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Day-labor debate now more private

Affected parties to get news first
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 02/14/06
BY RICHARD QUINN
TOMS RIVER BUREAU
LAKEWOOD — The irony is inescapable to Rumu DasGupta.

A sociology professor at Georgian Court University in Lakewood and an advocate for the day laborer community, DasGupta understands how some people see problems caused by the men who line Clifton Avenue hoping to earn a day's wage.

She also knows where they come from because DasGupta leads an annual trip to the Mexican-U.S. border. She says she sees the strife in the poor border city of Juarez, Mexico, that pushes some to illegally migrate to Shore towns like Lakewood and Freehold to seek a better life, only to encounter more troubles here.

"You see the darkness behind you and the light in front of you," DasGupta told the Township Committee last week. "And the light harkens."

Lakewood is struggling to deal with its day laborer issue, which pits immigrant advocates against downtown merchants who say the would-be workers -- more than 100 strong on weekday mornings -- intimidate shoppers, deter foot traffic and leave behind messes.

But now, as the township plans a day laborer summit, the debate won't be as public.

Officials decided to share few details of their plans so they can first present them to community groups to build support.

"If you present an idea . . . everyone gets excited," Committeeman Robert W. Singer said Monday. "People get vehemently angry . . . or people get excited and support it."

This is a change of style from last year when the township openly discussed starting a publicly funded muster zone. That idea was dropped after merchants rejected it.

Then, Committeeman Charles Cunliffe suggested turning the downtown into a "no-stopping" zone, effectively barring contractors from picking up workers. The details of that idea remain under review.

Both plans sparked public debate before any real details were offered, Singer said.

"I don't want to go through that again," he added. "I want to discuss it with a number of groups, see if there's some consensus. If there's a consensus that it's a possibility, then I would feel comfortable bringing it forward."

No shortage of ideas

That's not to say no progress has been made.

Singer will host a private meeting in his state Senate office in Jackson this week to discuss several ideas with a coalition of eight community groups. Mayor Meir Lichtenstein met last week with at least one advocacy group.

"We're all in favor of dealing with the situation," Committeeman Menashe Miller said. "The question is how."

Residents and advocates have no shortage of ideas.

William Hobday, a retiree, suggested waiting for the federal government to push immigration reform before Lakewood makes any decisions.

"We have to wait," Hobday said. "I believe there will be significant legislation on the federal level."

Lichtenstein said the township has to act now and not wait for federal plans that could take years to implement.

Stan Organek, a Freehold Township resident and day laborer advocate, commended the committee for actively dealing with the situation.

"You need to be congratulated for keeping an open mind," he said Thursday night.

Singer knows not everyone sees it that way, as the day laborer issue is tied closely to illegal immigration.

"This (immigration) is a bigger issue," Singer said Monday. "We're not going to solve this. This is a stopgap measure."


Richard Quinn: (732) 557-5739 or rquinn@app.com