FREMONT, Neb., -- A Thursday breakfast event intended to give Fremont business owners more information about a ballot issue on illegal immigration drew too small of a crowd to go on.
Another such event still is scheduled Friday at 7:30 a.m. at the Clarion/Wilderness Lodge and Conference Center, 1220 E. 23 St.
Both events are sponsored by "Centsible Citizens say NO," a business-backed group that opposes the ordinance.
Only seven people attended Thursday, most affiliated with the campaign. They included a representative from the Nebraska League of Municipalities, which has donated $8,000 to the opposition campaign, and a Lincoln campaign consultant.
The ordinance, which would require businesses to take steps to assure the identity of new hires and would restrict landlords from renting to people without verified documents, is scheduled to go before voters in a special election June 21.
Notice of the event was sent to 600 members of the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce, said Ron Tillery, the group's executive director.
Attendees said the poor attendance may reflect that people have already decided how they're going to vote. It also is an indication that people are reluctant to discuss the issue because they don't want to offend potential customers.
"I'm not surprised. People don't want to offend their neighbors, they don't want to stir anybody up," said Jim Ebers, an insurance agent who's volunteering with the committee.
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
