Lino Lakes OKs English-only ordinance

Article by: Associated Press
Updated: July 26, 2010 - 8:55 PM

39
comments
resize text
print
buy reprints

Tweet
share

email
Email share

your name

your email

recipients email

+ add a comment add a comment

LINO LAKES, Minn. - The Lino Lakes City Council has approved an English-only ordinance for official documents.

The council approved the ordinance 4-1 Monday night.

Making English the suburb's official language is an issue that's divided the community of 19,000. Under the proposal, city materials could not be printed, or city meetings translated, into other languages.

City Council member Dave Roeser acknowledges that his English-only proposal would have no immediate impact. Lino Lakes has never translated official documents into other languages, and no one has asked the city to do so.

The MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce, which serves the northern Twin Cities suburbs, opposes the resolution. Chamber president Lori Higgins tells Minnesota Public Radio that it gives the perception that the area is unwelcoming and that could hurt the region's ability to attract companies and skilled workers.