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As U.S. mayors gathered in Washington this week to meet with the Obama administration about unemployment and the economy, Virginia local government officials and community leaders are calling for the creation of a Community Jobs program.
The jobs program would provide funding to localities across the country to create 1 million temporary public and private sector jobs. Congressman Keith Ellison from Minnesota has introduced HR 4268, The Put America to Work Act of 2009, in the U.S. House of Representatives to authorize a Community Jobs Program. The bill has 52 co-sponsors. Community groups and local government officials are working with partners around the country to organize in support of this bill, and to ensure that it becomes law.
Advocates for the legislation stress the urgency in creating new jobs. Since December 2007, when the recession began, the economy has shed 7.2 million jobs. In December 2009, the national unemployment rate was at a staggering 10 percent.
The Community Jobs Program requires local officials to work in conjunction with local residents to identify critical community needs and to create jobs that will address those needs, such as restoring vital social services and improving community infrastructure such as schools, community centers and parks.
“I support a federally-funded, community-based jobs program in partnership with the city and small business. Let’s get the thinkers in the room and come up with a game plan to beat back this economic tsunami. We need to create local jobs and generate new revenue and not stand still and be road kill,” said Marty Jewell, Richmond City councilman.
The Jobs Program would implement a two stage approach to ensure immediate job creation and allow for a longer-term planning process that involves community input and a focus on education and career development. In order to put people to work right away, during the first six to nine months of the program, job creation would include rehabilitating schools, community centers, and libraries; cleaning up vacant and abandoned properties to alleviate blight; expanding emergency food programs; expanding staffing in Head Start, child care and other early childhood education programs; and renovating and maintaining parks, playgrounds and other public spaces. After the fast track, job creation initiatives will be selected through an open, competitive process that includes community participation and prioritizes projects that integrate education and job skills training.
“A community jobs program would reduce crippling unemployment and invest in local infrastructure,” said Charlottesville Vice Mayor Holly Edwards. “Investing in infrastructure means fixing roads, building affordable housing and rehabilitating schools. But investing in infrastructure also means strengthening local families. Putting people back to work would strengthen local families by giving every family the financial security they need. We know that creating jobs is the only way of moving people out of poverty. We have the to-do list, we just need the funds.”
Local government officials support a Community Jobs Program where everyone benefits -those who get jobs and those who use the facilities or services that will be improved through those jobs.
“It is incredibly important that we produce local jobs and get people in the community back to work. There are great possibilities to create local jobs on green energy or jobs supporting the light rail, but you need help to get the ball rolling. Local governments cannot do it all on their own,” said Hopewell Councilwoman Christina Luman-Bailey. “I would like to see a program that provides local jobs for local people, not just bringing in contractors from other places. This will help put people back to work and create a positive infrastructure for the future.”
For more information on the Community Jobs Program: www.jobs4americanow.org/wp-content/uploads/Community-Jobs-Proposal-Leave-Behind-12-17-2009.pdf.
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