Readers Respond -- Job Center retains employment

Thank you for your well-balanced and rational editorial piece about

the Costa Mesa Job Center in Sunday’s paper (March 7). It is refreshing

to read a reasoned discussion on this subject after hearing and reading

the comments from some of my fellow Costa Mesa citizens who have decided

that anything that this city, or any organization within this city, does

that might benefit immigrants, whether documented or undocumented, is

evil.

This is especially true if those immigrants come from lands south of

our border. I doubt that there would be such an outcry about the

undocumented Canadian, German or Russian immigrants. Please continue

providing such well-balanced editorials.

PAUL KELLY

Costa Mesa

The Costa Mesa Job Center is a valuable asset to our city, and I urge

its continued funding and operation.

Opponents say that closing the Job Center will solve the problem of

congregation of day laborers around our city. But day laborers

congregated around town before the Job Center ever existed, and there is

no reason to believe that day laborers will go away if the Job Center

does. Instead, the Job Center has proved itself an efficient means to

control the gathering of day laborers and a valuable tool for employers

and employees alike to find each other in a safe, secure and dignified

environment.

Opponents say we shouldn’t spend city money for the Job Center and

they imply that we would save all that money by closing the Job Center.

The truth is, what the city spends on the Job Center is pittance compared

to the benefit we all derive. Also, much of the Job Center budget is

“city overhead,” which would not be eliminated if the Job Center were

closed.

Furthermore, closing the Job Center would inevitably increase other

costs because of the police and other enforcement resources that would be

required to deal with day laborers in the absence of the Job Center.

Opponents say that, if the Job Center continues, only Costa Mesa

residents should be allowed to use it. But that would only send the

nonresident day laborers and the nonresident prospective employers to

other parts of town to conduct their business -- all without the safety,

security and dignity the Job Center affords.

The diversity of our community is one of our greatest assets. That was

one reason we moved to Costa Mesa in 1986 to raise our children. We in

Costa Mesa can be proud of out efforts to accommodate all the issues and

problems that come with that diversity. Our world would be a better place

if every city followed our example.

The opponents are trying to pander to the worst in all of us. Don’t

listen to them. Don’t let fear and distrust govern your decision in this

matter. We are all so much better than that. Do what’s right for the city

of Costa Mesa -- continue the funding and operation of the Job Center.

STEVEN J. DZIDA

Costa Mesa