Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Immigrants Add Value to Economy
We here a lot about how much illegal immigrants are costing our economy. But according to this article by Marisa Treviño, Oct. 17, 2008: Federal Immigration Policy . . . immigrants generate more for the economy than they take away in benefits.
"Nebraska's immigrant population jumped 33 percent from 2000 to 2006. In contrast, the native-born population only grew by less than 2 percent during the same time period.
Looking at 2006 data, the researchers found that immigrant spending in the state resulted in an estimated $1.6 billion output to the Nebraska economy. The spending generated between 11,000 and 12,000 jobs in the state.
Immigrants in Nebraska significantly contribute to the state's labor force with immigrants comprising 80.4 percent in meat processing -- the state's single largest industry and driving force for much of the state's economy.
These are the indisputable facts. What the researchers uncovered about how much immigrants actually take away from state coffers will be the real source of contention and dispute.
According to the report, the immigrant population contributed in 2006 about $154 million in the form of property, income, sales and gas tax revenue. Their costs to the government from food stamps, public assistance, health and educational expenses totaled $144.78 million.
In other words, the researchers found that the state's immigrants pay in about 7 percent more than what they use in government support. Also, if immigrants were removed from the state's labor force in key industries like meat processing or construction, the state's production would lose $13.5 billion.
Nebraska isn't alone. Another study set for release by New York City's Adelphi University Economics Professor Mariano Torras finds that in 2006 immigrants contributed $10.6 billion to the Long Island economy. Immigrants exercised $7.5 billion in buying power, helped create 82,000 new jobs, and even paid $2 billion more in taxes than they received in services. These are only two examples."
The same thing is true in the State of Washington. People shouldn't be misled into thinking that the presence of immigrants in Forks costs Forks people money. Instead, Forks economy is benefited by their presence. Their dollars flow into local businesses. The school funding is supported by their children's presence in our classrooms. Forks economy would collapse if they all went away tomorrow. Be careful what you wish for, folks.
~~marsha
"Nebraska's immigrant population jumped 33 percent from 2000 to 2006. In contrast, the native-born population only grew by less than 2 percent during the same time period.
Looking at 2006 data, the researchers found that immigrant spending in the state resulted in an estimated $1.6 billion output to the Nebraska economy. The spending generated between 11,000 and 12,000 jobs in the state.
Immigrants in Nebraska significantly contribute to the state's labor force with immigrants comprising 80.4 percent in meat processing -- the state's single largest industry and driving force for much of the state's economy.
These are the indisputable facts. What the researchers uncovered about how much immigrants actually take away from state coffers will be the real source of contention and dispute.
According to the report, the immigrant population contributed in 2006 about $154 million in the form of property, income, sales and gas tax revenue. Their costs to the government from food stamps, public assistance, health and educational expenses totaled $144.78 million.
In other words, the researchers found that the state's immigrants pay in about 7 percent more than what they use in government support. Also, if immigrants were removed from the state's labor force in key industries like meat processing or construction, the state's production would lose $13.5 billion.
Nebraska isn't alone. Another study set for release by New York City's Adelphi University Economics Professor Mariano Torras finds that in 2006 immigrants contributed $10.6 billion to the Long Island economy. Immigrants exercised $7.5 billion in buying power, helped create 82,000 new jobs, and even paid $2 billion more in taxes than they received in services. These are only two examples."
The same thing is true in the State of Washington. People shouldn't be misled into thinking that the presence of immigrants in Forks costs Forks people money. Instead, Forks economy is benefited by their presence. Their dollars flow into local businesses. The school funding is supported by their children's presence in our classrooms. Forks economy would collapse if they all went away tomorrow. Be careful what you wish for, folks.
~~marsha
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Barack Obama will be one of the greatest (and most beloved) presidents . . .
Click here to read a beautiful (and very different) political viewpoint concerning Barack Obama by Frank Schaeffer.
Rev. Alan Marshall
Here's a recent post by Rev. Alan Marshall, former Catholic priest (St. Anne's Parish, Forks, WA, Queen of Angels, Port Angeles, WA), now Lutheran pastor, (Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Bremerton, WA) on immigration and the question of "illegal aliens."
Sunday, October 5, 2008
The kind of man Barack is
Click here to read a story that will make you feel better about the election. Pass it on.
Friday, October 3, 2008
What Betty had to say . . .
Betty Soderlind of Forks, Washington, is a long time advocate for the poor in this small logging community. One of the founders of the Clothing Bank, Food Bank, Disaster Relief Committee, she has spent her life doing the "corporal works of mercy."
In a recent letter to the Forks Forum, this is what Betty had to say on the current "round-up" of undocumented workers in this area. (Scroll down - Betty's letter is beneath a couple of others on the Opinion page of the October 1, 2008 issue of the Forum.
And just in case this letter to the editor is no longer available on the Forum website, here's the text:
Defends West End immigrantsHere are links to related stories, all from the Peninsula Daily News.
I want to come to the defense of the illegal aliens in our country. First, why are they here? I have lived many years below the poverty line, from the Great Depression to past middle age, but I have never known hunger nor have I ever seen hunger in the faces of my children. Six of my seven children are college educated, productive and comfortable. The Hispanics coming to our country are hungry, their children are hungry with no hope unless they leave their homeland and cross the border. The quota for legally entering is very low, so the alternative is to come illegally. To become a legal alien is not easy, and in many cases ends up in deportation. Some have employed lawyers to help them and have been successful, some have fallen into the hands of unscrupulous lawyers who have taken their money and disappeared. One family told me of their giving a lawyer $4,000. He disappeared. They are a very good family and would have been good citizens, but were deported. I believe most lawyers are honest but unfortunately there are those who take advantage of the defenseless.
They do pay taxes, many are living in substandard housing and paying $500 to $600 a month. That is ample to pay the property taxes. They pay gas tax, sales tax on everything but food and drugs.
Those of us who are comfortable, let us be a little more compassionate to those who are just trying to survive. Let us not forget that a large section of the Southwest U.S. was taken from Mexico just because we are stronger.
Betty Soderlind - Forks
Living on the Peninsula Illegally
Part 2 of Maria's Story
Victor Velasquez is now a citizen
Border Patrol crackdown on West End pleases some, disturbs some in Forks
Detained teens choose Mexico; others reported arrested
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