Oakland: First U.S. City to Impose Language Quotas

Don Feder, "Oakland Lays the Foundation for Babel," Boston Herald (May 2, 2001).

"City OKs historic bilingual law" (Oakland Tribune, April 25, 2001). "The city became the first in the state -- and possibly the nation -- Tuesday to require essential services and materials to be translated into languages spoken by at least 10,000 residents."

"Oakland may order departments to hire bilingual workers", (Associated Press, April 24, 2001). Includes discussion of EO 13166: "Before he left office, President Clinton signed an order boosting the federal language requirement."

Danny Wan on Oakland's Proposed Law (San Francisco Chronicle, April 24, 2001).

"Oakland Targeting Language Barriers", (San Jose Mercury News, April 19, 2001). "The Oakland ordinance would require the city to hire a 'sufficient number' of bilingual employees in all positions with public contact . . . "

"2 Cities May Require Hiring of Bilingual Staff" (Los Angeles Times, April 20, 2001).

Commentary "Oakland may recognize 2 official languages -- and neither of them will be English," (San Francisco Chronicle, April 11, 2001). "[T]he proposal would require the city to fill in city government "public contact" job openings with employees who are bilingual in either of those two languages. Though technically race-neutral, the practical effect is likely to be that the city staff will become virtually all Latino and Chinese."

"Committee OKs Hiring of Bilingual Workers" (San Francisco Chronicle April 11, 2001).

"City panel approves bilingual services law, (Oakland Tribune, April 11, 2001). "The policy will probably be implemented first in Spanish and Chinese (Cantonese), the languages other than English spoken by the largest number of people in Oakland. New Census data will be analyzed to determine the need for services in other languages, such as Vietnamese."

"Oakland Plan to Serve Non-English Non-English Speakers" (San Francisco Chronicle, April 4, 2001). "[T]wo city councilmen yesterday proposed to hire more bilingual staff and translate key documents into at least two foreign languages. 'Historically, this city has made a real effort to be inclusive of African Americans,' said Councilman Danny Wan. 'We need to broaden that civil rights perspective to other ethnicities.'"

"Bilingual plan gets tentative approval" (Oakland Tribune, April 4, 2001). "Council Legislative Analyst Lupe Valdez determined it would cost at least $228,000 if all 38 city departments translated just five brochures into two languages, and $361,000 if a third language was added."

"Push for city departments to hire bilingual employees (Oakland Tribune, March 30, 2001). "In addition, contractors who receive at least $100,000 in city funds to provide direct services to the public must comply as well, under the proposal."