Members of the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) met with United States Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez in Colorado Springs to discuss President Bush’s plan for comprehensive immigration reform. Joined by other local business leaders, Todd Williams, Vice President of American Civil Constructors (Littleton), Mike Leman, President, Singing Hills Landscape (Aurora) and Kristen Sirovatka Fefes, Executive Director, Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (Denver), represented the landscape industry during the meeting with Secretary Gutierrez.
| L&L COVERAGE |
Read Lawn & Landscape's coverage of this past July's Legislative Day on the Hill for more information on what the industry is saying about immigration reform and other hot issues: |
“The business community is fortunate to have Secretary Gutierrez as such a strong advocate,” Williams says. “He truly understands the complexities involved in immigration reform, he wants to avoid the unintended consequences that could result from a non-comprehensive plan, and he wants to ensure the country remains secure.”
“Secretary Gutierrez understands that immigration is probably the most important issue so far in the 21st century," Leman adds. "We were able to show him that immigration reform, with a workable guestworker program, is critical to the future economic health of Colorado, the green industry and the country.”
Colorado’s green industry contributes nearly $2 billion to the state economy and employs more than 40,000 individuals.
The Secretary has held a series of meetings across the country with business leaders who will be negatively impacted if comprehensive immigration reform is not resolved. Secretary Gutierrez continued President Bush’s push for comprehensive immigration reform. “We can’t walk away from this problem. Just because it’s complex doesn’t mean we should ignore it,” Gutierrez says. He also reminds the business community, “let your voices be heard.”
The landscape industry is helping push the administration’s immigration proposal, which closely matches Senate bill 2611.