Local Jobs for America Act
Portland Jobs with Justice and national Jobs with Justice are supporting national legislation that will provide our economy with a shot in the arm by putting a million people to work in our local communities. This legislation called the Local Jobs for America Act is cosponsored by Representatives Blumenauer and Wu but Representative Kurt Schrader has not yet signed on. He should!
What is the Local Jobs for America Act?
The Local Jobs for America Act will provide our economy a shot in the arm by putting a million people to work in local communities. Specifically, the bill funds local governments and non-profit agencies to save and create jobs providing local services for two years, including:
- $75 Billion to create 750,000 jobs providing needed local services for 2 years;
- $52.5 billion directly to communities with at least 50,000 residents
- $22.5 billion for communities with fewer than 50,000 residents
- $23 billion to help states support an estimated 250,000 education jobs;
- $1.18 billion to put 5,500 law enforcement officers on the beat; and
- $500 million to hire and retain fire fighters
- $500 million for 50,000 additional on-the-job training positions in the private sector.
Why do we need the Local Jobs for America Act?
- This recession is unlike any other that most of us have lived through. There is a jobs crisis in our communities. When the banks were in crisis, Congress stepped in with hundreds of billions of dollars. Bankers are still getting bonuses, and Wall Street is back to profitability, but our communities continue to suffer.
- We currently have 15 million Americans unemployed in our economy. That’s one job for every six people looking for work. If you include the under-employed and those who have stopped looking for work, the numbers are higher still.
- Even if the economy begins to rebound today, it will take four to six years to close this job gap. For our communities, this is unacceptable. This recession has been particularly hard on older workers in manufacturing, young people, and communities of color. Our young people who have worked hard to graduate from college can’t wait another four years to start their careers.
- The Federal government can and should do more to create jobs. The Local Jobs for America will create one million jobs in the most direct and efficient way possible. Direct job creation measures like the Local Jobs for America Act are the fastest and most direct way to get people to work.
- Creating one million jobs is an essential first step, but full employment is what the country needs.
One Million Jobs to Save Local Services
