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Friday, July 30, 2010
Labor, religious groups back youth jobs measure
by Kathleen Haley, published on January 19, 2010 at 7:51PM
Storyline: Sacramento City Hall / Politics
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A proposed measure to fund jobs and other services for young people in Sacramento is being supported by a coalition of labor and religious groups and some local elected officials.
A $29 annual tax on parcels of property in the city would be set up to pay for programs provided through Youth Jobs and Opportunity Act. Property owners would be charged the tax.
The proposed initiative could appear on the November ballot. Supporters say they intend to collect 30,000 signatures from residents. Proponents say several kinds of programs could be funded through the program, including after-school programs, apprenticeships and street outreach services.
Groups supporting the proposal include the Yes to Youth Coalition, Sacramento Area Congregations Together, the Sacramento Central Labor Council and the Urban League of Sacramento.
Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson and City Councilman Kevin McCarty, who are running against each other for Assemblyman Dave Jones’ seat, both spoke in favor of the initiative at a Tuesday press conference.
Addressing reporters at the Asian Resources One-Stop Career Center on Broadway, Dickinson said the initiative could help cut youth violence.
“As a member of the Board of Supervisors, I understand just how expensive it is — over $90,000 a year — to keep a young person in juvenile hall,” Dickinson said.
McCarty said it was “imperative” to invest in youth through the initiative.
Councilman Ray Tretheway also backs the proposed initiative, said Alicia Ross, executive director of Sacramento Area Congregations Together.
Amanda Ramos, who graduated from Kennedy High School last year, told reporters that she gained job skills while participating in a local summer program at a Boys and Girls Club branch.
“I want other young people to have the same opportunities that I got,” Ramos said.
Young people ages 11 to 25 would participate in the programs. Funding would be doled out in three ways. Youth jobs and job training would receive at least 40 percent of the dollars. Programs for at-risk youth would receive at least 20 percent of the funding. At least 20 percent of the money would pay for programs to help students with their academic skills.
Read the full text of the proposal here.
Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.
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I attended several meetings and recall the city tax measure supported by Yes to Youth Coalition, Sacramento Area Congregations Together... whereas the groups appeared looking (just as law enforcement) on how to enhance their agencies, gain clout... and began to aggressively seek to gain funding when money became available and did not labor and sat mute when no funding was available....Programs lacking money to assist with helping kids pass high school exit exam suddenly shifted to be "youth violence prevention" programs since funding was coming to address youth violence. As long as it is done in the spirit of love and not the spirit of greed- then this is really nice.... But I've seen so much deceit, so many with other agenda's so many looking at money and not looking at resources (and I saw greed from those listed in the article) So we need to be careful and we need to know EXACTLY how the money will be spent. This is too vague. We need to know WHAT WE ARE SIGNING on to, otherwise it's as vague as Johnson's SMP- done in the dark..... and not as helpful as it appears to be. We'd be surprised who all can be and have been poverty pimps.
I wonder what kind of half cocked scheme unions are running to keep their lavish pensions up? I can't see the state paying $90,000 per year per kid to be locked up without union thugs having their way. Why not set up work programs and encourage prison/slave labor to keep the California union cash cow lactating, while encouraging arrests at the same time.