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Friday, September 15, 2006 City Council: Illegal worker concerns discussed
By BRIAN BARBER
World Staff Writer
Some councilors want to prevent contractors who hire illegal immigrants from getting city contracts.
Tulsa city councilors began discussions Tuesday about how to ensure that construction contractors and subcontractors working on public projects do not hire illegal immigrants.
"I think it is important that we as a council make sure tax dollars are not going to undocumented workers," said Councilor Bill Christiansen, who brought the issue to the council's weekly committee meetings. "We need to set the example."
Public Works Director Charles Hardt said all contractors who work on city projects sign contracts that say they will abide by all federal, state and local laws.
There are no municipal ordinances that specifically address the subject, but federal and state laws do, he said.
If the council wanted to direct the city to keep track of construction workers on public projects, a relevant municipal law would have to be passed and money budgeted for enforcement, Hardt said.
Carol Ainsworth, interim director of the city's Human Rights Department, told councilors that her staff has a compliance officer position that is responsible for making sure that contractors working on projects that include federal funding are paying federal employee taxes.
That position is vacant, but even when occupied it does not watch over projects that are completely funded locally, Ainsworth said. Read more...
Posted at 9/15/2006 09:29:00 AM
 
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