Hilbert Morales EL OBSERVADOR
On Wednesday, February 18, 2015, S.J. District 5 Council Member Magdalena Carrasco was the speaker at the Story Road Business Association whose President is R.J. Castro. I recommend beginning an informative process of making all 100,000 residents of District Five become more informed about their important role in Silicon Valley’s economy. This district provides the skilled service workers essential to Silicon Valley’s high tech commerce. Carrasco could inform SRBA’s membership that they are essential CIVIC STAKEHOLDERS because in the aggregate, they are the consumers who earn about $25,000 per year per employed worker. Three traits: 1) they work hard; 2) they do not get paid a ‘living wage’; and 3) they are consumers retailers welcome. Assuming that 50,000 District 5 residents have jobs (in fact, several such jobs), then the total cash flow within District 5 can be estimated to be about $1,250,000,000 per year (just multiply $25,000 x 50,000 workers). That is $1.250 BILLION which generates sales taxes, property taxes, license and permit fees, etc. It is this revenue flow which is contributed to San Jose’s budget. Since many workers get paid ‘minimum wages’, they have 100% propensity to spend it all. They live ‘paycheck to paycheck’ while trying to figure out how to get ahead in this ‘American Land of Opportunity’. Our elders tell us to work hard;
OPINION
EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com
FEBRUARY 20-26, 2015
The global economy forces us to work on the cheap. Those skilled workers who earn $85,000 or more in Silicon Valley have no idea how much innovative creative effort goes into survival living from month to month; paycheck to paycheck, in this very high ‘cost of living’ area. Now, our nation has had 40 years experience with the ‘trickle down economic theory’ in which ‘job creation’ is a function of investment by the ultra-wealthy. Today, economists are beginning to understand that investment alone does not create jobs, nor opportunity. What does create world change and jobs are ideas and insights which result in products accepted and adopted by the consumers in the marketplace where ‘demand’ is expressed. The recent evolution of computer-IT technology is a current example of this process. Today we have many computer derivatives such as smart phones, laptops, tablets along with many programs & applications which enable an individual to become informed. Recently, a recommendation was to learn being a ‘coder’ or ‘programmer’ as a way to earn a middleclass income. Today’s moguls need to understand that they need ‘CONSUMERS’ who have some discretionary money after meeting their essential living expenses. Thus to escape poverty, it is not a ‘minimum wage’ which must be allocated as part of the cost of getting essential work done; it is a ‘living wage’ which permits the wage earner to meet essential life-style obligations and end up with enough extra money to exercise a few ‘discretionary consumer choices’. What does this have to do with San Jose’s District 5? Its residents are not yet the ‘civic stakeholders’ in our Silicon Valley economy because of
their need’ to spend poverty wages for essentials. Imagine the economic impact of these workers being paid $35,000 per year. That would mean $10 million would be spent on their consumer choices. That amounts to a significant step towards enabling all of them to be ‘consumers’ needed by producers of goods and services which are ‘discretionary’...meaning that something ‘nice to have, but, if required one could do without it.” When an individual has a bit of extra money (discretionary income), that individual must make choices regarding how to utilize that ‘extra money’. That is one dynamic. Another is that local small businesses would experience a higher number of customers. They become ‘civic stakeholders’ who are more likely to vote than not because now they have an interest to nurture. When local small businesses prosper, they may need to hire someone. Let’s recall that many local youth learn about job skills when employed by a local business proprietor. Carrasco could tell SRBA more about San Jose’s activities as an organization which delivers a variety of services to its residents. Our lowincome population needs to learn more ‘fiscal literacy’. Our small businesses need to receive more ‘RFP’s (request for proposals),understanding cash flow and profit/loss summary; and actively monitor the services received by the community and its enterprises. What is best for District 5 small businesses is to understand how to equitably access the same level of civic services as do those firms which get tax credits, subsidies, etc/ What is our small business community getting? This city needs to support the ‘civic stakeholders’ who live and vote here.
José López Zamorano LA RED HISPANA La espera terminó para cientos de miles de “dreamers” que podrán finalmente postularse a partir del 18 de febrero para el proceso de alivio migratorio puesto en marcha con motivo de las acciones ejecutivas del presidente Barack Obama. Se espera que la versión ampliada de DACA beneficie a más de 300,000 jóvenes adicionales a los más de 600,000 que gozan sus principales beneficios: un blindaje contra la deportación fulminante y permisos de trabajo. Ninguno de las grandes movimientos sociales de Estados Unidos ha sido un proceso sin contratiempos y
el camino de los indocumentados a un reconocimiento pleno como miembros de la sociedad estadounidense no será la excepción. Pero los obstáculos y las trabas no deben verse como pretexto para el desaliento, sino como un reto y confirmación de que la razón histórica pertenece siempre a quienes claman justicia, y que ese juicio moral será validado, tarde o temprano. Así debe verse el acto de intimidación lanzado principalmente por los republicanos de la Cámara de Representantes para infundir miedo en los beneficiarios potenciales de las acciones del presidente. En el plano legislativo buscan bloquear los fondos para implementar las medidas administrativas y derogar DACA, aún a costa de paralizar al Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) en una coyuntura global volátil. Por separado, en el ámbito judicial, un colectivo de 26 estados pretende invalidar la constitucionalidad de las decisiones presidenciales. El “bluff” legislativo carece de posibilidades de éxito en el Capitolio, donde es rechazado por los demócratas
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y visto con aprensión incluso por senadores republicanos. En el campo judicial existe siempre la posibilidad de que se anoten triunfos parciales cuando se escogen meticulosamente jueces con sólidas credenciales conservadoras, pero los expertos legales coinciden que el presidente pisó un terreno jurisprudencial firme cuando decidió ejercer sus facultades ejecutivas ante la inacción del Congreso. La única posibilidad de “éxito” de la estrategia de los opositores de las acciones ejecutivas de la Casa Blanca es que su campaña del miedo tenga el efecto de evitar que por lo menos uno de los casi 5 millones de beneficiarios de DACA o DAPA decida no dar un paso al frente y no salir de las sombras por temor o desconfianza. Más de medio millón de jóvenes soñadores que se enlistaron en la primera versión de DACA nos han dado a los adultos una lección ejemplar de valor cívico pese a un ambiente enrarecido por la desconfianza. Son un modelo de inspiración para ignorar a la ofensiva del temor y evitar darles una victoria a quienes se oponen a este elemental acto de justicia.