Posted on 05/30/2006 9:38:53 AM PDT by BurbankKarl
BURBANK -- Protests and demonstrations at the Home Depot day labor center have racked up law enforcement costs of more than $46,000, prompting worries that the extra costs are a burden on city coffers.
Between Sept. 30 and April 21, Burbank Police responded to 11 incidents involving anti-illegal immigration protests against center, which offers employment assistance to workers who are often not United States citizens, according to a Burbank Police memo.
The memo has raised questions from residents about the purpose of the $94,000 annual fee that Home Depot pays to the city, intended to cover costs related to the center.
"Initially [the council] was talking about the $94,000 going one place and all of a sudden it shifts," Burbank resident David Piroli said.
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At a public hearing in April 2004, the fee was posed as a mitigation measure for potential problems that could arise at the center.
"In addition to the center, we also have funding to the tune of $94,000 that is not given to us specifically to run the day labor center, but rather funding that is given to us specifically to address the problems that may be related to the Home Depot facility," Councilman Jef Vander Borght said at the hearing. "So as a result we have even additional discretion to use those funds for other means, as policing, as the way by which we can achieve better control of potential problems that would surface."
But when the council unanimously awarded management of the center to Catholic Charities of Los Angeles on Jan. 10, the council elected to put the entire fee toward the center's operations costs, Marisa Garcia, an analyst for the Parks, Recreation and Community Service Department said at the meeting.
The fee has funded the center's operation since it opened alongside Home Dept. on Jan 14., Deputy City Planner Roger Baker said.
"We've been using it at our choice to run the daily operations at the center," Baker said.
The conditions under which Home Depot and the labor center were approved give the council full discretion over how the annual fee is utilized, Baker said.
But Councilman David Gordon said the center has become a "lightening rod" for community protest, and taxpayers should not have to bear the costs of increased law enforcement related to the center.
Overtime costs for officers providing crowd management and minimal code enforcement during labor center demonstrations amounted to $41,618 of the $46,749 total costs accrued, the Police Department memo said. The remaining $5,131 covered the salaries of on-duty officers.
But a strong police presence at these events is what assures they do not spiral out of control, Burbank Police Lt. Dave Gabriel said.
"While at first glance that may seem a large amount of money ... the Burbank Police Department has always had the policy to prevent problems before they happen," Gabriel said. "Our hope is to keep issues as under control as possible before they become really significant problems," he said. The department has succeeded in maintaining the peace during the 11 labor center demonstrations and no arrests were made, the memo said.
Actually, 4th of July would be ideal....since they already are on overtime for the fireworks on the hill...then they would have to call in mutual aid from other cities.
Sounds good to me! LOL!
Lucky us, it seems the numbers coming here are already picking up, again, in preparation to receive their amnesties. I wonder if this crazy glue will hold together for two more years?
They are most definitely picking up, according to the Border Patrol in Arizona.
Whoever is brainwashing these people, and making their signs, has no idea of the true history of this area.
Incredible. I guess they forgot about the Indians : )
I had a debate with someone who started mouthing off at me in a 7-11 here in Burbank. She had no idea Spain claimed the land first, then Mexico had it, then the US defeated Mexico and PAID for the territory.
"I had a debate with someone who started mouthing off at me in a 7-11 here in Burbank"
Hmmm...musta been the 7-11 near the studios(WB). Lotta left wing automatons gas up there : )
I went to high school and worked in a office in Burbbamk and things have changed dramatically over the years.
Indeed they have.
I watched the Burbank City Council meeting that night on television and more than 100 Burbank residents came to protest about the day laborer center being built but Burbank's City Council members stuck up their noses, dismissed the citizen's concerns, and all but accused them of racism. At the very next election for an open seat on the Burbank City Council the citizens tossed out the city council's favorite pick for the open seat and instead they voted in a candidate who had been against building the day laborer site at Home Depot. Remember to do the same with the House and Senate members in 2006 who vote for Bush's shamnesty guestworker bill.
The good old Providence High days are gone
sw
I don't have links or anything concrete I can point you to but I believe there have already been lawsuits filed in a couple of Texas cities even before these work centers were put in place. Some of the one's in Texas aren't even near a HD or Lowe's but in sections of town where the illegals congregated.
legalized slavery alive and well in Burbank, Ca.
HD's top dog was compensated 124$ million last year. Money is not a factor for them
Just curious- What was her version of the events that led to the Southwest becoming part of the US?
Just tear it down and tell Catholic Charitys to return the money to HD.
I graduated from Newton HS(Mass.) in 72. Seems like yesterday, and also like eternity at the same time.
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