Doral Officials Reject Resolution to Make Spanish City's Official Second Language

The vote against the proposal was unanimous

The Doral City Council voted unanimously against a proposal to make Spanish its official second language Wednesday.

With 80 percent of residents speaking Spanish, Doral Mayor Luigi Boria said he wanted to make Spanish the city's second official language. He told NBC 6 before the vote that the title would help grow the local economy.

"That will eliminate any doubt to come and invest in this country, and also in this city, and it will allow us to create more jobs," he said.

Officials were hoping the resolution, which would designate the city as multicultural, would attract more foreign business owners, according to the Miami Herald.

Councillors said the multicultural aspect of the resolution would be taken up again at a later date.

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Doral has several Latin American companies and Hispanics account for 62.7 percent of all business owners in the city, according to a 2007 census.

But some residents disagree with the mayor – even Spanish-speaking ones like Felipe Madrigal from Costa Rica. He thinks it may scare people away it they don't speak Spanish and calls it "a political shenanigan."

"We don't need this. We have subsisted for many years very well," the community activist said. "I was part of those who created the city of Doral 10 years ago, and so far we haven't had a problem, so let's unite. Let's not divide."

If the resolution passes, business owner wouldn't be required to change any of their practices.

The mayor says the change won't cost a dime – and besides helping the economy, he thinks it'll also encourage residents to learn another language.

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Boria, who opened his own business shortly after coming to the United States from Venezuela, told the Herald he expects the resolution to pass.

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