HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-04-23 - AGENDA REPORTS - DAYWORKER MTG NEWHALL BUSINESS (2)AGENDA REPORT
City Manager Approval
Item to be presented b :
NEW BUSINESS Ken Pulskamp
DATE: April 23, 1991
SUBJECT: DAYWORKER MEETING WITH NEWHALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
DEPARTMENT: City Manager
BACKGROUND
On Thursday, March 27, 1991, City staff met with the Newhall business community
to discuss the City's proposed dayworker center and receive additional input for
possible ideas and actions the City could take to address the dayworker
situation. The meeting was well attended by 30 people from the business
community who shared their frustration with the current situation they confront
daily.
The business community proposed several possible actions. These ideas have been
researched further for feasibility. The following ideas were presented in a
consensus by the group:
1. The City should try other proposed actions before establishing a
proposed site.
2. The Community should put pressure on the Immigration' and
Naturalization Service (INS) to perform its Federally mandated
responsibility. A suggestion for the .City to consider is to contract
with the INS to provide enforcement- services on a regular basis,
possibly once per week.
3. The City can try the center, however, if the site is pursued, the
business community does not support the site's proposed location on
Railroad Avenue between Lyons and 9th Avenue.
4. The City should consider placing "no hiring" signs on San Fernando
Road.
S. Police patrol should be increased in the area.
In researching these ideas,- City staff contacted INS, Department of
Congressional and Public Affairs and also the border patrol in Livermore,
California to inquire about contracting for enforcement services. The INS does
not contract with cities for this service because it is their job to provide
enforcement for Federal immigration laws. INS is available to work with the
City Council to respond and assess the dayworker situation and provide
enforcement assistance.as their man power allows. INS cannot guarantee as to a
particular time or period. The City needs to request assistance.
For Santa Clarita, assistance can be provided by the Oxnard- or Bakersfield
satellites. A service request should be directed to the Livermore office. INS
lists their priorities in the following order: 1) Criminal alien
investigations, 2) Employer sanctions, and; 3) Street enforcement activities.17
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The business community also requested information regarding the possibility of
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to enforce unlawful payment activity by
contractors. INS also feels that IRS is also spread so thinly that this
enforcement activity would be seen as a low priority. At present, INS is
unaware of any border patrol initiated investigations against day labor
contractors involving employer sanctions.
The City also received legal advise on posting of "no hiring" signs on San
Fernando Road. According to the City Attorney, a traffic control measure such.
as this could not be implemented solely as a means to deter day workers from
making work arrangements .an a major thoroughfare in the City. Independent from
this, a City could use a."no stopping anytime" sign as a control measure if the
City determined it necessary based on' its determination of the existence of
hazardous traffic conditions.
The Council should consider the following alternatives:
1. Consider working with the INS prior to establishing the dayworker site.
PROS: Those day laborers who are illegal aliens would be taken off San
Fernando Road, thus satisfying the desires of the merchants in the area.
This would not cost the City of Santa Clarita any money.
CONS: This has the potential of providing negative publicity for the
City. It also has the possibility of creating a very serious negative
impact on the day laborers who are arrested by the INS. It could also
have a negative impact on the families of those arrested, which could have
serious consequences for the local social service system.
2. Proceed to secure lease for day worker site at the proposed location on
Railroad Avenue near Lyons Avenue.
PROS: Experience has shown this to be the most effective way of dealing
with the day, laborer situation in other cities. This is a humane way of
dealing with the day laborers. This is a relatively inexpensive
experiment to see if this is an effective way to deal with the day laborer
situation.
CONS: The businesses that are located immediately adjacent to the
proposed day laborer site are very opposed to the siting of the facility
there. .The facility is not expected to be 1002 effective. Staff has been
having difficulties securing a lease from LACTC because the land is still
in escrow with the railroad.
Staff has spent a considerable amount of time researching this project. Staff
has also spent a lot of time obtaining public input on this project. We have
talked to the merchants from San Fernando Road on several occasions and have
also talked to the residents of East Newhall. There are clearly major
advantages and disadvantages to the alternatives which have been given. Staff
feels now that it is in need of policy direction to know the way the City
Council would like to proceed with this project.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that City Council provide direction as to how to proceed with
the resolution of the dayworker issue.
RG-gmm-1187