City will bill organizers for cost of Monday's march

[William769]

FORT MYERS: Leaders with the city of Fort Myers and Lee County are trying to determine how much "The Great March" cost taxpayers. The city of Fort Myers attorney sent a letter to organizers on Friday stating they would be responsible for all costs involved in the event. The organizers say they shouldn't have to pay because they have a right to protest.

On Friday, the Fort Myers city attorney sent a letter to Luis Ibarra, Director of the United Latin Immigrants of Florida as well as the Mexican Consulate in Miami.

The letter stated, "The city is unaware if you have taken any steps to provide for the event and therefore will incur significant taxpayer dollars to provide what the organizers of the event are supposed to provide. As a result, the city will be seeking reimbursement for these services and will hold your organization responsible to the greatest extent of the law."

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=6625&z=3&p=

[mdmc]

1. Have libby dole send them a bill

"to the full extent of the law" ... I think that the city will need to provide a venue for the protest. I think that is how this will work out...

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. Were organizers informed before the protests that they would be billed?

And is it Fort Myers' policy to bill all protests? If not, the city probably has no legal basis for billing the ULIF.

[Systematic Chaos]

3. Just another sign of how broke our communities are.

Would this have been an issue even 10 years ago? I doubt it. :(

[jayfish]

4. Maybe The Organizers Should Get...

a dividend check for the revenue generated from the event. I hate underhanded BS like this.

Jay

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. "Congress shall make NO law abridging the right of the people

people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

That includes intimidation by billing them for doing so.

[Gormy Cuss]

6. Why the Mexican consulate?

The organizing entity represents all Latin immigrants in Florida, not just Mexicans. Did I miss something?

[TexasLawyer]

7. Free Speech, Free Assembly, Free Petition of Government

for Redress:

I thought they were supposed to be "free". Where did I get that idea?!?