New law hamstrings Mesa’s bilingual efforts

Mesa is getting creative in its attempts to reach out to the Spanish-speaking community, as it tries to overcome budget cuts and the limitations set by a new law that designates English as the state’s official language.

Mesa contracts with a Spanish-language media company to distribute information, and is in early talks with Spanish television company Univision to produce a Spanish-language show on city Channel 33 to highlight various programs.

But an amendment to the Arizona Constitution, passed via Proposition 103 on the 2006 ballot, limits information the city can circulate in other languages. The amendment states that government representatives must “preserve, protect and enhance the role of English as the official language of the government of Arizona.”

All “official actions” must be in English, including anything that appears to present the views or position of the c ity.

But there are a few exceptions:

• Documents encouraging residents to learn foreign languages.

• Actions under federal laws.

• Actions necessary for tourism, commerce or international trade.

• Documents protecting public health and safety.

• Information protecting the rights of crime victims or defendants.

• Providing assistance to hearing impaired or illiterate people.

• Informal and nonbinding transactions among governments and other people.

It’s that last exception that allows the city to distribute news releases, notices of new fees and other letters in Spanish or other languages.

As long as the city posts a disclaimer that the information is nonbinding, it can still communicate, said city spokesman Steve Wright.

“We are making sure we’re communicating with the Hispanic community,” he said. “We have a lot of Hispanics in the community that are here legally, they’re a contributing part of the community, and we want to make sure we are getting the message to them.”

Mesa’s code compliance division is looking into distributing notices in both English and Spanish, said director Mike Renshaw.

The Neighborhood Outreach office already offers some materials in both languages, and tries to have a bilingual employee along to perform door-to-door surveys, Renshaw said.

But code violations and other notices are only sent in English, which can present a problem.

“The language barrier exists in a lot of neighborhoods,” he said.

The city also tries to direct interested residents to nonprofit groups that provide English and Spanish classes. The city has contracted for about five years with Mesa’s Spanish Media and Translation Services for about $3,000 a month for 40 to 60 hours of translation, helping Spanish speakers at community meetings and staying in co ntact with Spanish news outlets.

The service is important, despite the number of people in Mesa who can speak other languages.

“You can have somebody who thinks they know how to translate,” Wright said. “But there’s a difference between proper and improper translation.”

Yazmin Venegas started Spanish Media and Translation Services about 10 years ago. Venegas is a journalist from Mexico City, and now acts as a go-between for Spanish media and employers like Mesa.

“I’m interested in helping the city provide services in Spanish to my community. But on the other hand, I’m also interested because the community needs to know that the city is there for them,” Venegas said. “They’re living here and they need services.”