Letter to the editor
There has been enough misinformation on Question 4 that I hope together we might clarify for friends and family what it means. A yes vote keeps The Family Work and Mobility Act, sponsored by our Senator Brendan Crighton, and already passed into law by the legislature. A yes vote means Massachusetts joins 17 other states in ensuring that our roads are safer, by allowing undocumented immigrants to apply for a driver’s license.
Undocumented applicants will have to pass the Massachusetts drivers test and get their car insured. This will protect you from a driver who doesn’t know the rules of the road or a driver who hits your car and is not insured. In other states that have enacted this law, the rate of drivers who left the scene of an accident, declined dramatically. The current law is supported by the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police of every major city, Sheriffs, the AG and the DA’s.
The law would not give a REAL ID license to undocumented workers. An undocumented driver would get a standard license and will have to show proof of ID, such as a passport or consular documentation of birth from another country , just like any other non-citizen who gets a license.
They will not be able to vote. The secretary of state has said this is a non-issue. Automatic voter registration in Massachusetts does not mean everyone who has a driver’s license can vote, including 16 and 17 year old drivers, those with green cards, DACA recipients, TSP and visas. You need a social security card and proof of citizenship to vote.
Another argument is the cost of implementation. This law will generate revenue. The estimation is that within 3 years, it will generate $5 million in taxes and $6 million in fees, meaning everyone will be paying their fair share to drive in Massachusetts
There are many places in the Massachusetts economy that would not be functioning without the work of undocumented workers. They have children that must get to the doctor’s or to school. They are driving now. It makes sense to ensure our roads are safe. Please join Massachusetts law enforcement, nurses, doctors, labor, Massachusetts teachers, business owners and social workers in voting YES on Question 4, which can be found on the back of your ballot. – Renee Ramirez Keaney, 2 Beverly Ave.
What do you not understand about the word “illeagal”?
Allowing illegals to get a MA drivers license would only encourage more ILLEAGEL folks to come into the state. Vote NO on qusstion 4.