By Steve Salvi

January 18, 2012 8:41 PM | Link to this

The mayor and city manager have said their plan doesn’t include illegal aliens. That is a lie, and I’ll be happy to publicly debate either on the subject. Two quick points: 1) Only illegal aliens don’t have valid ID—which is why the plan includes the creation of an a special ID 2) The plan includes a prohibition by law enforcement from inquiring about immigration status (formalizing the city’s current de facto sanctuary status for illegal aliens) For more information, visit the Ohio Jobs & Justice PAC website. Sincerely, Steve Salvi, Founder OJJPAC.org

By Disgusted Dayton Citizen

January 7, 2012 5:36 AM | Link to this

I just wish our City leaaders would work with those in the community who already live here and have been trying to work with the City in order to rehab commercial properties and create jobs. I’ve got some neighbors who have been trying to acquire and rehab the Gem City Ice Cream building for example. The building is the home of the first and second Wright Brothers bicycle shops and the City wants to demolish the building. The property is owned by the city, it is in restorable condition, the couple is very sharp and they have a good business plan. The wife has been an economic development professional for about 20 years and the husband has a backround in construction. They have been trying (in vain) to save our Wright Brothers history and create some much needed services in our area of West Dayton but they have been repeatedly beaten down by our City leaders. I just don’t understand why Dayton would bend over backwards for immigrants but refuse to work with those who are trying to help develop the neighborhood they already live in. I think it’s time to change the entire City leadership!

By ron

January 6, 2012 9:38 PM | Link to this

Yay, let’s bring in a bunch of people willing to work for $5 an hr under the table . That should really help the job market here.

By Tim

January 6, 2012 8:26 PM | Link to this

On the face of it the Welcome Dayton plan sounds fine. However, when the recommendations in the executive summary are reviewed it becomes clear that at least part of the plan is to make Dayton a refuge for illegal aliens. Any plan that encourages ILLEGAL immigrants is a plan that I can not support. The city should reconsider several of it’s goals and recommendations.

By mia

January 6, 2012 8:16 PM | Link to this

Dayton Ohio is very immigrant friendly.. the entire city is run like a third world county with a computer. It’s the foreigners who do not like Americans. I am amazed how few of the immigrants actually understand how Americans do business and spend money. Since the 1970”s Ohioans have been told to place their spending on cards to protect themselves from theft. Credit and paying ones bills was a way Americans proved they were financially trustworthy. Cash was not a trust worthy system nor is it a trackable way to asses financial accountablity for managing, planning and building cities or careers. Many employers run credit checks on employees before hiring them.. No credit no job.A banker told me , Dayton Ohio , as a city, has a relitively low credit rating. This system of spending has been in place in Ohio for nearly forty years.. Even the poor government subsidized folks have their spending powers placed on digital cards.. Yet in Dayton Ohio.. The parking meters require cash. To visit Dayton you have to actually plan to acquire change, before entering the city. This usually requires buying something small from a grocery store or pharmacy outside of downtown (with free parking) and getting extra money.. Some in change. ATM machines do not give change. When you get into town, the hot spots, only allow 30-45 minute parking. Hot spots.. library. And bus terminal. There is no customer drop off point for the RTA.. one must find parking. Have you noticed how little shopping there is in Dayton Ohio? The alternative is to walk. Walking is good. But allocations should be made for drivers. Dayton Ohio’s success is partly due to the automobile industry. Many of the immigrants owners (I hate that word.. they are Americans.. why do they insist on using the word immigrant.. Are they against American’s as most of us are called immigrants) ask for cash and have actually tried to charge more money for grocery items when debit cards are used. One owner told me he did not want to pay the bills affiliated with debit cards and requires a minimum purchase. The business classes I took taught that banking fees were a part of a business’s expenses. Prices should reflect those costs. It is not the customer’s job to haggle for the business owners expenses. And if the businesses were paying taxes..they would probably get tax breaks for their banking expenses. From what I have learned, there are ways to acquire money paying taxes.. Why don’t these business owners understand this? One more point of concern: the people with state food cards are not stopped from buying items of low expenses; yet those of us with debit cards are. It seems, in a market place of dollar stores, only those on government aid can shop in Dayton Ohio without a surcharge.. Preferential treatment given to those on government aid looks like financial and economic socialism, fascism, and communism. I write of Dayton in this manner because Dayton has been my family’s home for many generations. It is our duty and a requirement of the constitution of the United States of America, speak, voice or write, when we notice something wrong. this is how a town, a city, a country problem solves.

By lucifer sam

January 6, 2012 7:27 PM | Link to this

My grandparents immigrated to Dayton from Europe in the 20’s or something crazy like that. They could have moved somewhere with a beach but they chose to anchor our family here. Some day I hope to move away, but for now while I’m stuck here, I’m glad Dayton is once again embracing immigrants, especially during these tough times when people traditionally turn against immigrants and blame them for every woe the country has.

By funny

January 6, 2012 6:05 PM | Link to this

funny how city leaders constantly focus on immigrants to cure all rather than to take care of any problems such as drugs, bad employees, etc themselves.

By Jim from Dayton

January 6, 2012 4:59 PM | Link to this

I have no problem of welcoming ANYONE to Dayton so long as they are not a drag on our already overstretched human services. The danger in welcoming immigrants is that they may require considerable public support to get established but once established will move to Beavercreek, Centerville, Bellbrook, Huber Heights, etc. This can be expected particularly among the more economically and socially ambitious. Meanwhile, Dayton will be left to pay the tab both for them and for the less successful among them, who will continue to populate our decaying and declining neighborhoods.

By Mnugent

January 6, 2012 4:51 PM | Link to this

If the city really wants people, all people, to feel welcome, perhaps they could focus on making Dayton a better place to live (for all). We know the list, bad schools, petty crime, lax code enforcement, over saturation of non-producers, slum lords, unfriendly attitude towards small businesses and so on. Mayor Leitzell’s and Commissioner Joseph’s fawning over immigrants is insulting. They should take care of their own first. Stop this immigrant nonsense.

By Mnugent

January 6, 2012 4:48 PM | Link to this

If the city really wants people, all people, to feel welcome, perhaps they could focus on making Dayton a better place to live (for all). We know the list, bad schools, petty crime, lax code enforcement, over saturation of non-producers, slum lords, unfriendly attitude towards small businesses and so on. Mayor Leitzell’s and Commissioner Joseph’s fawning over immigrants is insulting. They should take care of their own first. Stop this immigrant nonsense.

By ohiodale

January 6, 2012 2:00 PM | Link to this

I will hold my comments for 10 years to see how the plan works out. Anyone praising this idea or putting it down has absolutely no data for which to base an opinion. The US used to create a ton of job which is why immigrants in the past were able to quickly move up. The US today is barely creating any jobs and with unemployment so high in Dayton do we really need more competition for the limited number of jobs?

By Emily

January 6, 2012 1:23 PM | Link to this

Immigrants breathe life into stagnant economies. Same story has been enacting itself for generations. Once, it was your ancestors who immigrated. Wonder how many people didn’t want them around, either…Immigrants don’t necessarily take a bigger piece of the pie; if given the opportunity, they will grow the pie bigger!

By David

January 6, 2012 11:58 AM | Link to this

One more, and final reason that I’m moving out of Ohio. All this “plan” is, is window dressing to allow illegal immagrants into this community. Another example of liberalism run amuck in Dayton. Goodbye and good luck Dayton. You’re going to need it.

By Dr. Real

January 6, 2012 11:14 AM | Link to this

Why I moved!

By null

January 6, 2012 9:53 AM | Link to this

I’m pretty sure nepotism already existed before this plan.

By dodge09

January 6, 2012 9:47 AM | Link to this

@skeptic.are u talking about me.or the stupid guy called null.i dont live in dayton.but i have family that lives there.i have never had a problem in dayton.

By Juan Gomez

January 5, 2012 10:10 PM | Link to this

Hey Skeptic - I do live in Dayton, and this is stupidity. Let me know how you like it here after Ahmad hires his cousin Khamil instead of you, and Khamil hires his 4th cousin Jamal instead of you and Jamal hires his friend Sharif instead of you.

By Skeptic

January 5, 2012 7:55 PM | Link to this

To the person below - if you don’t live here, who are you to speak about Dayton? We love our great city and the new Welcome Dayton plan is another step in the right direction. Great job, Dayton!

By dodge09

January 5, 2012 4:48 PM | Link to this

@null.i guess the city you live in is much better.all citys have good and bad spots.give me a brake.and all who live in dayton.

By null

January 5, 2012 4:12 PM | Link to this

immigrant-friendly?welcome to the city of dayton ohio?this is no friendly city!!!!!!!i’m glad i don’t live in this so called city…..