Sunday, October 9, 2011

"Dream Act" signed into California legislation, effective January, 2013


7C9DREAMACT.JPG From Sacramento Bee/David Siders 10/9/11. "Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Saturday allowing undocumented immigrant college students access to public financial aid, marking California's relatively liberal ground in a bitter row over immigration nationwide.

The California Dream Act allows undocumented students who came to the country before age 16 and attended California high schools access to public financial aid, including Cal Grants. Those students already are eligible for in-state tuition, and Brown in July signed a companion measure affording them access to private financial aid. "Going to college is a dream that promises intellectual excitement and creative thinking," Brown said in a prepared statement. "The Dream Act benefits us all by giving top students a chance to improve their lives and the lives of all of us." 

Brown, a Democrat, supported the act during last year's gubernatorial campaign, and his signature was all but certain. He had negotiated amendments to the bill, Assembly Bill 131, to reduce costs, excluding graduates of technical and adult schools and delaying implementation until January 2013. But anticipation was high, and news spread among students and young people via Twitter and text message within minutes of Brown's announcement. "It's amazing," said Maria Gomez, 26, an illegal immigrant who moved with her family from Mexico when she was 8 and graduated with a master's degree in architecture from UCLA in June. "We're all ecstatic." The bill, by Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, was passed by lawmakers on partisan lines. Republicans said the measure would encourage illegal immigration, and they objected to the cost, estimated at $23 million to $40 million annually."  Read more.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Irrelevant. What does this have to do with Pacifica, Kathy?

Kathy Meeh said...

Anon (1200), if you're one of these kids, a human, or are aware there is a larger world of which Pacifica city is only a small part: its relevant. Passage of the Dream Act in California is a state milestone, while the Federal Government/Congress can not seem to move forward on immigration issues, including this one. Are we the first state to pass the Dream Act?

You may be the same person who complains every time I post an article that is not specific to Pacifica. Although FYI the side news on this blog carried a related article a few weeks ago: that of a Pacifica high school graduated student (with a family who lives here), who is attending UC Berkeley as I recall.

In any event, "get over it". Compare to Riptide, another city blog. Note: not all of those bird pictures are local. There's a world of interest out there.

Anonymous said...

sounds personal

New Democrat said...

1 million arrive illegally every year
+ 80,000 additional legals (exclusive 2011 invite for Muslims only)
+ 2 billion impoverished Americans
+ 41 million on food stamps
+ 1 in 9 primary earners are unemployed
+ free "higher education" for illegals
Obama slogan 2012: Are You In(sane)?

Anonymous said...

jeez louise not another freakin' list with cutesy little plus signs from another freakin' master of some other universe

Steve Sinai said...

2 billion impoverished Americans? That's a lot!!

Anonymous said...

Oh don't worry. The 2 Billion aren't all on this planet.

Kathy Meeh said...

1. How many people in the USA? 312,446,990
2. How many people in the World? 6,969,208,997 as of right now Census Clock.
3. How many poor Americans, 15.1% (2010), see CNN Money, 9/13/11.
4. How many illegal immigrants? Estimated at 13 million, annual growth 500,000 (2004-2007), see Federation for American Immigration Reform.
5. Non-farm unemployment 9.1%, 9/2011, includes part-time employment variables US Government.
6. How many Americans qualify for and are using food stamps? 15% Huffington Post, 10/18/11.
7. "Free" higher education for illegal immigrants? No! Same as everyone else they pay, borrow, or qualify for grants and scholarships. Santa Clara University (private) offers "free" education, room and board to 5 illegal immigrants annually. See USA Today, 9/24/11.

Best I can tell, No reference Anon (10/17, 10:06pm) got 1 of 7 statements (6 statistical) approximately technically correct. As of 5/2011 (according to the Huffington 10/18/11 article) 21,581,234 households qualify for and are using food stamps (a big increase from 2008); and, that represents 45,753,078 Americans.

Tom Clifford said...

Kathy please don't confuse New Democrat with the facts, He/She is clearly a believer and no amount of facts will ever change Her/his mind.

Anonymous said...

Meeh, it is puff puff pass

not puff puff puff

Anonymous said...

hey tom, why did you duck planning commission on monday?

Are you afraid to acknowlege your open government violation?

Steve Sinai said...

From what I was reading, Tom was the one guy on the planning commission that seemed to care that the Brown Act was being violated.

Thomas Clifford said...

I regret that I was to ill to attend Monday's Planning Commission meeting.

I agree with every action that my fellow Commissioners took at the October 17th meeting an will publicly affirm such at the next Planning Commission meeting.

I look forward to attending the Brown Act seminar.

Anonymous said...

A Dream Act=A Nightmare for Tax Payers who have kids that can't afford to go to college.

Kathy Meeh said...

Right you are Steve (1206), Tom Clifford was the only Planning Commissioner who asked Director George White if he thought they (the Planning Commission) may be in jeopardy of violating the Brown Act. Director White replied he thought they already had.

From there, members of the Planning Commission ignored the directors warning, continued talking about the non-agendized highway widening, and ultimately voted on the same. My recall is that Tom did not participate in the the discussion, beyond his inquiry to Director White.

Anon (10/18, 6:02pm) your question may be "fair game", but why not ask it on the related Planning Commission Brown Act violation article?

Anonymous said...

Cheap shot by anon@602 pm, The only other thing Mr. Clifford could have done is left the dais which seems a bit much to ask of anyone who is expected to function as part of a group whose actions are supposed to be guided by the city staffer. Mr. Clifford asked the right question and got the right answer. That's the moment the planning director should have ended the unagendized discussion about the highway widening. Ended it. He didn't and that's the problem. Welcome to Pathetica, Mr. White. The politics are every bit as challenging as the planning.

Anonymous said...

Yes clifford asked the questions. Then he ignored the planning director warning about violating open mtg law and continued to discuss non-agendized items and he voted.

Yes he could have left the dais. He could have abstained. But he did neither--he continued to engage in the open mtg violation.

Steve Sinai said...

Why are you picking on Tom Clifford? Because he's the one Planning Commissioner who engages the public, so he's an easy target?

Even though I often disagree with him, I have a lot more respect for Tom than a gutless, anonymous attacker.

todd bray said...

I have a lot more respect for Tom than a gutless, anonymous attacker.

Steve that's about 98% of the comments on your blog

Anonymous said...

I comment on Mr Clifford because for a short bright moment he was smarter than everyone else on the planning commission, particularly the lawyers. He recognmized the open government violation; had the violation confirmed. Then he got back into the herd and continued particiapting in the violation for the next 40 minutes.
He could of manned up and done something positive, like not voting. But he debated and voted with the rest. I am simply pointing out the very back choices he made when he had every chance to do right.

Steve Sinai said...

You ought to see the comments that never get posted, Todd.

I've always said that low-quality comments go hand-in-hand with anonymity. But it's what people want.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone really believe for a moment that the more hardcore element on the planning commission didn't know exactly what it was doing? Knew the risk and took it because the consequences were well within their tolerance? And they are probably laughing at all the "oh my god they've violated the Brown Act" uproar--which in some cases is also just game playing. Not all of the 6 present at that meeting but certainly the leadership knew exactly what they were doing. I don't include Mr. Clifford in that because he has an independent streak. Some of us might think he should have left the dais but that's real easy for us anonymice to say, isn't it? Walking off could set a bad precedent in such a group.

todd bray said...

How can it not warp your brain Steve?

The Watcher said...

Follow the stream and it leads directly to Digre and Leon. Contrived in private, planned in private, and executed with the compliance of the rest of the commission. They should all resign or the council should fire them.

Anonymous said...

Hmm...Sounds more like follow the dream. Bottom line, the planning director should have stopped this. Commissions go off reservation all the time and get reined in by city liaison. Give the newbie the benefit of the doubt this time. No way it would have happened with Crabtree.

fix pacifica said...

Is it just me or does Sinai resemble chicken little and Bray resemble foghorn leghorn??

Steve Sinai said...

Now that's hate speech.

Anonymous said...

well I hate it, messing with the icons