Closure is part of a trend

HUMBERTO CASPA

A few noteworthy events took place during that lugubrious Tuesday

night when a majority vote of the City Council decided to shut down

the Job Center.

Believe it or not, closing it wasn’t one of them. I smelled it was

coming. It was only a matter of time before city officials, at least

the ones voting yes, continued with a trend to drive out a part of

Costa Mesa’s population under a questionable plan of redevelopment.

Yes, as crude as it may sound, closing the center had political

implications and was less motivated by economic, social or security

reasons.

Had economics been the leading cause, as some -- including Mayor

Allan Mansoor and Councilman Gary Monahan -- argued many times, the

Job Center should remain open.

It should’ve been reequipped, restructured and adequately staffed.

After all, the poorly equipped, part-time staff members did a

terrific job at the center. Finding 30 out of the 103 jobs is a

striking figure; that is about a 40% success rate, which some private

companies might have trouble matching.

Moreover, Mansoor stressed, “It is up to the private sector to

facilitate jobs,” not the local government.

Under certain circumstances, of course, it is best to seek the

business community, but not all the time. Let’s not forget that

trickle-down economics only works in the minds of monetarist

theorists. Even President Bush, one of its greatest advocators today,

has tried unsuccessfully to tackle the country’s unemployment rates

with market economics It hasn’t worked for him, and don’t expect it

to help Costa Mesa either.

What the City Council ought to focus on from now on, instead of

flagrantly alienating a large part of the population, is to come up

with a sound plan that involves the entire community -- not only a

few radical interest groups.

In the beginning, the central idea of revitalization of the

Westside had plausible features. In general, it was congruent with

the needs and concerns of some residents of that end of the city.

However, versions of the original plan might have been taken

hostage by a few radical interest groups. They are now using it to

espouse division, create animosities among community members, and

they want to create a hostile environment in the city.

Closing the Job Center was the initial undertaking of this radical

movement, shutting down the swap meet at Orange Coast College appears

to be the next one in line. It seems that driving the Latino

community out of the Westside of Costa Mesa is their final goal.

Will it ever happen? Most of us whose feet are on the ground

believe it won’t.

Unfortunately, though, by siding officially with these radical

groups through the Job Center decision, the mayor and two of the

council members, might’ve already tarnished their political careers.

This decision will haunt them in the future.

Furthermore, in the process of closing the Job Center, the City

Council might’ve also triggered a catalyst for political mobilization

in Costa Mesa.

More Latino leaders in the community will be eager to engage in

politics now than ever before. It’ll be two years before the next

election takes place, but that’s a sufficient amount of time for some

of them to organize, form democratic coalitions, get in touch with

the people, and run for a government office. Like any other group in

the political system, Latinos deserve a say in the policy-making

process of the city.

Not only there is lack of representation of Latino issues on the

City Council, there is also lack of political participation. This is,

obviously, the Latino community’s fault.

When I walked in to City Hall that Tuesday evening, just about

everyone attending the meeting had concrete objectives in mind. Each

person was representing a particular interest group, including those

espousing one of the most backward political views in the nation.

At the end of the meeting, with the City Council’s assistance,

these radical groups came out with big smiles on their faces.

Thus, the Job Center issue was decided without a single council

member representing the large Latino population. Of course, Mirna

Burciaga, perhaps the only Latino voice in City Hall, was there to

shake up the system a bit. However, her presence and also the

arguments from other people against closing the center were not

enough to subdue a decision that seemed like had already been agreed

upon prior to the meeting.

There is much to be learned about this latest development in the

city.

Politics, as we always theorize in college, is who gets what, when

and how.

This time, some council members appear to have gotten the upper

hand, but in politics there is always room for vindication.

Democratic freedom is one reason why some Latinos move to this

country. Now, it’s only a matter of expressing their political will.

* HUMBERTO CASPA is a Costa Mesa resident and bilingual writer. He

can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].