City Council to Consider Funding for Job Center
The City Council on Monday will consider whether to continue spending $128,000 a year to operate the Costa Mesa Job Center, established in 1988 as a place where day laborers can hook up with individuals looking for painters, plumbers and other workers.
“One thing we need to look at is how much money we are spending on this and can that money be used for better purposes,” Councilman Gary Monahan said.
The center has been controversial. Some have said that its creation was misguided and that its existence has made the city a magnet for illegal immigrants.
City officials, however, say that all day laborers who gather at the center must have proof of legal residence.
The facility, at 17th Street and Placentia Avenue, also serves as a central point where potential employers can find and negotiate with workers, officials said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
