Candidates debate possible labor center

At the last forum among candidates for Costa Mesa’s City Council before the Nov. 4 election, the questions highlighted issues with gang prevention and enforcement, the possible creation of a job center for day laborers, and serving underrepresented communities.

It was a stark change in focus from previous forums, which dealt mostly with the traffic problems caused by the 55 Freeway, noise problems with John Wayne Airport and redeveloping the city’s Westside infrastructure.

Many issues addressed were of some importance to Latinos. The forum was translated into Spanish for a handful of audience members who borrowed headsets to listen.

Mayor Eric Bever missed his second consecutive forum. He was the only candidate not in attendance at the event hosted by the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, but a seat with his name placard on it was placed on stage right in the middle of the two tables full of candidates.

Most candidates said it was a bad idea for the city council to vote to shut down the job center on the Westside a few years back, and Gary Monahan received criticism for his having voted to close it.

Monahan stood by his decision, after supporting it years earlier, because of liability issues and because it had already served its purpose in reducing the number of day laborers congregating in the city, he said.

“I decided to vote against it because I didn’t feel it was needed anymore. My biggest issue is that we have employees and employers that aren’t held to any standards,” Monahan said.

Lisa Reedy, Katrina Foley, Bill Sneen and Chris McEvoy all challenged the decision, though. Reedy said the problem had worsened since the job center disbanded with countless day laborers seeking work alongside Westside streets.

“There were no less than 50 this morning,” Reedy said about her observations driving through the neighborhood to work.

Foley said she had voted against closing the center. McEvoy and Sneen said it was a mistake to close it.

Although Sneen is not Latino, he showcased his fluency in Spanish. When asked about what segment of the population needed to be better represented he encouraged Latinos to come out and vote and participate in government speaking in both Spanish and English.

McEvoy expressed similar sentiments. He has continually challenged the notion that the Westside of the city, which has the largest Latino population, should be redeveloped into upscale housing, saying that the move would banish an important part of the city’s culture.

“Thirty-eight percent of Costa Mesa is Latino, and we don’t have a single Latino running for City Council,” McEvoy said.

Jim Righeimer and Sneen both touted their private sector experience as a relevant qualification for office. Righeimer said his background in putting up commercial developments would help him understand how to better deal with those who want to develop in Costa Mesa.

Sneen said that as an executive of a big company he has managed budgets in excess of $200 million (almost twice Costa Mesa’s normal operating budget).

Echoing Chris Bunyan, who earlier in the campaign committed to donating his entire salary and benefits package from the city to fund a new library in Costa Mesa, McEvoy and Sneen said they did not want to take the city’s money either. Sneen said he would give his city stipend to a different community organization each year, and McEvoy said the city could save money by not paying council members in the first place.

“I think this is something that should be done as a voluntary service….I know that’s probably not very popular up here,” McEvoy said.

Nick Moss addressed a concern brought up by many of the candidates: the need for more community members to get involved. Moss said it was incumbent upon the residents to speak up at council meetings. Foley and McEvoy said the same, joking that almost every seat was empty at most meetings.

“I think we’re lacking in involvement from many individuals. We hear from the same 10 people at every City Council meeting,” Foley said.

ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.