Many Expect Little From Law Aimed at Day Laborers

Clasping his hands behind his back as if handcuffed, day laborer Jose Trigoros pretended he was being arrested while his companions--waiting on a Newhall street corner for someone to stop and hire them--broke out laughing.

Trigoros, 51, was reacting to news that the city of Santa Clarita will begin issuing $250 fines Thursday to anyone soliciting work on city streets--and his playful pantomime reflected widespread skepticism here that the new law will have much effect. “They better take me away now,” Trigoros quipped.

The Santa Clarita City Council passed an anti-solicitation ordinance last month similar to ones adopted by other bedroom communities wrestling with what to do about the groups of men who congregate in front of hardware stores, nurseries and home-improvement centers looking for work.

As in other cities, the ordinance was passed in response to complaints that the pockets of mostly young Latino men scare away female customers, urinate in public and cause traffic jams. But unlike Glendale and Malibu, Santa Clarita has so far resisted proposals to build a hiring center where the laborers could legally seek work.

City officials said they have chosen not to follow suit, primarily because the perception of many residents is that most of the day laborers are illegal residents undeserving of any benefits paid for with public funds.

“As an individual, I would be in favor of looking into a hiring center,” said Santa Clarita Mayor Clyde Smyth. “But only if we could do it for our citizens or people who are here legally. I have a real problem with spending public money on people who are breaking our laws.”

Driving north on dusty San Fernando Road, clusters of the estimated 80 to 120 day laborers in town are milling in front of the Green Thumb nursery or AV Equipment Rental. A pickup drives by and a frenzy begins.

Jumping into traffic, pushing each other toward the prospective one-day employer for a chance to make $40 to $65, the laborers cause a traffic jam as cars begin to accumulate behind the truck.

“I’ve seen them try to jump into the bed of a pickup when it wasn’t stopping,” said Larry Bird, a community activist and Newhall resident whose home is near one of the main gathering points. Bird was one of the law’s earliest supporters.

“If they just stand on the street they won’t get cited,” he said. “But they won’t get much work either. So there is no reason for them being here.”

Officially, the city says the law will affect a variety of groups besides day laborers, including high school students who wave motorists into carwashes, roadside flower vendors and even the people who try to attract customers into new housing developments by standing on the curb dressed as clowns or holding signs.

Unofficially, city workers acknowledge that the law was designed to deal with the day laborers. Day laborers interviewed said the law was not necessary because they now police themselves to weed out anyone who talks rudely to women or relieves himself in public.

“We don’t want trouble. We don’t do anything wrong,” said Carlos Ensalas, a 22-year-old immigrant from Puebla, Mexico.

Ensalas said he doesn’t understand why the day laborers are unwanted.

“We work hard. We’re not on welfare. We buy things here and pay taxes. Where will we go?” he asked.

Although Santa Clarita has chosen not to build a city-owned and -operated hiring center, an 11-member group of private citizens calling themselves the Santa Clarita Community Development Committee is attempting to raise funds for a hiring center.

Lisa Smith, the group’s spokeswoman, said day laborers have been around for a long time and that she believes it’s not practical or fair to try and legislate them away. She said offering a hiring center in conjunction with an anti-solicitation ordinance makes more sense.

Glendale built an open-air hiring center in October at the same time it passed an anti-solicitation ordinance in a two-pronged attack on the problem.

The Glendale center provides chairs, a drinking fountain and restroom for workers. “We think this is a very fair and balanced approach,” said Javier Ruiz, an officer with the Glendale Police Department who helped start the program.

Hiring centers have not been entirely successful, however. Malibu built a hiring center even before that city established an anti-solicitation law, but day laborers have continued to use public streets.

Both methods pose enforcement problems for Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies, according to Kevin Tonoian, a management analyst for the city of Santa Clarita who has been in charge of the day laborer issue. Deputies will be expected to follow those suspected of breaking the anti-solicitation law and the people hiring them to a job site to prove their case.

“With the money they are spending on this law, we could build a hiring center,” Smith said.