Job Center thing of the past

Gary Monahan

Costa Mesa’s Job Center was established 17 years ago to provide a

location for an abundance of day laborers congregating at Lions Park

and the surrounding neighborhood.

The police had very little loitering enforcement capability. The

economy was bad. The Westside had gang problems, and the streets and

infrastructure were in need of major improvement. Now, times have

changed.

Costa Mesa’s Westside has long been undervalued. With property

values skyrocketing, our City Council has given approval to an

overlay incentive plan designed to kick-start private building

investment.

During the past 10 years, we have invested up to $20 million in

infrastructure improvements including a new downtown center, park

improvements, roadway improvements, new sidewalks and undergrounding

of utilities. Streets have been blocked to alleviate gang activity

and designated bike patrols have been initiated. Code enforcement is

up to seven positions. Police staffing has increased 22% from 189

positions to 231.

Currently, the Job Center provides approximately 30 laborers with

work each day and turns away more than 70. It costs more than

$100,000 a year on our already strained municipal budget. At 11 a.m.,

where do these 70 people go? Is the center alleviating a loitering

problem or adding 70 more to it?

The workers are typically paid cash without taxes withheld. They

have no employer-provided health insurance or workmen’s compensation.

They and their employer are not paying federal tax, state tax, SDI,

unemployment or Social Security. A $9-an-hour, cash-paid employee

would cost a legitimate employer up to $15 an hour. How quickly would

the labor board close down my business if I stopped withholding taxes

or didn’t pay Workmen’s Comp?

Is it not the government’s job to enforce our laws? Or are we to

not only encourage but to provide a boost to an underground,

nontaxpaying economy? The direct cost of operating our Job Center may

be $100,000, but our indirect costs are much higher. What about the

costs to a legitimate business competing with these nontaxpaying

employers?

Closure of our center is slated for July 1, providing almost four

months for the workers and employers to find permanent employment or

register with a temp agency. For years, our residents have been

demanding improvement and a plan for our Westside. We are finally

moving forward with that plan, which means the Job Center’s

usefulness is in the past.

* GARY MONAHAN is the mayor pro-tem of Costa Mesa.