Vernon Rallies to Save Local Jobs
An estimated 1,000 people turned out to show their opposition to California Assembly bills 781 and 46, which seek to dissolve the city of Vernon, home to many apparel and textile manufacturing companies that reap the benefits of the city’s lower taxes and utilities discounts.
The rally was hosted by the Vernon Chamber of Commerce and the Save Vernon’s Jobs coalition at a park behind the Vernon fire station.
“Today’s event was designed to refamiliarize everyone in the area of what’s at stake and get them involved,” said Mark Whitworth, fire chief and city administrator for Vernon.
With the legislative session starting again on Aug. 15, the coalition is hoping to encourage local labor unions, businesses, employees and citizens to write and call state senators to vote against the bills, which were sponsored by Assembly Speaker John Perez (D–Los Angeles) in an attempt to prevent corruption within the city.
According to Whitworth, 10 percent to 15 percent of Los Angeles County’s apparel industry is located in Vernon and receives large discounts on utilities, business insurance and taxes.
Karina Lazareno, a stockroom manager for AmeriPride Uniform Services, volunteered at one of the many tables set up to assist people in writing letters to their district state senator.
“A lot of families will be losing their jobs if this passes because a lot of businesses will be forced to close,” Lazareno said.
AmeriPride is one of many companies that has been organizing employee phone calls to state senators to voice their concerns. Local apparel manufacturers, including Karen Kane and BCBG Max Azria, contributed to gift baskets that are set to be hand-delivered to each of California’s 40 state senators by people who work in Vernon. Baskets included miniature jeans and wallets, which represent their industries and the number of jobs that would be lost if the manufacturers closed down or moved to another state.
Marisa Olguin, president and chief executive officer of the Vernon Chamber of Commerce, said other states are aware of thecity’s situation and have been courting local businesses to move their companies.
“We’ve got Texas—and not just Texas, but the Dakotas, Arizona and Nevada—aggressively courting companies in town, and I know companies that are talking to them,” Olguin said.
Perez sponsored AB 781 as a companion bill to AB 46 to help protect businesses in Vernon if the city is disincorporated, butWhitworth expressed concern that the jobs in Vernon would still be affected.
“The many guarantees that Speaker Perez has addressed in AB 781 are crafted with loopholes that would facilitate not keeping his verbal promises,” he said.
The state legislature reconvenes from summer recess on Aug. 15, after which AB 781 will head to the Senate Appropriations Committee for a vote.
