READERS RESPOND -- More friends than Job Center foes

I don’t know that I’m for it or against it, but I would like some more

information on the Job Center (“New group rallies for Costa Mesa Job

Center,” Friday).

I’ve never seen anything in the paper about what they do or what’s the

percentage of success that they have. It’s just always wanting a yes or

no. If it’s not successful, I think they should close because it’s not.

Just to see all those men milling about doesn’t say much.

CARA FRYE

Costa Mesa

We utilize the Job Center, so we’re definitely friends of the Job

Center. We like it. We hope it doesn’t move from this location because

it’s very visible and very accessible and everyone there has always been

very friendly.

JERRY AND DIANE EDMONDSON

Newport Beach

I think the city should not be running a place of employment that

fosters hiring potentially illegal citizens and paying them without

deducting taxes.

I think it goes against all of the rules that the government should be

enforcing if we have those laws on the books instead of fostering to

ignore those rules.

JAN PETERSON

Costa Mesa

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Jan Peterson owns apartments in Costa Mesa.

I think the Job Center in Costa Mesa is a very important thing for the

community as well as the people who are employed through the Job Center.

I have lived most of my life back East in New Jersey. I do feel if we

had something like that, it would benefit the community as well as the

people who live there. I would not be opposed to getting a phone call

about this issue. I appreciate your paper; it does serve our community

well.

SONDRA LEE

Newport Beach

I don’t think that any city should put even one dime toward funding a

center for illegal immigrants to get jobs. I think if you want to make a

positive contribution to the community, any funds should go to assisting

the INS in deporting all the illegal immigrants and also going after the

employers that would hire them.

Our country is at a critical stage right now, and we just don’t have

the money to spend on immigrants. Even legal immigrants shouldn’t get one

dime of help. Right now they get all kinds of services, and these are

people that have never paid into the system.

It’s quite simply wrong that we are sacrificing our own kids’

education and our lifestyle to support these people who are not even

legal. I think we shouldn’t send money to any foreign country until all

of our infrastructure has been completely redone -- that means bridges,

freeways, sewer systems, etc.

We shouldn’t spend one dime to educate a foreign child until every

American child has a state-of-the-art computer on their desk, all the

books they need, all the one-on-one tutoring and I could go on and on.

We need more California Highway Patrol officers. Everywhere you look,

this state and this country is crumbling from within because instead of

spending money on our needs, we are spending it on the needs of illegal

immigrants.

Quite frankly, I would hope that Costa Mesa would close the Job Center

and aggressively start to get rid of illegal immigrants who live in that

city.

SHIRLEY KOCH-SMITH

Newport Beach

I strongly support the existence of the Costa Mesa Job Center. I do

think it needs to be improved. But I think that it’s an extremely

important part of our community -- my community and the community of the

Latinos who live here. I’m not Latino.

I believe that Councilman Chris Steel is an extremely biased person

who taps into many of the classic fears that people have about

immigrants. I think it’s ironic that of course so many people hire the

people who go to the Job Center looking for a job.

One of the classic remarks that has been reported to me was from

someone who was driving along the street. He pointed to a group of men

waiting on the street corner. “I sure hate to see them there,” he said,

“but I’ve learned to use them.”

I think that’s the general attitude.

I strongly support the existence of the Job Center. I take

intercultural communication at Golden West College. We have frequent

discussions about bias toward people of different groups and how it

reveals itself and the kinds of comments people make that don’t appear to

be associated with ethnicity.

SANDY SUDWEEKS

Costa Mesa

I don’t believe the city should be in the business of an employment

agency. This is out of the jurisdiction of the city. Let the agencies

like Labor Force, Apple One, the State Unemployment Office and others do

their jobs.

I just can’t believe the city would involve itself and its citizens in

this type of operation. What a degrading thing it must be for the people

who are using this Job Center.

It’s a shame. Get rid of the center and send the people using it to a

dignified agency that has the training to get training for them and

stable jobs for them.

Get rid of the Job Center and train these people so that they can get

a decent job.

JERRY VANUS

Costa Mesa

I am for the Job Center to continue. I find it very important to have

people available to work and things like that.

HENRY GRIFFITH

Newport Beach

I think the Costa Mesa Job Center is a good community resource and

should be retained. I don’t see any need to change it at all. If they

don’t like guys hanging out at illegal places for work, they should

picket those guys.

ED VANDEM BOFFCHE

Costa Mesa

The Job Center in Costa Mesa should be continued.

PAUL BECK

Costa Mesa

As a citizen of Costa Mesa, I do not want my taxes going to support

the Job Center.

If the Job Center could prove that all workers are documented or legal

residents and that only citizens and businesses from Costa Mesa were

allowed to benefit from it, that would be a different story.

Why should our city pay about $130,000 a year to support a facility

that provides at least half of these low-wage workers to the residents

and businesses of Newport Beach and Huntington Beach?

Perhaps it’s time to fine companies that illegally hire and exploit

day laborers and use those funds to support a facility such as this, but

our taxes shouldn’t be paying for it.

TIM CROMWELL

Costa Mesa

I often use the Job Center and find the men who work out of there to

be excellent. Put me down as commending Costa Mesa for finding a

practical solution to helping people find work and greatly simplifying

the process for those of us needing occasional help.

The Job Center should be a model for all the communities of Orange

County and California -- a highly efficient system of bringing market

forces together.

Interestingly, Enron was attempting to bring markets together. Had

they paid more attention to Costa Mesa, they would have learned how its

done.

BUCK JOHNS

Newport Beach

Thank you for the article regarding the Job Center. I am shocked that

the City Council would even consider closing it down.

The Job Center has made a huge contribution to managing the problem of

loitering day workers. At a cost that is a relative pittance, the Job

Center has provided an orderly, safe and dignified way for dayworkers and

employers to connect with each other.

We should be proud that our city is out front of other cities in

Orange County in providing such a valuable service.

I congratulate the City Council on funding the Job Center in the past,

and I urge the council to continue such funding in the future.

STEVEN J. DZIDA

Costa Mesa