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Council OKs new site for Day Worker Center

Original post made on May 13, 2009

In a drama-filled meeting Tuesday night, the City Council voted unanimously to allow the Day Worker Center of Mountain View to take up residence once and for at 113 Escuela Ave.

Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 1:34 PM

Comments (56)

Posted by Brad Kellar
a resident of North Whisman
on May 13, 2009 at 2:29 pm

We thought it would be nice if the DWC could patrol the neighborhood as a civic service. We suggested that the Patrols wear recognizable outfits like white tennis shirts and blue pants, so everyone would know who they are. Many of the Day Workers are CPR and emergency-trained. We never asked that all the day workers wear uniforms. Maria Marroquin and I both seemed to agree that standard outfits like logo tennis shirts would be great someday. I would pitch in for that...but perhaps I misunderstood.


Posted by Betsy Dwyer
a resident of Cuesta Park
on May 13, 2009 at 2:40 pm

EXCELLENT JOB Council Members!

I applaud you for getting all the information needed to make this decision and to move forward accordingly. I applaud the Center for continuing to talk with the neighbors and working together to make this community service a win-win for our city.
I believe if the neighbors let go some of their anger and defensiveness they might just realize that sharing and helping others is what this is all about - Yes you can! and Yes the Council did!
BD


Posted by ka
a resident of Cuesta Park
on May 13, 2009 at 2:50 pm

Vests would be more manageable. As a former resident of that area, I find the arguments against the DWC are pretty weak, especially since the DWC was formerly just down the street.


Posted by Brad Kellar
a resident of North Whisman
on May 13, 2009 at 3:26 pm

Vests are a good idea too!
---
Ms. Dwyer, My neighbors do a lot of volunteer work and church work. Me too. We don't need to be told how good it is to share and help others, as if we didn't know about community and life. We are all connected. My personal calling has been to work with those suffering from mental illness. I have been working to reduce anger and fear, and I think I know something about emotions, defensiveness, fear, and connection. I called the DWC board first, not the other way around. Everybody agrees something went wrong with the communications between the DWC and the neighborhood. Your comment hurts.


Posted by Mr. No
a resident of Cuesta Park
on May 13, 2009 at 7:05 pm

What a shame [portion removed due to disrespectful comment].


Posted by Paul
a resident of Waverly Park
on May 13, 2009 at 7:34 pm

I was sorry to hear our council bowed to the "political correctness police" and allowed this to move forward knowing in their minds the negative impact this will have on the surrounding community. I can only hope they are as willing to clean up the mess that will ensue in the years after the center opens.


Posted by Paul Carufel
a resident of Castro City
on May 13, 2009 at 7:39 pm

I live pretty close to the facility and no one asked me. I am happy that building will be put into something useful - and any labor generating project is especially important. Maybe the city will properly paint the curbs and plant trees or build a wall to cut down on train noise?


Posted by curious
a resident of Cuesta Park
on May 13, 2009 at 7:53 pm

What a poorly written story. It prints all the spin from the supporters and uses negative terms like 'fuming' to describe the neighbors who live near the center. Then it leaves out a fundamental fact like what was the vote? Who voted for/against?? This is fundamental information needed to decide how to vote in the next election. The story makes it seem like the vote was unanimous but given its highly biased spin, who knows? I guess I will have to look elsewhere for who, what , when, where.


Posted by curious
a resident of Cuesta Park
on May 13, 2009 at 7:59 pm

OK, I missed the 'unanimously.' The rest of the article is still highly biased. The good old Mtn. View city council. Jack Kennedy used to joke that Washington DC had the benefits of northern charm and southern efficiency. I guess Mtn. View has all the common sense of Berkeley and the great economy of Vallejo.


Posted by Joey
a resident of Cuesta Park
on May 13, 2009 at 8:22 pm

Neighbors -
You proposed a 'uniform' to distinguish the members of the DWC, suggested that they pick up the trash on your streets (how preposterous of you), and asked the DWC to change its name.
All of these things would not have made you happy or content in any way, they just would have given you a reason to smirk when you would say 'look at those Mexicans in their uniforms picking up my trash.'

Instead, why didn't you propose to use the DWC as a community center for your neighborhood? You could have hosted BBQs there, had community parties on certain holidays, and come out feeling really good about this new building.

Consider changing your attitude before it is too late to have a friendly relationship with your new neighbors.
Oh, and please don't threaten our city with a lawsuit...that is just childish.


Posted by Just wondering
a resident of Cuesta Park
on May 13, 2009 at 9:48 pm

What happened when Judicial Watch came and talked to the neighborhood group? You DO realize that Judicial Watch is a right wing extremist group, yes? And you want to be associated with their ilk? Your true colors show when you are even talking to a group like that.


Posted by just curious
a resident of another community
on May 14, 2009 at 12:08 am

Although I now live in Sunnyvale, I used to live right around the corner from the proposed site, so I am familiar with the story...
I couldn't help but notice all the Cuesta Park neigborhood folk who are supportive of the new site.......could it be they're just relieved that it's not in THEIR neighborhood???


Posted by eric
a resident of another community
on May 14, 2009 at 12:16 am

"What a poorly written story.... it leaves out a fundamental fact like what was the vote? Who voted for/against?? This is fundamental information needed to decide how to vote in the next election. The story makes it seem like the vote was unanimous..."

"OK, I missed the 'unanimously..."

The best humor writes itself


Posted by Mr. No
a resident of Castro City
on May 14, 2009 at 7:26 am

There goes the neighborhood down the drain.


Posted by LP
a resident of Old Mountain View
on May 14, 2009 at 10:22 am

I live a couple blocks from the current day worker center at the Uniterd Methodist Church on Mercy Street. The workers are respectful and quiet. I have not noticed any increase in the traffic or parking problems and certainly no crime increase. I would not describe myself as a religious person, but my parents taught me to treat others by the golden rule and I hope we can be fair to all concerned.

The current builing on Escuela is an eyesore and the proposed improvements will be exactly that-- an improvement. I applaud the MV council and hope the neighbors will respect the DWC and the workers.


Posted by Jack Stone
a resident of Cuernavaca
on May 14, 2009 at 10:50 am

I really don't get it. You are using City money for the benefit of illegal aliens, and the heck with the Americans who live in the neighborhood who pay taxes? The City rezoned a residential neighborhood for the benefit of illegal aliens.
Your article discussed, crime, parking, traffic and other so called problems and stated there was no problem. But what about the big picture? These people do not belong here. Why the devil are we helping these illegal aliens and turning a deaf ear to the people who live in the neighborhood and pay taxes.
These illegal aliens are costing taxpayers billions of dollars every year. We have a million people waiting to come to the USA, why are we catering to these lawbreakers??
I am very ashamed of our city.


Posted by Mr. No
a resident of The Crossings
on May 14, 2009 at 11:35 am

The Church is behind this ruination of a nice neighborhood. They don't care illegal or not, they just play out the #'s game to increase the membership. I bet not one person on the council lives in this neighborhood.


Posted by Bruno
a resident of Old Mountain View
on May 14, 2009 at 1:20 pm

All this talk about illegals and hard working American taxpayers, well I have some questions. What is it that you want from your tax dollars Mr. Stone? Last time I checked we do not get to decide where our tax money goes, but what would you rather have this money go towards? Is it really more about who you think "belongs here" and who doesn't? Why is it always the Mexicans who are branded illegal when there are MANY illegals in this area who come from Asia? Do they not offend you as much? Truly I want to know.


Posted by just curious
a resident of another community
on May 14, 2009 at 1:41 pm

Mr. No~
Can you not remember what neighborhood you live in??????


Posted by Louie Lefty
a resident of Old Mountain View
on May 14, 2009 at 2:02 pm

i see that no one in the nimby crowd cares to address their affiliation with the Judicial Watch organization. Can we hear from someone about how that meeting went?


Posted by Resident
a resident of Waverly Park
on May 14, 2009 at 2:40 pm

While the Cities of Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills do provide some funding for the DWC (how much, I don't know), the DWC raised the money to buy the building, is launching a capital campaign to raise the money to renovate the building, and plans to lease the land for the parking lot from the city. Doesn't sound like as much of a drain on the taxpayer dollars as the Senior Center (whose beneficiaries had a hissy at the thought of teenagers using "their" property in the evenings). Not that I begrudge the Senior Center - I think it's a fabulous facility and service that the city provides. I just think the "our taxpayers shouldn't fund illegals" argument is kind of a smokescreen.

Also, Paul -- the neighbors of the previous and current locations, as well as the police department, have stated repeatedly that the DWC not only didn't cause any problem for the neighborhoods they were in, but actually improved them by doing maintenance on the properties. So why do you think there will be "a mess" ensuing, when it's been proven that they have been excellent neighbors everywhere else?


Posted by smart growther
a resident of Old Mountain View
on May 14, 2009 at 5:22 pm

I was at the meeting. It was very civil except for a couple of comments from the proponents. One proponent played the hate immigrant card and another made disparaging comments about the homes in the area. To claim the opponents used anger and defensiveness is flat out misleading. Almost all of the neighbors who opposed the center, argued against the CUP based on their interpretation of R2 zoning. In the end the council found this argument unpersuasive. The DWC members did a poor job of meeting with the neighborhood and trying to address their concerns.
In terms of funding, the DWC is getting funds from all 3 ciites, tens of thousands


Posted by Vocal Opponent
a resident of Shoreline West
on May 14, 2009 at 9:14 pm

I opposed the Day Workers Center. I spoke out; my concerns were determined to not be of great enough concern to warrant denying the Day Workers Center the Conditional Use Permit.

As for the Judicial Watch issue, I didn't call them nor did I attend their meeting(s). They did attend one of ours.

The DWC has done an abysmal job of reaching out to the neighborhood. They have not attempted to contact us, individually or as as group, once since this started. One young man did engage my wife and I after the zoning hearing but I don't think he was part of the DWC but only a supporter. The DWC seems to be under the impression that they don't need to live with us but that we need to live with and accommodate them and their operations with no commensurate effort on their part. This is why the council wisely made connecting with the neighbors and building positive relationships with the people who live here - who were here before the DWC bought the building - one of the conditions of the permit. What the DWC did do was disregard the concerns we brought up in the single meeting they held. And they moved ahead with their plan to change the nature of our home environment with an attitude that bordered upon contempt.

And having some of their supporters call me a racist was a sure way to get me to want to go out of my way to talk to them. Not.
--

I do quite of bit of work with not-for-profit organizations. One thing these different organizations have in common is their desire to help people, to make this a better world. And each of the NFP's I work with has an aggressive marketing and public realtions/outreach program. The DWC does not. This raises a red flag in my mind and should for any person able to plan farther ahead than tonight's dinner.

The DWC has said time and time and time again that they serve a very limited number of workers and employers. This raises another red flag in my mind. Then when I learned that the majority of their funding came from Los Altos and Los Altos Hills I lost my ability to sit quietly by and let them do their work in peace while we lived our lives in our homes next door.

I find it very odd that the DWC, who purports to help people, would be so willing and anxious to become permanently situated in a location that is so far out of the way. In a location that is going to have restricted access for traffic and would cripple any outreach efforts because they are so far away from the greatest concentration of at-risk workers. The DWC's website says their mission is to connect workers with employers, but their actions speak of connecting a select few workers to what seems to amount to an elite group of employers.

I fear we have installed a sanitized version of human trafficking into our community. The few times I have raised this issue with council members associated with the DWC or representatives of the DWC, my concerns have been met with a deafening silence.

Now you may be thinking that human trafficking is a dirty business filled with sordid tales of wanton criminals acting in a rapacious manner, but I would remind you of the banality of evil. And things like this, human trafficking, prostitution, drug trafficking etc... do happen here. We each of us must keep ever vigilant else the evil quietly establishes itself.

The individual council members have told me on many different occasions that the DWC is a good organization and I know them to be people of good character, intelligent and not easily fooled. This is why I am willing to listen, to talk to the DWC and to tell them and you of my concerns and give them the opportunity in this open forum to address my concerns as they have declined to do in the past.

Further, I have heard it often said the DWC is an award-winning organization; it even says so on their web site. What it doesn't say, unlike all of the other NFPs I am associated with, is what these awards are for or where they are from. Honestly, knowing they have been honored by the ACLU, NAACP or Southern Poverty Law Center would carry a lot of weight with me, but all I can see with my own eyes are unsupported assertions that they have won awards.

The DWC has said in council chambers, on their website and in zoning hearings that they are seeking to connect workers with employers, but they have chosen to set up shop in a nearly invisible location in a dark corner of our city. Now, if they choose to set up shop here, and curtail any and all outreach efforts and to give up on the possibility of growing their organization beyond their current capacity because their real goal is to provide English language classes and medical services to the economic refugees from Mexico, Central and South America that live in this neighborhood, then this all makes perfect sense to me, but that would mean they lied to the city, the council, the neighbors and the people of Mountain View by not revealing this agenda.

O.K. now who still wants to call me a racist?


Posted by QM
a resident of North Whisman
on May 14, 2009 at 9:30 pm

Web Link


Posted by Mike M.
a resident of Old Mountain View
on May 14, 2009 at 9:33 pm

Denounce Judicial Watch, then perhaps we'll believe you aren't acting out of race/class prejudice.

The damage was done when opponents of the Center threatened the City with litigation. We all know that means litigation supported by Judicial Watch, a dangerous right-wing extremist group. Check their website.


Posted by Malacologist
a resident of Shoreline West
on May 14, 2009 at 9:45 pm

I too opposed the DWC. Along with my neighbor Brad, I attended an 11th-hour meeting with a few members of the DWC board to try to reach some kind of agreement prior to the City Council meeting. I felt quite positive about our meeting, but apparently there were enough misunderstandings and miscommunications on both sides to prevent any kind of agreement so soon, and without any agreement, I could not drop my opposition at the City Council meeting.

Since at least a few of the DWC board seem to be genuinely concerned about reaching out to my neighborhood, I'm willing to start afresh. I look forward to meeting with them during the coming weeks to see if we can undo some of the misunderstandings and create an MOU that will go a long way toward repairing the situation in my neighborhood and help them demonstrate how much of a good neighbor they can be.


Posted by Vocal Opponent
a resident of Shoreline West
on May 14, 2009 at 9:52 pm

1. Web link guy... I don't do you tube. Can you please speak for yourself?
One of my on-line friends uses this saying in her forum signature "Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes."

2. Mike M. I'm not going to let you turn this into a shouting match. I don't need to denounce anyone or anything, if you'll read the second and eleventh paragraphs of my post you'll understand why.


Posted by eric
a resident of another community
on May 14, 2009 at 11:33 pm

Vocal opponent-

So, so, so many problems with your rant:


- "each of the NFP's I work with has an aggressive marketing and public realtions/outreach program"-- well, you need to branch away from the small minority of wealthy NFPs. I also do a lot of stuff with non-profits, as do a lot of people in this town (many of the DWC's board members are very active in the community). Marketing budget? Are you serious? From where?

-"I don't do you tube" you dont do information?

- It took me exactly 8 seconds of googling to find one of the awards recieved by the DWC's ED. Do your homework. Your wealthy NFPs seem very concerned about publicity, by the way.

- human trafficking? Seriously? People voluntarily exchanging labor for compensation?

- The majority of the DWC's funding came from the wealthiest community in the area. Like every other NFP on the planet. This set you off because?

- the DWC looked-aggressively- for a more accessible location for YEARS.


Posted by Vocal Opponent
a resident of Shoreline West
on May 15, 2009 at 6:39 am

Eric,

Thank you for taking the time to criticisize me, belittle me and my concerns and do all you can to be insulting. That's very helpful.

Would it be too much trouble for you to post a link to the search results, or should I accept your unsupported assertions as fact simply because you say so?


Posted by Vocal Opponent
a resident of Shoreline West
on May 15, 2009 at 7:23 am

P.S. Marketing is the single most critical aspect of the operation of any business, not-for-profit or for profit.

Your marketing budget should be the second 18% of your cash flow, second only to facility overhead - "keeping the lights on."

Without marketing you really are flogging a dead horse no matter what else you might do. The management and board members of the DWC should know this. That is why I am suspiscious of their motivations and am looking for indications of a "hidden agenda."

Will anyone allay my fears?
Will anyone prove to me that my concerns are unfounded?

Or will the supporters of the DWC and the DWC itself continue their policy of antagonism, disrespect and active lack of transparency?


Posted by Vocal Opponent
a resident of Shoreline West
on May 15, 2009 at 8:14 am

One more thing Eric,

"Your wealthy NFPs seem very concerned about publicity, by the way."

Think about that for a minute or two.


Posted by Jack Stone
a resident of Cuernavaca
on May 15, 2009 at 10:02 am

You don't get it do you Bruno? Yes, I am concerned where my tax money goes, it should go to helping American citizens, not illegal aliens.
Do other illegals such as from Asia offend me? Yes. Anyone who breaks to law offends me.
These illegal aliens do not pay taxes but are using our welfare system, medical and other services without paying a dime!
But you are missing the whole point Bruno, they don't belong here. They broke the law by coming into our country.
If you are so Gung Ho for these people, adopt a family or two. As for me, they should be sent home. We are a country of laws.


Posted by Just Googled found PHOTOS
a resident of another community
on May 15, 2009 at 10:47 am

Googled for more information and found this article with links to some great PHOTOS of the city council meeting. Who knew Mountain View City Council meetings were so entertaining? Wish i had been there!
Web Link has the feature story with a link to photos at: Web Link


Posted by QM
a resident of North Whisman
on May 15, 2009 at 11:33 am

Web Link

Vocal Opponent: If you watched the LT. Deputy Sheriff speak to the press in the You Tube link, I believe you will hear his voice shake. I also believe he and his Deputy Sheriff co-workers are the experts here to speak on the matter.


Posted by USA
a resident of Old Mountain View
on May 15, 2009 at 12:08 pm

USA is a registered user.

Ah, it's the weekly DWC mosh pit with a good mix of angry opponents and clueless supporters. Time to dive in and see who I'll land on ...

* Vocal Opponent, your bombastic statements are not helping your position. Take it down a notch.

* Eric, how are you doing today?

* Los Altos and Los Altos Hills donated to the DWC not out of some sudden urge to better the world. Their donation helps get the eye-sore illegals off El Camino x San Antonio to where the illegals cannot be seen while still giving LA and LAH access to low-cost, non-union, tax-free labor.

* You can say that the people running the DWC are good people with altruistic motivations, but the comments on DWC's website about their handling of the illegal issue just makes my blood boil.

* Whether the DWC is a good neighbor or not does not affect the value of the homes in the neighborhoods. Just the mention that there is a DWC in the area will scare away buyers and lower prices. You can talk about outreach and complain about NIMBYs, but it is not your house that just dropped $100k this week. That's real money.

* The neighbors in the DWC's current location have had good things to say about the DWC, but nobody is begging the DWC to stay. Odd.

* Just when I though we had hit bottom on this issue, the link to the leftist rag with the pics of the clownish Ragging Grannies took it to a whole new level of idiocy.


Posted by Frances Griffin
a resident of another community
on May 15, 2009 at 12:12 pm

This is not the first time I have seen NIMBYs up in arms over the presence of "those people." Where I live there was a furor when a motel on a cul de sac near a freeway previously a hang out for prostitues and drug dealers (with no neighborhood outcry)was turned into a shelter for homeless families. What an outcry! Same arguments about crime and traffic. Well, the project went ahead and there have been virtually no problems.

In this case we have a run-down building that used to be a dry cleaners(can you say "toxic chemicals, boys and girls"?)being renovated and put to use during the daylight hours only by a group that comes highly recommended by their previous landlord. And we hear the same arguments, plus some about nighttime parking.

The opponents may not be actually racists. This may be about economic class or even about fears about property values. But they have gotten into bed with Judicial Watch, a seriously racist group over this. They drag in arguments about legality which are just a smokescreen for prejudice, often with a racist tinge. My Irish forebears had to cope with anti-immigrant prejudice and the Chinese in California suffered enormously. Have we not learned from this.

Immigrants are here and the more we can do to shelter them from exploitation and help them adjust the better off we all will be. Just be glad you don't live hear Allied Arts in Menlo Park which allows nighttime events. Or for that matter near a school. Talk about traffic and noise(and even crime)! Want to ban neighborhood schools?

Frances Griffin


Posted by Bruno
a resident of Old Mountain View
on May 15, 2009 at 1:07 pm

"These illegal aliens do not pay taxes but are using our welfare system, medical and other services without paying a dime!"

Sounds like a blanket statement to me. So no illegal alien ever pays any taxes of any sort and they all collect welfare? They don't even get charged sales tax? You're right, what a deal for them. They're so LUCKY!

"But you are missing the whole point Bruno, they don't belong here. They broke the law by coming into our country."

And how did your ancestors come to this fine country? Did they fill out all the paperwork? Did they get the proper signatures before setting foot down? I hear this argument and I cringe because I understand what a short memory some Americans have. This country was taken by force and not by you. You do not own this country and neither does your nationalistic agenda.


Posted by Vocal Opponent
a resident of Shoreline West
on May 15, 2009 at 1:23 pm

QM, why don't you tell me what you want me to hear?

I'm not going to watch the youtube video you linked to no matter how hard you try to get me to do so. I'm going to force you to answer the question "Are you saying what you really think, or just repeating what you've heard?"

As long as you rely upon others I will assume you are simply repeating what you have heard or have been told to say.

USA, thank you for taking the time to criticisize me, belittle me and my concerns and do all you can to be insulting. That's very helpful.


Posted by Jack Stone
a resident of Cuernavaca
on May 15, 2009 at 3:50 pm

Come to the party Bruno, you're comparing horses to goats.
Enough about my ancestors, but you refuse to believe we have laws in our country against illegal immigration.
Wise up.


Posted by USA
a resident of Old Mountain View
on May 15, 2009 at 4:33 pm

USA is a registered user.

Concern over illegal immigration is the same as being anti-immigration which is the same as racism. Got it. Thanks, Frances. I'll write it down somewhere so I can remember it.


Posted by Joey
a resident of Cuesta Park
on May 15, 2009 at 4:56 pm

Mountain View should support its residents, those that are citizens and those that are here in this country illegally because both are residents of the city. Both pay property taxes directly or indirectly through their rent. Both send their kids to our schools. And both live here.


Posted by eric
a resident of another community
on May 16, 2009 at 12:05 am

Vocal Opponent-


"Thank you for taking the time to criticisize me, belittle me and my concerns and do all you can to be insulting. That's very helpful."

-Terribly sorry to hear that you cant take any criticism of your opinions. Do you not have any confidence in your arguements?

"Would it be too much trouble for you to post a link to the search results, or should I accept your unsupported assertions as fact simply because you say so?"

-The specific awards are not terribly relevant to the discussion. My point is that it took me less time to find the answer than it likely took you to type the question. You would be better served by doing your homework before expressing your suspicion about a throwaway line in their ED's bio.


"P.S. Marketing is the single most critical aspect of the operation of any business, not-for-profit or for profit"

- If you talk to 90% of non-profit ED's, you will find their 3 primary concerns to be, fundrasing, fundraising and fundraising (no, that is NOT the same as marketing in the context you've set). Marketing and even outreach must have fundraising as its end game.

""Your wealthy NFPs seem very concerned about publicity, by the way."

Think about that for a minute or two."

-I should have said 'publicity for publicities sake'-- I can name a lot of NFP's who could wear that label


Posted by eric
a resident of another community
on May 16, 2009 at 12:21 am

USA-

Hello, back at you..

"Whether the DWC is a good neighbor or not does not affect the value of the homes in the neighborhoods. Just the mention that there is a DWC in the area will scare away buyers and lower prices. You can talk about outreach and complain about NIMBYs, but it is not your house that just dropped $100k this week. That's real money."

-I dont buy that. Ever seen the building that the DWC is replacing? Most--almost all- of the Single family homes are far enough away that I just cant see an impact on home prices. The DWC seems more oriented to me towards a big run-down apt building and a busy stretch of Rengstorff than the bulk of that neighborhood.

A massive church was built a matter of yards from a place I used to live that created a ton of traffic- way more than the DWC would generate in its wildest dreams! Home prices did not plunge. I would suggest that your next door neighbor replacing his lawn with astroturf would hurt the value of your home substantially more than a handful of day laborers 5 blocks away.


Posted by Vocal Opponent
a resident of Shoreline West
on May 16, 2009 at 2:30 am

Eric,

I understand now. You are arguing not for any purpose or goal but simply because you enjoy arguing.

Good day. Good luck. Good life.


Posted by Mr. Not
a resident of Blossom Valley
on May 16, 2009 at 7:38 am

What a drty rotten SHAME


Posted by Mrs. No
a resident of Blossom Valley
on May 16, 2009 at 8:06 pm

What a shame, you know the church is at the root of all this mess. Wake up and smell the coffee before it's much to late.


Posted by Silver Fox
a resident of another community
on May 17, 2009 at 12:26 am

It could be a lot worse. Starbucks were interested at one stage.


Posted by MV-my-home
a resident of Rex Manor
on May 17, 2009 at 10:41 am

Why are those of us who oppose illegal immigrants and call for the laws of this country to be enforced branded as "racists"? It does not matter which ethnicity the illegals belong too. They have no place in this country. If the DWC is in the business of facilitating illegal immigrants, it should be opposed.


Posted by Frances Griffin
a resident of another community
on May 17, 2009 at 1:26 pm

I notice that the person who replied to my post misquoted me.
This seems to be pretty typical for angry ranters. Trouble reading? Listening to too much talk radio?
Sad.

One helpful fact(do facts matter here?): Studies show that immigrants go to the emergency room and to the doctor a lot less often than other folks. They also actually do pay a lot of taxes. Poor folks in general pay a far bigger portion of their income in taxes than the rich and the corporate share of taxes has gone way, way down throwing the burden on you and me(can you say "offshore tax shelters," boys and girls?)

There is also the fact that NAFTA has created terrible economic problems for the average Mexican and driven farmers off their land in great numbers. The USA has a lot of responsibility there. When you hear that something has been "good for the economy" remember that the winners are the elite and the losers are everybody else. Good for Monsanto, not so good for Joe or for Jose.


Posted by Calling You Out
a resident of Old Mountain View
on May 17, 2009 at 2:58 pm

MV-my-home asked : >>>Why are those of us who oppose illegal immigrants and call for the laws of this country to be enforced branded as "racists"?<<<<

Not a one of you make a fuss about Irish undocumented immigrants who abound in the Bay Area! Furthermore, have any of you looked at what Judicial Watch really is all about? Strongly suggest you distance yourself from a racist organization if you don't want to be considered a racist!

Hmm...you don't like people breaking the law. But THIS is the law breaking you choose to focus on....


Posted by Contractor
a resident of Cuesta Park
on May 17, 2009 at 8:42 pm

I just want to know if I will be breaking the law if I go down to the DWC and hire 5 undocumented workers for a landscaping deal I just bid on? I don't want to deal with pay roll taxes or health care benefits. Will I be held liable if one of them breaks their leg on the job? I can I just take them down to the local ER and drop them off no questions ask. Some one please tell me what to do. I don't want to break any laws. I just want more money in my pocket.


Posted by USA
a resident of Old Mountain View
on May 17, 2009 at 10:48 pm

USA is a registered user.

Calling You Out -- If you are looking to race-bait us, you are going to have to work a lot harder.

Though millions of American are of Irish decedent, they are only about 250,000 Irish citizens currently in the US. Of those, about 50,000 are illegal. Most of them did come here legally but have overstayed their visa. By contrast, there are more than 10,000,000 illegal Mexican citizens in the US. That is -- there are more than 200 Mexican illegals for every one Irish illegal. Furthermore, the Irish tend to be quiet. They tent not to do things (good or bad) that get them in the news. As a result, they are not much of a target for news stories.

If you ask anyone who is concerned about illegal immigration if the Irish should be held to the same laws as the Mexicans, they would most certainly say yes. Of course, that is pretty much their point -- everyone should obey the law regardless of their demographics.

BTW, most organizations that seek to enforce immigration laws are politically neutral. They go after people on both sides of the isle who support amnesty. I don't know much about Judicial Watch, though they do appear by their own admission to be conservative. No doubt the liberal blogs have been attacking them with the usually race card attacks.

I have looked through the JW website, www.judicialwatch.org. There is certainly plenty of text to upset a liberal, but I have not found anything that could reasonably be called racist. Could you post a URL to a page on their site that is racist?



Posted by joe Not-the-plumber
a resident of another community
on May 17, 2009 at 11:36 pm

Just looked at Judicial Watch website. To USA: You are kidding, right? the racism is only very thinly veiled. Blaming immigrants for everything from the flow of disease to taking away jobs.

Whom do you think is growing your food and doing most of the food prep in restaurants anyway?


Posted by MV-my-home
a resident of Rex Manor
on May 17, 2009 at 11:44 pm

To Calling You Out -

Please re-read my entry. I said the law should be applied regardless of ethnicity. I have said nothing about Judicial Watch. This is a red herring. If these workers are in the country illegally, then what is the City of Mountain View doing sheltering these violators of law?


Posted by USA
a resident of Old Mountain View
on May 18, 2009 at 12:43 am

USA is a registered user.

Joe NTP -- I suppose you can read anything into anything else.

Again, could you post anything from their site that states that they support a reduction of LEGAL immigration or that they show an immigration preference based on ethnicity or race? Specifically, could you point to a single instance of where they are "blaming [legal] immigrants for everything from the flow of disease to taking away jobs"? Web Link


Posted by Richard Drozek
a resident of Shoreline West
on Nov 1, 2010 at 7:50 pm

AS A 25 YEAR RESIDENT OF MOUNTAIN VIEW IT BECAME VERY CLEAR THAT MOUNTAIN VIEW WAS ALREADY A DEFACTO SANCTUARY CITY. THE CITY NEEDED THE TAX REVENUES ON CASTRO STREET TO PAY THEIR CITY MANAGER'S SIX FIGURE INCOMES AND BENEFITS. NOW WITH THE WORK OF THESE LEFTIST ON THE CITY COUNCIL SUCH AS MARGARET ABE KOGA HAVE FOUND A WAY TO USE PUBLIC FUNDS TO CREATE A HAVEN FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS IN OUR MIDST THAT IS IS NOW A "TRUE SANCTUARY CITY. THE ARROGANCE OF THESE DEMOCRAT OPERATIVES IN MOUNTAIN VIEW IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE BUILDING OF A MOSQUE WITH AN EIGHT STORY MINARET IN SANTA CLARA.

WE ALL SEE HOW THESE ILLEGALS [70% FROM MEXICO]WHO ARE LIVING AMOUNGST US WITH THEIR SECTION 8 HOUSING [WHICH WAS SET UP FOR US CITIZENS]; WE ENCOUNTER THEM IN OUR ER WAITING ROOMS; OUR SCHOOLS;AND IN THEIR COMPETITION WITH AMERICAN UNION TRADE AND BUILDING WORKERS.

IT IS A TRUELY A GREAT IRONEY THAT THESE PROFESSIONAL LIARS RULE US LIKE THEY ARE SOME SORT OF POWERFUL LEGISLATIVE BODY MAKING LAWS WHICH PLACES BURDENS UPON WORKING AMERICANS WHILE THEY LINE UP FOR THEIR NEXT PROMOTION IN THE COUNTY'S UNION AND DEVELOPER DEMOCRAT PARTY WITH HIS "LORD" PREMINGER RULING HIS SUBJECTS.

THE PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO SLEEP FOR EVER. WE ARE TIRED ON THESE LAW BREAKERS HAVING THEIR FEET KISSED BECAUSE THEY ARE "NICE PEOPLE."


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