Cobb County may forgo up to $1 million in special transportation funds partly because some commissioners are reluctant to offer multilingual services and documents in county offices.
Cobb, like all counties in metro Atlanta, is eligible for a special “excellence” certification with the Atlanta Regional Commission, which could bring additional transportation money and priority consideration on ARC-funded projects. To get the certification, counties must satisfy a variety of policies and programs related to transportation options, environmental preservation and safety.
For Cobb, getting the optional certification likely means expanding multilingual materials and translation services to departments such as community development, public services and the tax division. But some commissioners are concerned about the cost.
“Our initial look is that it will be an expense we just can’t afford right now,” said Chairman Tim Lee.
Staff is trying to determine how much it would cost to meet the language requirement, along with other standards, and plans to update commissioners in the coming months.
About five years ago Cobb printed materials such as business license applications and zoning applications in other languages, but county officials were directed to remove non-English documents from the shelves after a community uproar, said Dana Johnson, manager of the county planning division. The courts, transit and public safety divisions still provide non-English materials.
Counties striving for the excellence certification can choose from a menu of options, not just the one on multilingual services. The certification is based on a point system, with points assigned for each option. Providing materials in different languages is a required practice for the ARC when receiving and doling out federal funds, and that option is an extension of that practice, said Julie Ralston, spokeswoman for the ARC. Governments can also propose additional menu items for consideration.
Johnson said Cobb could find a way to accumulate enough points without meeting the language option but it would be difficult.
“There’s some (options) that might not be politically feasible, but that’s up to elected officials to make the final determination,” Johnson said.
The county could also opt to create a land bank, which gives local governments authority to take control of private properties that are tax-delinquent. But that idea is also unpopular with some commissioners and would take approval from the state legislature, meaning it would be at least 2014 before Cobb could pursue excellence certification.
Rich Pellegrino, president of the Cobb Immigrant Alliance, said it’s OK if the county does not offer materials in other languages because of financial reasons. But he hopes the county does its research before making a decision.
“Generally, I think it’s a good thing to help people transition to English and encourage diversity as well,” he said. “I think it’s always better to accommodate, within reason.”
But Joyce Schumacher, with the watchdog Conservative Leadership Coalition, disagrees.
“Is it going to be English in this country or are we going to let people come in and speak any language they want?,” she said. “We need English as the main language in the United States of America and if you don’t want to do that, you don’t need to live here.”
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