The issue of undocumented workers in Columbia County is remaining a hot topic at many breakfast tables and restaurants through out the community. The support for Wayne Mayo and his recently passed ballot measure to fine construction companies that knowingly hire undocumented workers has not faltered, in fact the majority of voters that passed the ballot measure are disgusted with the court system, ACLU and individuals from the Rural Organizing Project headed by Marcy Westerling who have filed action against the ballot measure in the court system.

ROP has come out against Wayne Mayo with accusations that I find unfair and untrue, in Wayne's defense, he is not a bigot, and he is not against immigration. Wayne has said many times that he is not against immigrants coming into the United States as long as they follow the rules that have been established. I would believe that most Americans feel the same way.

Wayne's ballot measure is trying to protect undocumented workers by making sure that greedy construction companies and greedy corporations are not treating these individuals unfairly in the work place. It is common knowledge that many corporations have been raided and it has been found that they have been using undocumented workers, paying these people lower wages, and in some instances stiffing them on their earnings all together, and treating them as slaves, this country fought a Civil War against similar practices, and was successful in stopping the degradation against a race of people and now as a community and country we are allowing modern day slavery to thrive because of greedy people, the only difference between then and now is the elite have targeted a different race for their exploitation.
I also believe that these undocumented workers are lowering the wage scale in many types of trades. It is no secret that many corporations and many business's pay undocumented workers less wages than they would pay US citizens. The reason is simple less wages paid out the more profit these outfits take in, and it is all about money.
I would have thought that ROP would have supported Wayne's ballot measure in the principle that it is a way to protect these people from unfair labor practices, human slavery, and exploitation. I don't believe that Marcy and her follower's really understand Wayne's ballot, not do I think for one moment that Marcy and ROP would want undocumented immigrants to be exploited.

I would also assume that ROP would want to uphold the sanction of the ballot box and respect her community's voice, which has been soundly expressed on Election Day 2009. One would surmise that ROP would fight as diligently to uphold the vote whether they agreed with the ballot measure or not.

I have often disagreed with the out come of many elections and ballot measures, but have been loyal to the institution of the ballot box, because if you do not uphold the ballot than you do not up hold the democracy that this country's very foundation relies on.
In my opinion as it may be, if ROP disagreed with Wayne's measure they should have taken the steps as Wayne did, write an initiative up, pass it through the elections dept, the DA, then collect signatures, get it on the ballot and then allow their fellow citizens to pass or fail it. Instead ROP went out side of the community, out side of the state and collected funds to stop Wayne. And now the citizens voice, while ROP collected and spent nearly $60,000.00 to fight Wayne's ballot measure, Wayne collected a hair over $420.00 spent a tad less and still won. I believe the outcome was obvious of how the voters felt about this ballot measure.

I believe the citizens of this county have spoken loud and clear.
It will be interesting on how the judge rules in this lawsuit against Wayne's ballot measure and the majority of the peoples voice and vote.