Funds Needed for Teen Jobs

Re “Funding for Teen Jobs in Jeopardy,” March 30: Your article states that 15,000 summer youth jobs will be lost without federal funds. This figure is only for the city of Los Angeles. Countywide estimates are closer to 40,000 jobs and this does not include the economic impact or loss of services to hundreds of thousands of children in some of the poorest communities in Los Angeles County.

While the city of Los Angeles pays $5 per hour, most service delivery areas such as the county create more jobs by paying minimum wage, or $4.25 per hour. A young person qualifying for the summer program can expect to earn about $1,000. This is not much money, but it helps defray pressing financial needs of the family. It also represents a good investment because it teaches young people job skills and the importance of education.

If the federal government will not provide opportunities, we will have to ask for private sector assistance.

We are preparing an emergency funding proposal to create a limited number of job opportunities to staff community-based organizations that provide day camp, recreation and educational services to children in the poorest communities in Los Angeles. This will require private support from the business community and local foundations. Of course this will not come close to filling the gap left by the absence of federal funds.

ROBERT L. GUTIERREZ

Dir., Youth Employment Programs

Archdiocese of Los Angeles

* I can’t begin to fathom the priorities that would permit us to spend $400 million-plus on a space satellite experiment (March 10), while thousands of low-income teens lose their summer jobs program. I don’t think we should try to balance the budget on the backs of teenagers who need the money and the experience.

JOY TRACHTENBERG

Arleta