Aurora official tries to pressure Hispanic festival
When Aurora City Council hears from an organization requesting to hold a festival on city property, aldermen don't usually consider what that group will do with festival proceeds.
But a debate over how much money will go toward scholarships is causing one alderman to question whether Fiestas Patrias should be allowed to take place in mid-September.
Alderman Juany Garza said she's heard from residents who don't want the festival to go on unless its host, the Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, commits to donating a certain percentage of festival proceeds to scholarships for local students.
“What we want is more accountability,” Garza said. “It's what the community needs.”
But a few aldermen, including Rick Lawrence, said Garza's idea may be overstepping the municipality's role.
“Is that really the city's business to know what a private organization does with its money?” he said.
Alderman Richard Irvin said it's “honorable” for an alderman to ask an organization to support scholarships.
But a determination of whether the festival gets a permit to use the North River Street parking lot for the three-day celebration of Mexican independence should be made only by considering “the health, welfare and safety of Aurora citizens,” he said.
“I don't think we can be holding hostage any permits for them to act as any other organization acts in this city,” Irvin said.
Alderman Lynda Elmore agreed, saying the festival only should be denied permission if there were complaints about issues such as safety, security or noise stemming from it last year. She encouraged residents with concerns or complaints about last year's Fiestas Patrias, the first running of the festival in Aurora, to speak to city council Tuesday, Aug. 9 at 6 p.m.
Although the event, planned for Sept. 16-18, is being organized by the Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Alderman Whitey Peters said many residents think the city is running it.
“I think the community views it as a city-sponsored function,” Peters said.
The city partially funded a similar celebration of Mexican independence in the past, Garza said. But Aurora will not be not providing any financial assistance if Fiestas Patrias goes on as scheduled this year.