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and from the GC Telegram:

A Hispanic advocacy group's effort to take issue with Garden City's increased penalties on uninsured and unlicensed drivers has caught the attention of the media. And elected officials in Dodge City and Liberal.

During a meeting of all three cities Tuesday at Liberal's Mid-American Air Museum, they said they have similar problems and expressed an interest in adopting similar mandatory jail terms for repeat offenders.

Liberal Mayor Larry Koochel suggested that all three cities adopt similar penalties to send a message that the cities are serious about drivers being licensed and having insurance. Everybody pays the price for uninsured and unlicensed drivers, especially when an accident occurs, Koochel said.

Dodge City officials said they have similar problems but voiced concern about having enough space at their current jail to accommodate an increase in prisoners.

The southwest Kansas chapter of Sunflower Community Action held a meeting Saturday to explain to the Garden City community and Mayor Reynaldo Mesa how mandatory jail terms would impact the immigrant community, because many of them cannot get a driver's license.
Mesa said during Tuesday's City Commission meeting that he would urge the group to approach the Garden City Commission at an upcoming meeting to talk about the issue further.

Mesa urged Liberal and Dodge City officials to research the effects of any increased penalties and "make sure you're doing it for the right reasons."
Garden City commissioners said the ordinance was passed with little discussion or thought, and that they didn't think of the direct impact to the immigrant community.

Told of the reaction from officials in Dodge City and Liberal, Emira Palacios, democracy school coordinator with Sunflower Community Action, said: "I really think they are acting out of ignorance. It's not fixing the problem because many of them cannot get a driver's license," Palacios said.

"Rather than trying to do something locally they need to try to go to the state, the governor. Ask Kathleen Seblieus what is her solution. They're making the problem bigger rather than fixing it."

The increased penalties came as a way for the Garden City Police Department to further focus on reducing the number of uninsured and unlicensed drivers.

Garden City Manager Bob Halloran said communities adopting stiffer penalties wouldn't solve the bigger issue of uninsured and unlicensed drivers. He also noted that Garden City has its new public transportation bus service to assist those drivers, while the other communities do not.
He suggested if the communities want to take a position on uninsured and unlicensed drivers, they should work with and encourage the state Legislature to address the problem.

Why are they driving when it is illegal to do so without a license? Could it be their flagrant disregard of the law born from our laxed position on illegal entry?

full story: Garden City Telegram Online