REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
March 31, 2016
FROM: Councilmember Oliver L. Baines III
Member of the Fresno City Council,
Representing District Three
BY: Gregory A. Barfield
Chief of Staff, Office of Councilmember Oliver Baines
Representing District Three
SUBJECT
Title
BILL - (For introduction) - Adding Section 4-117 to the Fresno Municipal Code relating to National Targeted Hiring in contracts for any Public Work of Improvement
Body
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Fresno City Council adopt adding Sections 4-117 to the Fresno Municipal Code relating to National Target Hiring in Contracts for any Public Work of Improvement.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Areas within the United States are experiencing historically high rates of unemployment and underemployment. The City of Fresno is experiencing substantially higher rates of unemployment than other areas within the United States. During the past 10 years the City of Fresno's unemployment rate has averaged more than 12% while several City of Fresno neighborhoods continue to face high generational concentrations of poverty. While our unemployment rate has averaged 12%, and in some areas of our city as high as 16%, the poverty rate for Fresnans is 26.4%. That means that more than 1 in 4 Fresnans live at or below the poverty line. While it is difficult for the City to address workforce issues directly, there are ways policy can impact workforce development, and aid in the process of incentivizing workforce development. While as a City we have found multiple ways to incentivize private
investment into our city. We have done little in incentivizing the development of a workforce. Workforce development is as instrumental in having a healthy economy as private investment.
The lack of a sufficient number of pathways to technical education training programs in areas across the United States, including the City of Fresno, means the construction industry cannot meet the growing demands of the con...
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