Survey: Immigration polarizes West

SALT LAKE CITY - Westerners appear to be frustrated and conflicted when it comes to Latino immigrants and undocumented workers.

A recent survey of some likely Western voters shows 43 percent of respondents think immigrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries negatively impact life in their states. Although 39 percent think immigrants have a positive effect, only 29 percent of Utahns surveyed think they do, the lowest of the states surveyed.

The voters - in Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming - across the region also disagree when it comes to whether they think most immigrants perform jobs that others in the community will not take, with 49 percent saying they do and 38 percent saying they take away jobs from other workers.

Want more conflict? An overwhelming 71 percent of those polled endorse efforts to stop illegal immigration, including building a fence across the U.S.-Mexico border and penalizing employers who hire undocumented workers. But more than half - 53 percent - also want the estimated 12 million undocumented workers in the U.S. to be offered the chance to apply for legal status, according to a survey conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research Inc. of Washington, which questioned 2,400 likely voters in those states.

"On the one hand we hang out a 'Help Wanted' sign and ask anyone to apply," said Rep. Ross Romero, D-Salt Lake City. "And then if you haven't come here legally, we put out a 'No Trespassing' sign."

Respondents from four of the six states considered immigration the top issue facing their state. In Utah and Wyoming it was No. 2 behind oil and gas drilling on public lands.

No vote yet on underage servers

CHEYENNE - The Cheyenne City Council has postponed a vote on whether to allow people between the ages of 18 and 21 to serve alcohol in the bar areas of restaurants.

The council voted 6-4 on Monday to hold off on the vote until Oct. 27. That will allow time for a local nonprofit, the Laramie County Community Partnership, to release a report on underage drinking and suggestions for improving the city's alcohol laws.

Right now, people ages 18 to 21 are allowed to serve alcohol in restaurants in Cheyenne. But they're not allowed to work in separate bar areas of those restaurants.

Proponents say the change would make it easier for restaurants to schedule their staff. Opponents say such an ordinance would encourage underage drinking.

Nader seeks place on Wyo ballot

CHEYENNE - The Ralph Nader campaign has turned in about 8,200 signatures to get the consumer advocate's name placed on the presidential ballot in Wyoming in November.

Wyoming law requires the signatures of 3,868 registered voters for a candidate to qualify for the ballot.

Nader turned in his signatures to the Wyoming Secretary of State on Monday. The office is now checking those signatures to see whether enough of them belong to registered voters.

Nader made the ballot in Wyoming in 2004. He's scheduled to make a campaign stop in Cheyenne on Thursday.