Warsaw Council OKs Resolution Endorsing Driver Cards
February 22, 2023 at 2:40 a.m.
By David [email protected]
At the Feb. 6 council meeting in City Hall, the council chambers was filled with supporters of Indiana Senate Bill 248, led by Ed Rodriguez representing La Voz Unida, asking the council to consider a resolution from the city in support of SB 248 on the Driving Privilege Card Program. The council voiced support for Mayor Joe Thallemer to prepare a resolution in support of the legislation that was being considered down at the Statehouse, which he presented Tuesday.
Councilman Jeff Grose, who is also running for mayor this year, said, “In my 24 years on the council, I don’t think - I could be wrong - but I don’t think the ‘whereas’ statements lead to page 2. Which, again, if you look at the ‘whereas’ statements, why we do what we do, pretty powerful. And then, close vote down at the state, this is a state responsibility. I was reading and trying to get up to date, who supports this. It’s not easy stuff, but who supports it: the Indiana Motor Truck Association, almost 50 mayors - one of them our neighbor in Goshen along with the chief of police, and then, another one at our table. And then I read the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, I’ve heard of them before. The Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council. The Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police, Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Catholic Conference, Indiana State Poultry Association, Indiana Muslim Advocacy Network, just to name a few. Asking the state to seriously consider this proposal for - again, high priority, public safety - in our cities and in our state. That really had an impact on me.”
He said the presentation two weeks ago also had an impact on him.
Mayor Joe Thallemer reminded the council that two weeks ago he told them he spoke to the Warsaw Police Department chief of police and the patrol lieutenant and there was overwhelming support from the WPD for the legislation.
“Unfortunately, they have to deal with a lot of these situations - uninsured motorists and motorists without licenses and potential hit-and-runs, and this is an effective way to try and improve the financial responsibility of all drivers as well as the safety by requiring a test to be taken,” Thallemer said.
Council President Jack Wilhite said there were a couple things about SB 248 that he had to look in that bothered him a little bit. One of those had to do with whether or not the driver cards could be used as a way to get into voting. Wilhite asked a lawyer friend of his about it and the attorney went right to the bill and showed him where it emphatically says it can’t be used for voting.
“That, I think we can put to rest,” Wilhite said.
He said he also had a concern that the bill didn’t get passed this year and probably will be brought up again in 2024. “However, I believe that our resolution here points out in particular those things that we are concerned about. And, so, I am behind this resolution,” Wilhite said.
Councilwoman Diane Quance said the last information she saw on the legislation was that it passed out of committee by a vote of 5-4.
“It was sent to Senate Appropriations. I talked to Sen. (Ryan) Mishler tonight and the bill did not advance out of caucus. So, it appears that it is - I won’t say for sure because sometimes things can be reinserted - I’m just going to say it’s not in a favorable position right now,” Thallemer explained.
Quance said, “This is a rare instance where the people at the state and local level are kind of speaking out about a federal issue. The federal issue, at this point, being immigration. And, of course, we have no control over that, and, I think what I see us doing is, while they’re figuring out that mess up at this level here, we’re trying to live practically with our neighbors and the people that perform necessary jobs and want to be good parents and get to school and want to be able to get their kids to the doctor and not worry about being stopped. I think we’re doing our part down here, the part we have input over. Hopefully, things like this will start to trickle up, in this case, and send a message also up further. We need to deal with this issue as a nation, but right now we can just deal with it as a city and express our support for our neighbors that live here and contribute to the community and want to do the right thing.”
Thallemer said Second District U.S. Congressman Rudy Yakym III was in Warsaw Tuesday and the immigration issue came up. He gave a historical perspective on how immigrants were let in the country based on the labor force and the needs of the labor force.
“When the labor force was way down, they would allow many more folks in. When the jobs were tight, they would tighten that up. Just an interesting historical perspective,” Thallemer said, adding that there is a big issue that needs to be taken care of far beyond the Council’s abilities.
“All we’re doing tonight is saying that we recognize there is a problem in our community and this might be one way to make things safer, more financially responsible for everyone,” Thallemer said.
Wilhite made the motion to approve the resolution, Councilman Jerry Frush seconded it and it was approved 6-0. Councilman Josh Finch was absent.
At the Feb. 6 council meeting in City Hall, the council chambers was filled with supporters of Indiana Senate Bill 248, led by Ed Rodriguez representing La Voz Unida, asking the council to consider a resolution from the city in support of SB 248 on the Driving Privilege Card Program. The council voiced support for Mayor Joe Thallemer to prepare a resolution in support of the legislation that was being considered down at the Statehouse, which he presented Tuesday.
Councilman Jeff Grose, who is also running for mayor this year, said, “In my 24 years on the council, I don’t think - I could be wrong - but I don’t think the ‘whereas’ statements lead to page 2. Which, again, if you look at the ‘whereas’ statements, why we do what we do, pretty powerful. And then, close vote down at the state, this is a state responsibility. I was reading and trying to get up to date, who supports this. It’s not easy stuff, but who supports it: the Indiana Motor Truck Association, almost 50 mayors - one of them our neighbor in Goshen along with the chief of police, and then, another one at our table. And then I read the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, I’ve heard of them before. The Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council. The Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police, Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Catholic Conference, Indiana State Poultry Association, Indiana Muslim Advocacy Network, just to name a few. Asking the state to seriously consider this proposal for - again, high priority, public safety - in our cities and in our state. That really had an impact on me.”
He said the presentation two weeks ago also had an impact on him.
Mayor Joe Thallemer reminded the council that two weeks ago he told them he spoke to the Warsaw Police Department chief of police and the patrol lieutenant and there was overwhelming support from the WPD for the legislation.
“Unfortunately, they have to deal with a lot of these situations - uninsured motorists and motorists without licenses and potential hit-and-runs, and this is an effective way to try and improve the financial responsibility of all drivers as well as the safety by requiring a test to be taken,” Thallemer said.
Council President Jack Wilhite said there were a couple things about SB 248 that he had to look in that bothered him a little bit. One of those had to do with whether or not the driver cards could be used as a way to get into voting. Wilhite asked a lawyer friend of his about it and the attorney went right to the bill and showed him where it emphatically says it can’t be used for voting.
“That, I think we can put to rest,” Wilhite said.
He said he also had a concern that the bill didn’t get passed this year and probably will be brought up again in 2024. “However, I believe that our resolution here points out in particular those things that we are concerned about. And, so, I am behind this resolution,” Wilhite said.
Councilwoman Diane Quance said the last information she saw on the legislation was that it passed out of committee by a vote of 5-4.
“It was sent to Senate Appropriations. I talked to Sen. (Ryan) Mishler tonight and the bill did not advance out of caucus. So, it appears that it is - I won’t say for sure because sometimes things can be reinserted - I’m just going to say it’s not in a favorable position right now,” Thallemer explained.
Quance said, “This is a rare instance where the people at the state and local level are kind of speaking out about a federal issue. The federal issue, at this point, being immigration. And, of course, we have no control over that, and, I think what I see us doing is, while they’re figuring out that mess up at this level here, we’re trying to live practically with our neighbors and the people that perform necessary jobs and want to be good parents and get to school and want to be able to get their kids to the doctor and not worry about being stopped. I think we’re doing our part down here, the part we have input over. Hopefully, things like this will start to trickle up, in this case, and send a message also up further. We need to deal with this issue as a nation, but right now we can just deal with it as a city and express our support for our neighbors that live here and contribute to the community and want to do the right thing.”
Thallemer said Second District U.S. Congressman Rudy Yakym III was in Warsaw Tuesday and the immigration issue came up. He gave a historical perspective on how immigrants were let in the country based on the labor force and the needs of the labor force.
“When the labor force was way down, they would allow many more folks in. When the jobs were tight, they would tighten that up. Just an interesting historical perspective,” Thallemer said, adding that there is a big issue that needs to be taken care of far beyond the Council’s abilities.
“All we’re doing tonight is saying that we recognize there is a problem in our community and this might be one way to make things safer, more financially responsible for everyone,” Thallemer said.
Wilhite made the motion to approve the resolution, Councilman Jerry Frush seconded it and it was approved 6-0. Councilman Josh Finch was absent.
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