The Tennessee ConserVOLiance

The Mayor of New York City has just “ordered the city’s more than 100 agencies to provide language assistance in six foreign languages.”

While there may be some logic to this for New York City, no one can deny that it will increase costs significantly at each of those 100 agencies. And who will pay those costs?

Nashville is not New York City. I would go out of my way to assist anyone who needed services and needed help in understanding English. But I do not think we should obligate Nashville (or any other city or public agency) to provide services in any language other than English. If the city of Nashville does not state clearly that English is the official language of city government, then the pressures (and potential lawsuits) to force the city to conduct business in other languages will continue building – and the lawsuits will become all-but-inevitable.

As an aside, I am scratching my head over why the Mayor of New York picked these six languages (”Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Italian, and French Creole”) and not others. Why not Arabic? Or Hebrew? Or German? Just because there aren’t enough people in New York who speak my language, I’m denied services in my language? Heads up New York – incoming lawsuits ahead.

  - Rob Shearer (aka RedHatRob)

You can visit the website of Nashville English First here.
New York City mayor requires agencies to offer services in six foreign languages.

The New York Times (7/23, B2, Santos) reported that Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (I) “ordered the city’s more than 100 agencies to provide language assistance in six foreign languages” to help residents through the “daunting endeavor” of calling city offices. The languages are “Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Italian, and French Creole.” The Times noted that “[i]mmigrant advocates and city officials says it is the most comprehensive order of its kind in the country.” Bloomberg, who declined to specify the cost of such services, said the “order will make our city more accessible, while helping us become the most inclusive municipal government in the nation.”

The AP (7/23, Kugler) added that “Bloomberg said the 1.8 million New Yorkers who struggle with speaking English should be able to interact more easily with government.” The order stipulates that “[e]ach city agency…designate its own language coordinator who will develop a plan for ensuring that all the agency’s services will be available in the six languages.” The AP added “[t]hat could mean forms, documents, informational brochures, or inspection reports.”