.
Voters in Tuesday’s election backed three incumbent councilmen by a 2-1 margin. The three--Hulbert Cloyd, Gary Creagle and Pat Quinn--were targeted for recall after the English language resolution was adopted 10 months ago.
Cynthia Reyes, spokeswoman for Citizens Coalition, the recall group, said that despite the setback, protests will continue.
Economic Boycott
“Maybe we’ll even organize some sort of economic boycott of Fillmore. We’ll be doing what we can to get someone to listen to the Hispanics in this city,” Reyes said.
About half of Fillmore’s estimated 10,000 residents are Latino, but many are not U.S. citizens and cannot vote.
The resolution was one short declarative sentence and, critics say, is a symbolic gesture that simply restates the obvious. “The City Council of Fillmore,” the resolution reads, “hereby resolves that the English language is the official language of the city of Fillmore.”
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