The City of Austin wants to open and run a new day-laborer site in East Austin. Our city already has one day-labor site near I-35 and 51st Street in north Central Austin, which 150 to 250 laborers (almost entirely Hispanic) visit every day.
For those not familiar with day-laborer sites, they are a great idea — in theory. The day-laborer site provides a centralized place where laborers can gather and wait for contractors/businesses to hire them out for labor jobs (landscaping, construction, and demolition jobs are the most common). Workers get work through a lottery system, instead of soliciting work informally on street corners.
Most all of these jobs are paid in cash at the end of each day — also referred to as “under the table”. The existing day-laborer site guarantees that all laborers are paid at least $10/hour.
The new site would be run by the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services department. Leasing the site and running the program would cost Austin tax payers about $275,000/year.
There is a public hearing about the site is set for 6 p.m. Sept. 28 at City Hall. I think I’ll attend, as I want to ask a few questions and make a few comments:
- What measures will the City of Austin take to make sure that all laborers who use the site are legal residents or citizens of the US?
- I am not in favor of my tax dollars being used to fund a jobs program for illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants come to Austin because for the jobs. I do not want my local govn’t facilitating illegal immigrants by providing an easier way for them to find jobs.
- I think that we should be going after and fining employers who hire illegal workers. I also think that any contractor who hires a worker from a city govn’t funded/run laborer site should have an expectation that the workers are legal to hire. Therefore, if the workers are illegal and the city did not do anything to prove their status, then I believe that those individuals responsible for running the program should be held legally responsible.
at 07:14 PM » Austin Blogger Happy Hour tonight–Tonight at 6pm at Club Deville [myspace], hosted by Blogburst and Austinist. More info on the event (free beer!) here…. via all about E at 09:55 AM » City of Austin to Run New Day Laborer Site–What measures will the city take to ensure that all laborers at the site are legal residents or citizens of… via UrbanGrounds at 09:18 AM » What’s In Store?–Don Caballero is doing an in-store at Waterloo Records tomorrow at 5pm. Their
I don’t suspect the city is anymore responsible for the contract between worker and employer than, say, you or your ISP is responsible for what I might say here: in each case a forum is provided but it is the responsibilty of the users to obey the law.
In any case, hiring sites are a great idea. I visited one outside of New York that was making a huge impact in immigrants’ lives. Instead of standing in a parking lot wasting time they were learning English as they waited for contractors (with the added benefit that the neighbors weren’t threatened by large groups of men loitering). The hiring site was also acting as a community center that provided day care and family counselling services perhaps preserving the marriages of these highly stressed workers and preventing other problems down the road.
It sounds like money well spent to me.
Aside from hiring illegals, and I’m not condoning at all, but I would be interested in knowing their criteria for hiring. Along with actual legal identification, will a background check be made on these ‘employees’ (felon, drug test, sex offender, etc.), or would that be up to the person hiring the laborer?
Why wouldn’t they be encouraged to enroll and seek employment assistance through Workforce Commission?
I just can’t see this actually happening. The liability is too high… this is a massive fvcking waiting to happen. Not to mention, Uncle Sam frowning on ‘under the table’ wages, or are the taxpayers going to foot the bill for that too?
The workcenter I visted did have some sort of screening criteria though I’m not sure what it was. I don’t know if they ran criminal background checks or what. They felt like it provided a market advantage for the day laborers that were part of their system as well as an incentive for them to behave in a manner that would maintain their eligibility at the center.
I just can’t see this actually happening.
There’s nothing unique about the idea.
So, basically they’re trying to avoide loitering getting out of hand?
I have a better ideal… send the police over there to arrest them. Our taxes already pay for them. Then, put them in jail (again, already paying for it anyway), and have the judge reduce their jailtime/fines if they enroll with the State’s Workforce Commission.
If there are already options available, why not utilize them instead of exposing themselves to such a risk?
Am I the only one seeing a risk here? (I’m open to criticism today… I’m about to deal with my cable company again)
So, basically they’re trying to avoide loitering getting out of hand?
Is that how you understood my description of a center that offered English lessons, work training, marriage counselling, day care, and alcohol-free recreation?
The hiring site was also acting as a community center that provided day care and family counselling services perhaps preserving the marriages of these highly stressed workers and preventing other problems down the road.
It sounds like money well spent to me.
Preston — I agree 100% with you, that this is money well spent. But with one important (to me) caveat: that this is money well spent on legal immigrants to our country. I think it’s a wonderful way to help legal immigrants assimilate and become productive and self-sufficient.
I think that it’s also a great way to facilitate cash jobs for illegal immigrants, and when tax payer dollars are being used to help illegal immigrants find jobs, then I think it’s not money well spent.
If what you suggest is implemented then this $275K center will be deserted. The market will adjust and the workers will move back to the area around the Home Depot’s. Why not require all these workers be unionized and just kill the whole concept?
What the city is trying to do is no different than providing needles to drug users in order to stop the spread of AIDS. They’re trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Of course, I’m sure you’d make sure any person that requests a needle gets drug tested and only the drug-free would get needles.
No, that’s not my interpretation of what you’re saying… just what I gathered from skimming the google you linked. I think what you’ve proposed (and what they offer) is great, but it seems the whole idea was birthed as a result of the 7-11 parking lot getting really crowded.
What I’m trying to convey is we already have those services available. Job training, educational services are readily available through the State Workforce Commission. Day care assistance services are available to those who need it.
But help me out on this one… marriage counseling and alcohol-free activities??? Sorry, I can’t keep a straight face on that one or reply without being REALLY sarcastic.
Why should the taxpayers take an ADDITIONAL hit of $275,000 each year? If that’s what they must do, then spend that money where it belongs. Put it in the classrooms, provide a haven for abused kids, put it toward a grant to get abused women and her children back on their feet and remain independent, hire more CPS caseworkers, create scholarships.
Anything but pissing it away.
(yes, that is my opinion)
Oh come on, folks. What Austin is doing is providing not only a taxpayer funded sanctuary for illegal immigrants, it’s blantantly allowing people to break the law by not requiring workman’s compensation, social security payments and state and federal taxes as they would with any legally licensed business.
Preston, your heart is bleeding and mine is turning to stone. Give me a break. This is exactly why I am not a liberal.
Good analogy Rob. The people are here. Unless demand is reduced by an enforcement of labor laws they will continue to be here.
So.
We can either have illegal immigrants with no English skills and lots of problems loitering in parking lots. Or we can have these job centers.
Looking at it from this vantage, Dianne, I don’t see how this demonstrates a ‘bleeding heart’ but actually deals with a world that exists rather than one you’d like to exist. (But, incidentally, catch phrases like ‘bleeding heart’ aren’t particularly helpful to a public policy debate: shouldn’t we be to enacting government programs that actually help people?)
KW- as far as the other services provided by the center I visited. Sure it sounds corny, but it worked for them. That particular center was a non-profit unassociated with the local government so their were pretty free to conduct business as they please.
it’s blantantly allowing people to break the law by not requiring workman’s compensation, social security payments and state and federal taxes as they would with any legally licensed business.
This is nonsense. Local government has never been in the business of verifying if independent contractors have dotted their i’s and crossed their t’s on their tax forms. Perhaps they should be sending cops to bust up flea markets because the vendors may not be paying their taxes…
Preston, I do truly understand what you’re saying… and if it works for them, then it works.
Just speaking from experience on my end too. When I was layed-off seven years ago, single mother of two, I high-tailed it to the Workforce Commission to file for unemployment. That’s when I learned of all their opportunities, and learned that they offered job assistance placement (there are tons of employers who post positions with the Commission) with many great companies.
They assist in resume building, computer skills — all of their onsite resources are available free of charge. In additiona, they have contact with other agencies to assist those in need by providing funds to help with utilities and providing meals, as well as basic/continuing education (either brick and mortar or online), transportation, etc…
I was completely amazed, and had no idea. Maybe all states don’t offer these services, and a laborer site is their only option. If that’s the case, then a change should be considered.
The ones who have a true desire to improve life and that of their family would rather work for it, and not be another tax-burden statistic. Assistance is a wonderful benefit for those who need it, but at some point reform must come to order.
(I ramble when I’m hungry…)
I’m of two minds about this. I’m all in favor of a reverse Berlin wall (that is, one that keeps unauthorized people OUT) across our southern border and in favor of strict enforcement of the existing laws that prohibit hiring people who do not have the right to work in the United States.
On the other hand, I’m guilty of hiring people from the 51st Street center several times a year.
Prior to the center, day labors hung out in and around the area downtown that is now the Austin City Hall. They would run after any pickup truck that looked like it might belong to a contractor. If you slowed or stopped in the area you would start a mini-riot as people fought for the chance to ask for a day job.
The invisible hand guarantees that there will a place where those wanting day labors will meet up with day laborers who want to work. An organized center is a safer and saner answer to the problem. I would be fine if I had to pay ten bucks to hire someone there, as long as non-approved meeting places were promptly shut down by law enforcement.
As long as both major political parties continue to support open borders we need the day labor centers.
For starters, any independent contractor has to pull some type of permit before they can work. If your trade requires a license from the State, then you have to provide it. The City pull applicants who have permits and will send inspectors out to those sites for inspections. They will make record of work in progress, affirm it’s in code and compliance to your permit and state/city ordinances, word conditions, employees’ work safety, etc.
They inturn, provide this information to the State. If your taxes don’t match their records, they’ll catch you eventually. Even flea-market vendors have to have an occupancy permit.
There are loopholes to everything, yes… not a perfect system by any means, but definitely not an underground dally either.
Preston…you only reinforce my attitude and position. No, I don’t condone allowing, evening promoting, illegal immigrants to avoid taxes and prosecuting legal Americans for not paying them. And, furthermore, you are dead wrong about local government not verifying business licenses, etc. That is exactly why they do or perhaps you have never actually been to your City Hall. Come to mine. I can assure you they do…I was part of the governing body. It’s called Law, my friend, apparently something you care nothing about except when it suits your cause.
Finally, I didn’t coin the term bleeding heart liberal, but when the shoe fits, wear it.
It’s called Law, my friend, apparently something you care nothing about except when it suits your cause.
Silly.
Allow me to make my 100th public call for the Bush Administration to begin enforcing immigration laws.
Anyone? No?
It is the responsibilty of local governments to respond to real situations not to put their heads in the sand. Happily, Austin is improving the lives of both immigrant workers and average citizens who don’t want their pickups chased by hordes of gardeners.
Finally, I didn’t coin the term bleeding heart liberal, but when the shoe fits, wear it.
Once again I’ll ask: shouldn’t we be to enacting government programs that actually help people?
Though the current administration’s appointments in FEMA; Medicare D; and their latest tinkerings at the VA seem determined to convince Americans that government can’t work, that sort of pessimism did not used to be national trait.
Once again I’ll ask: shouldn’t we be enacting government programs that actually help people?
Again, I’ll answer. Yes, we should be enacting govn’t programs that actually help people. Provided those people are legal citizens or residents of this country.
The only govn’t program I would support that helps illegal immigrants is a program that helps them return to where they came.
There is a different between enacting government programs that actually help people and creating a costly facade at the taxpayers expense.
(yah, I’ve had lunch… hence the lack of babble)
Again, I’ll answer. Yes, we should be enacting govn’t programs that actually help people. Provided those people are legal citizens or residents of this country.
Fair enough- I agree with the point to an extent. But the fact is that if immigration laws are not enforced these people will be here. If they are here, our communities are better places to live when immigrants are lead productive lives.
There is a different between enacting government programs that actually help people and creating a costly facade at the taxpayers expense.
I would think that teaching the poorest groups of people English and helping their assimilation is a pretty worthy goal.
It’s a catch-22. IF we continue to provide opportunities for them to come hear and lead productive lives, they’ll keep coming here…no matter how tight we batten down the hatches at the border.
We’re ultimately in agreement here though, that the Bush Administration is failing horribley when it comes to battling illegal immigration (and it’s the one area that Democrats are more-than-happy to let him fail and keep their mouths shut about it).
It is a worthy cause Preston, but not a very probable solution.
Personally I think we should rid the world of Time Warner Cable in some midevil fashion…
I’m off to see the Astros. Thank you for a great day of mental exercise Robbie, Preston, et al.
Good luck, KW. Are you bringing a broom?
It’s a catch-22. IF we continue to provide opportunities for them to come hear and lead productive lives, they’ll keep coming here…no matter how tight we batten down the hatches at the border.
I don’t think so. They don’t come here for the English lessons- they want to work. If employers are required to verify the documentation of their workers the supply will dry up pretty quickly.
Why in the world would we go after the illegal immigrants? This is supply and demand pure and simple. Get rid of the supply of jobs and the illegal immigrants will no longer be here. It’s pointless spending money rounding people up who are just looking for a job. They’ll just be back (even if we build walls, they’re already building tunnels). We should be rounding up the people looking for day laborers. After all, at best they’re looking to hire people for unfair wages without paying taxes. At worst they’re looking to hire illegal immigrants. These employeres are the real leaches on our government. They are the ones insuring that our social security and medicaid costs go up by not employing real workers and paying taxes. You don’t blame a starving man for taking a job. You blame the man who only hires starving men.
I don’t understand why we put up with these people at all unless it’s because there are too many republicans who know that if they send back the immigrants their yard still gets mowed. If they arrest the employer, the find out that they actually just arrested their next door neighbor who gets them that “sweet” deal on lawn care. Before they know it their yard’s looking shaggy and the HOA is knocking on their doors threatening foreclosure.
The entire American lifestyle right now is built on the backs of illegal immigrants. If you believe you could live in anything close to the style you’ve become accustomed without them you’re deluding yourself. If they somehow successfully shut down illegal immigration we would see the price of food probably double or triple over night. The entire fast food industry and most of the restaurant industry would collapse. Stores would be understocked as only products from unionized areas of the country would actually still be coming in. The cost of lawn care and cleaning services would be out of reach of only the most affluent (your company would probably have to have a rotating schedule for cleaning the bathroom). Day care centers would see their prices triple. The cost of chicken and beef would double. In short it would probably trigger an economic depression in the world the likes of which have never been seen. Our ability to buy cheap goods drive the world. And our ability to get our hands on cheap goods is driven by cheap over seas labor, and cheap illegal labor to get it to us.
hahaha! Yes, Preston. I ride my broom everywhere.
Ha ha- I didn’t mean it that way KW.
Just talking about the sweep…
Oh I know you didn’t… but I do.