Thread: CA leads again-tax $$$ spent for vans to haul IAs to farms

Vans get farmworkers to the fields
Ventura and Santa Barbara counties have received $3-million state grants to buy vans to transport laborers, such as these in Camarillo.

Santa Barbara and Ventura counties say ride-sharing will keep unlicensed immigrants off the road.

By Gregory W. Griggs



Granted millions of dollars in state transportation money, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties are set to become the latest counties to join an agricultural ride-share program for unlicensed and uninsured farmworkers.

Each county was recently granted $3 million to purchase vans and cover the expense of operating the transportation program for three years.

“From a transportation policy standpoint, this is a good program,â€

And California, openly aiding and abetting illegals, have no clue why they are going bankrupt. One van accident and they will be sued for millions.

[quote]“I know it’s controversial to use public funds for this pilot program,â€

Do they provide Free rides to anyone, especially American taxpayers, who wants to ride in those vans? I doubt it.

HOW IS IT THEY ARE PROVIDING FREE TRANSPORTATION TO WORK FOR FARM WORKERS? IF IT IS PROVIDED FOR THEM, THEN IT SHOULD BE PROVIDED FOR EVERYONE. ALL AMERICANS SHOULD GET A FREE RIDE TO WORK. WHY SHOULD THE TAXPAYER FOOT THE BILL FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR FARM WORKERS? WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN TRANPORTATION COSTS AND CANT AFFORD TO PAY TRANSPORTATION COSTS FOR FARM WORKERS.

Why aren't the farmers providing the transportation?

Isn't FOXY the company that the ecoli was found in last year? I think it started with the spinach. Never bought them since. Stop buying produce from FOXY.

YES THE FARMERS SHOULD BE PAYING FOR IT NOT THE TAXPAYERS.

TAXPAYERS MONEY....IF IT IS USED TO GIVE ASSISTANCE, SHOULD BE GIVEN TO EVERYONE EQUALLY, NOT JUST TO A SMALL SELECT GROUP OF PEOPLE. THAT IS DISCRIMINATION.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF LEGAL AMERICANS THAT NEED TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE RIGHT NOW. I THINK THE MONEY SHOULD BE USED FOR POOR LEGAL AMERICANS THAT ARE HAVING TROUBLE PAYING FOR THEIR GAS....OR THEIR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO THEIR JOBS.

ARE THEY GOING TO GIVE LEGAL AMERICANS A PUBLIC TRANSIT PASS FOR FREE? OR FREE GAS FOR THEIR CAR? FREE TIRES TO MAKE SURE THEIR CAR IS SAFE? FREE INSURANCE?

With each van able to carry 14 passengers, a weekly $25 fare per rider is expected to generate enough for the program to become self-sufficient after three years

It's not free, but I am still against my taxpayer's money being used to support this. I know for a fact a lot of funding has been cut out for transportation for our schools. In some areas parents have to pay for bus service for their children or drive them theirselves.

Henry Vega, president of Costal Harvesting Inc., which supplies up to 1,000 laborers to Ventura County farms each year, said the program should be popular.





I think ICE should be taking a very close look at Mr. Vega and his business.

Can anyone say " R-A-I-D"?

OH I SEE IT NOW. THEY HAVE TO PAY TWENTY FIVE BUCKS A WEEK. ACTUALLY THAT IS A RIP. YOU CAN GET A BUS PASS IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR 45 BUCKS A MONTH. FOR THAT YOU CAN RIDE ALL OVER THE CITY 24/7. AND THEY ONLY GET A RIDE TO WORK. SO IF THEY ARE PAYING 25 BUCKS A WEEK, WHY DO THEY NEED TAXPAYER MONEY? SOMETHING IS VERY FISHY ABOUT THIS.

THEY MUST HAVE MUNICIPAL BUS SERVICE IN THOSE COUNTIES....WHY DONT THEY JUST TAKE THE BUS? IF THE BUSSES DONT CURRENTLY GO OUT TO THE FARMS THEN THEY COULD START A LINE OUT THERE. BUT I BET BUSSES GO OUT NEAR THERE ALREADY. I KNOW IN RURAL AMERICA BUSSES GO OUT TO PRACTICALLY THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. NO REASON TO GO AND BUY A FLEET OF VANS.

WHO IS GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OR IN CONTROL OF THIS VAN SYSTEM? OR TO BE MORE TO THE POINT....WHO IS GOING TO BE MAKING THE PROFIT FROM THE FARES? WHO WILL ACTUALLY BE RECEIVING THESE GRANTS?

At the peak last year, Hughes’ agency had 120 vans serving growers and their workers in the five counties and expects to need 160 vans this year

SO THEY MAKE 42,000 BUCKS A WEEK FROM THOSE FARM WORKERS....AND THEY NEED MORE VANS SO IT WILL EVEN BE MORE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THATS A LOT OF MONEY. ARE THEY GOING TO PAYBACK THE TAXPAYERS FOR BUYING THEM THE VANS? UMMMM...NO IT DOESNT SEEM LIKE THEY ARE. WE PAY FOR THE VANS AND THEY MAKE THE MONEY. HE HE. THATS SWEET. AND THE CHERRY ON THE CAKE.....ITS ONLY FOR FARM WORKERS NOT ANYONE ELSE. ARE THEY TOO GOOD TO TAKE A PUBLIC BUS OR WHAT?

FOR THE MONEY THOSE FARM WORKERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THEY COULD JUST BUY BIKES AND BIKE TO WORK. THEY WOULD SAVE TONS OF MONEY AND IT WOULD NOT BE ON THE BACK OF THE TAXPAYERS. THEY CANT BE LIVING THAT FAR AWAY. OR HERES AN IDEA....JUST HOUSE THEM AT THE WORK SITE. THE FARMERS CAN PAY FOR THAT, NOT THE TAXPAYER.

THIS IS A WAY FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE MONEY AND USING THE TAXPAYER TO MAKE THE INITIAL INVESTMENT. AND IT WILL NOT SERVE THE GENERAL POPULATION.

IS THE COUNTY GOING TO OWN AND OPERATE THESE VANS? OR WILL A PRIVATE COMPANY BE STARTED UP TO SERVE THIS PURPOSE.....SAY OWNED BY THE FARMERS? THE FARMERS SEEM TO BE SALIVATING OVER THIS IDEA. I DONT SEE WHY THEY SHOULD CARE HOW THEIR WORKERS GET THERE AS LONG AS THEY SHOW UP. SO SOMETHING IS UP HERE.