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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-16-2002 - 6a ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 16, 2001 Action Agenda Item No. (� p SUBJECT: Support of Immigrant Workers DEPARTMENT: Economic Development PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Draft Resolution Dianne Reid, ext. 2326 Article from North Carolina Business TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To recognize the critical role of immigrant workers as employees of local businesses and consumers of local goods and services and to support immigration reform efforts. BACKGROUND: During the 1990s, large numbers of immigrant workers moved into Orange County to take a wide range of unskilled and semi-skilled jobs, particularly in the retail, construction, and service sectors. According to the 2000 Census, Latinos made up 4.5 percent of the county population, or approximately 5,300 people. Over the past few months, the Social Security Administration has been sending "no match" letters to local employers, informing them that Social Security taxes that have been withheld for some of their Latino employees do not coincide with valid social security numbers. As a result, several local businesses have dismissed those workers out of concern that they might be violating federal law. The dismissed employees, most of whom have family members here, now face severe economic insecurity and are turning in increasing numbers to various service providers for help in meeting basic needs for food and shelter. Alex Asbun, Executive Director of El Centro Latino, estimates that 50 percent of all Orange County Latino residents have been impacted by the layoffs, either personally or through a family member. Mr. Asbun will make a brief presentation to the Board and discuss strategies for improving the current situation. The attached resolution calls for three actions by the Board of County Commissioners in support of local immigrant workers: • Working in partnership with non-profit organizations to establish a "safety net" for unemployed workers; • Co-sponsoring an upcoming forum on Latinos in our community, tentatively scheduled for the evening of May 1 at the ArtsCenter; and 2 ' • Calling for the reform of US immigration laws FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the resolution and authorize the Chair to sign it. EXECUTIVE VOICES >" w 4 ffispanics Illegal aliens or,believers in the most fundamental law of economics? FROM the Census 2000 data we number of these people simply work learned our state is not onl more B Y D R. H. NOLO M A R T I N E Z Y alongside other immigrants or American diverse than it was 10 years ago, workers under exactly the same working but also thatrecent immigrants have made workers and health care aides.These in- conditions. Significantly, their employ- tremendous contributions to the commu- dividuals often work in the jobs that many ers most likely withhold all the same nines where they settle in North Caroli- Americans do not choose,but which are payroll taxes as for any other employee. na. The influx of immigrants workers essential to keep our economy and our There are revealing contributions of into the metropolitan areas of Charlotte, country growing. undocumented-essential workers to the the Triangle, and the Triad area have Most essential workers in N.C. are U.S.economy.When the Social Security done more to help revitalize neighbor- Latino immigrants.For example,accord- Administration collects payroll taxes for hoods than any government program. ing to the state Employment Security someone for whom a valid Social Secu- Many of our rural counties experiencing Commission,75 percent of construction rity number cannot be found,these earn- graying and consequentretirement of their workers in metropolitan counties are His- ings go into a"suspense file."Since 1937, workforce continue to benefit from Lati- panics, as are more than 95 percent of this file has collected $265 billion in no immigration, particularly for blue- Mexican guestworkers in agriculture and wages and, the report says, the file has collar jobs that require manual labor but more than 50 percent of those working in grown $17 billion annually since 1990. not necessarily an English-speaking meat processing plants. This makes a good case that those work- tongue. Even with the recent slowdown of the ers that many like to call illegal aliens are The 1990 census counted 79,000 economy, the employers of essential really undocumented taxpayers. Latinos in the Tar Heel State. Ten years workers are still looking for employees. Regulating the presence of undocu- later, the state's Latino population in- The service, retail, construction, health mented but essential workers in N.C. creased 394 percent to 378,963. North services and other similar industries all would bring all of those people into the Carolina leads the country in the percent- gained jobs while the high-tech and manu- mainstream economy,where they would age growth of its Mexican population,an facturing sectors were laying off employ- be less vulnerable to economic and civil increase of 655 percent, far ahead of ees.However,it appears that these work- exploitation.Legalization would also help second-place Georgia and Tennessee, ers are finding other employment quickly, reduce the resentment of many who com- which was third. Over the next 50 years while essential worker employers are still plain about paying for public services Hispanics population is expected to in- begging for applicants. like schools and hospitals that serve the crease 238 percent.Current demograph- President George W. Bush long has families of "non-taxpaying" undocu- ics also reveal that over the next 20 to 30 recognized the disconnect between eco- mented workers because they would be years a large percentage of the current nomic reality (supply and demand) for treated like everyone else. workforce in N.C.will retire. essential workers, on the one hand, and Even when the economy is not grow- Over the years the United States has the U.S.immigration system,on the other. ing,the ambition and energy of the immi- been called a nation of immigrants. We It was this realization that brought him grants can fuel the state's economy.Far are also a nation of laws.Parts of our legal and President Vicente Fox of Mexico to from taking jobs, the newcomers have system are designed to support the eco- the brink of an historic agreement on and will create jobs for themselves and nomic law of supply and demand.By and trans-border migration issues. Unfortu- other that simply would not have existed large, the current U.S. immigration sys- nately, the events of Sept. 11 have de- without the migration.How many North tem also supports the law of supply and layed the discussions but issues of eco- Carolinians intend to start a Puerto Rican demand for all but one type of worker— nomic reality will bring speed to these restaurant,an Aztec gift shop,or a 24/7- the essential worker. discussions. taxi bilingual service in rural counties? An essential worker is the unskilled Mexico's economy is the largest in The federal government sets the poli- and semi-skilled worker employed in all Latin America and is the United States' cies that determine how many and which sectors of our economy.Essential work- second-largest trading partner after immigrant enters the U.S. We cannot ers include restaurant workers, retail Canada.Mexico's imports from the U.S. continue to accept the benefit of the labor clerks,construction trades people,manu- are the equivalent of more than $175 of essential workers while supporting an facturing line workers,hotel service work- billion,more than Germany,Italy,Spain immigration system that treats them as if ers,food production workers,landscape and France combined. they do not exist.Many essential workers The problem of illegal immigration in and those employers that hire them have Dr. H. Nolo Martinez is director of the U.S. has been a recurring one since clearly violated the U.S. immigration Hispanic/Latino Affairs in the Office of the introduction of restriction policies in laws,however,these workers have obeyed the Governor and a faculty member at 1954.The illegal alien problem is largely one of the most powerful laws of all:the N.C. State University. a creation of government. An unknown law of supply and demand. m NORTH CAROLINA/MARCH 2002 49 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Resolution Supporting Orange County Immigrant Workers WHEREAS, immigrant workers are increasingly essential to filing a wide range of jobs in Orange County, North Carolina; and WHEREAS, employed undocumented workers pay federal, state, and local taxes, including Social Security and Medicare; and WHEREAS, the buying power of undocumented workers is substantial, with the buying power of Latinos in North Carolina exceeding $2.3 billion (as documented by the North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development, Inc.); and WHEREAS, national immigration policy is in conflict with our current workforce needs; and WHEREAS, recent changes in Social Security Administration practices have resulted in dozens of immigrants losing their jobs in Orange County and throughout the state; and WHEREAS, local governments bear the significant infrastructure and operational costs of providing services to all their residents; and WHEREAS, not providing a legal means of working and living in this country creates a black market for documents which threatens national security and the personal welfare of immigrants; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners agree to: 1) Encourage County staff to work with local non-profit service organizations to establish a "safety net" for local unemployed workers and their families; 2) Co-sponsor an upcoming forum on Latinos, "El Dilema Latino: Seeking Local Solutions," convened by the Chapel Hill News and tentatively scheduled for the evening of May 1 st; and 3) Call upon the United States Government to reform immigration laws in order to provide undocumented immigrants with legal permission to work and live in our community and institute a long-term immigration policy that addresses the economic and national security needs of the United States. This the 16th day of April 2002 Barry Jacobs, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners