Thread: SoCal city considers constraints on job-seeking day laborers

SoCal city considers constraints on job-seeking day laborers

May 4, 2007

BALDWIN PARK, Calif. A proposed city law in Baldwin Park would make it illegal for day laborers to seek work in parking lots and curbside.

The City Council on Wednesday voted to introduce a revised version of an ordinance that would ban all commercial solicitation in the suburb east of Los Angeles.

It also would require that walkways have enough room for people in wheelchairs to get by.

The original version would have barred solicitation in areas such as parkways and pedestrian ways.

The measure was revised after the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund complained that it would violate civil rights.

http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?S=6472086

Almost identical article as above but few more details.
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SoCal city considers constraints on job-seeking day laborers
The Associated Press
Article Launched: 05/04/2007 01:41:19 PM PDT


BALDWIN PARK, Calif.- A proposed city law would make it illegal for day laborers to seek work in parking lots and curbside.
The City Council on Wednesday voted to introduce a revised version of an ordinance that would ban all commercial solicitation in the suburb east of Los Angeles. It also would require that walkways have enough room for people in wheelchairs to get by.

The original would have barred solicitation in certain areas, such as parkways and pedestrian ways. The measure was introduced after residents complained that day laborers in a Home Depot parking lot were urinating, sitting on cars, drinking, gambling and making rude comments to people.

It was revised after the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund complained that it would violate civil rights.

The group remained unhappy with the revised ordinance, which comes up for a City Council vote on May 16.

Enforcing it "would have the absurd result of preventing people from gathering on public sidewalks not only to solicit but to stand at a bus stops or stand anywhere in the city of Baldwin Park because it poses a health and safety risk to disabled persons," said Cynthia Valenzuela, the group's director of litigation.

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_5819454

Jean wrote:

Enforcing it "would have the absurd result of preventing people from gathering on public sidewalks not only to solicit but to stand at a bus stops or stand anywhere in the city of Baldwin Park because it poses a health and safety risk to disabled persons," said Cynthia Valenzuela, the group's director of litigation.

Oh, BS.
They`re talking about soliciting for work, not not wait for public transpotation.
Besides, there are Day Labor Centers. But then that would deat their purpose and the employers of not paying taxes.

I beleive that Baldwin Park has Mexican Americans as the largest ethnic group in a plurality. A lot of people forget that out of the Mexican American citizens a sizable number in some places a majority are on our side. If a policy like this gets through in Baldwin Park it will be because of Mexican American citizens not despite them.