Mayor 'off base' for trying to bill church

Thank you for your editorial on the United Church of Christ in Simi. The Mayor of Simi is indeed way off base in charging the church for monitoring the demonstration last Sunday. Neither the church nor the protesters (pro and con) are breaking the law. All have the legal right to express themselves under the First Amendment- as long as no one uses violence to do so.

In addition, the church is in no way breaking the law by having Liliana and her baby on their property. The church is not "hiding" or "harboring" anyone- the immigration authorities have been duly informed that this young mother and her baby are on the property. At this point, U.S. Immigration seems to be much more respectful than the Simi mayor is of the long history of churches providing sanctuary.

Could the mayor have some other political motive in taking this punitive stance against the church besides the simple protection of the Simi taxpayers? Nan Waltman Simi Valley