What is up with Utica, New York?

…..and what could the Mayor of Utica possibly say to the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow?

Back in 2007, I noticed that someone of the “caring class” had dubbed Utica the city that LOVES REFUGEES.   But, I noticed over the years that some problems were brewing.  Here in 2007, they had a problem with immigrant teens, in 2008, here, nearby Rome, NY (also in Oneida County) citizens complained about the economic impact of too many refugees in the area, here in 2009 we had a big food stamp fraud bust in Utica, then here in 2010 we had a refugee murdered….

Then I saw this article posted at Friends of Refugees reporting on a story from last May about how the county council wants the federal government to pony-up more of the cost of the refugees.

From the Observer-Dispatch:

The Genesee Street center expects to help roughly 500 refugees relocate to the area this year.

Providing services for such an expanding refugee population, however, is becoming a financial burden on Oneida County, according to a report drafted by county legislator Brian Mandryck, R-Lee, and signed by 20 of his legislative colleagues, 15 Republicans and five Democrats.

Mandryck’s report requested additional federal and state funding to help dilute the roughly $3.2 million to $5.3 million it contributes to the refugee population.

If no funding is available, the report request that the number of refugees entering the area each year be reduced.

“Reducing the need for services will reduce costs and will reduce the need for the expenditure of local tax dollars,” the report states.

[….]

Based on Mandryk’s review of costs, the county spent $9.5 million in 2009 for services such as temporary assistance, Medicaid, health screenings and translator services. After state and federal reimbursements, county taxpayers paid $3.2 million to $5.3 million to provide those services, a bulk of which went to Medicaid payments.

So, when New York Senator Chuck Schumer holds hearings on immigration reform with the Mayor of Utica testifying, what is that all about?    Comprehensive immigration reform usually involves illegal immigrants.  Do they have an illegal immigrant problem in Utica too?  Or, will the mayor just make a pitch for more federal tax dollars for his city?

Here is the hearing information:

The Senate Committee on the Judiciary has scheduled a hearing of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security entitled “The Economic Imperative for Enacting Immigration Reform” for Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.

Check out the big business and university honchos testifying—will they say they need more (cheap) immigrant labor?  More college students?

Curiously the hearing is one day before fellow New Yorker, Rep. Peter King, will hold another hearing in the House of Representatives on Somali refugee terrorist recruitment.

Note when you check out the hearing schedule that the Mayor of Lewiston, ME will also be testifying.  He is expected to say everything is just peachy in Lewiston with its huge Somali immigrant population just one day before the Somali terrorist hearings in the House (remember he was recently feted by John (let’s airlift 100,000 Iraqis here) Podesta and the boys at the Center for American Progress.)!

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