GILROY
– Despite questions and debate about the financial timing of the
move, Santa Clara County supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday to establish
March 31 as a paid county holiday to commemorate the life and work
of labor organizer Cesar Chavez.
GILROY – Despite questions and debate about the financial timing of the move, Santa Clara County supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday to establish March 31 as a paid county holiday to commemorate the life and work of labor organizer Cesar Chavez.
The county joins the state government, five other counties and seven cities – including San Jose and Morgan Hill – in observing the birthday of the man who founded the United Farm Workers and fought to establish collective bargaining rights, medical benefits and other rights for farm workers.
District 2 County Supervisor Blanca Alvarado, the sponsor of the move, said the time was long overdue for the county to acknowledge Chavez, who she called “one of the most influential leaders of our time.” Chavez once lived in the East San Jose neighborhood known as Sal Si Puedes – or “Get Out If You Can.”
“The holiday will preserve his legacy and honor the work of one of the most important residents in our history,” she said.
County staff estimated observing the birthday would cost $650,000 in holiday pay and overtime for Sheriff’s deputies and other employees who will still have to work and provide services during the day off. Payroll costs for a single day’s work for the county’s 16,000 employees total approximately $4.5 million.
Supervisor Pete McHugh said adding the holiday would increase employee morale and offset decreases in productivity, noting the board had “an obligation to honor a prophet from our community.”
But supervisors Don Gage and Jim Beall dissented on the measure, citing concerns about the cost to the county during difficult budget times.
Gage said Chavez certainly deserves the credit, calling him “a real champion for the people in California,” but thinks the county should wait until its financial outlook improves to consider a paid holiday.
County officials say they already face a budget deficit of over $100 million that could grow to almost $200 million depending on impacts from the state’s own shortfall – a gap that will mean layoffs and cuts in services.
“It has nothing to do with the individual and whether he’s deserving or not, it’s the wrong time to do it,” he said of his vote. “We’re trying to tell people about our woes in county government and that they have to believe us when we have to cut services to them, and then we give a county holiday at the cost of a million dollars …” he said. “I just have a difficult time trying to rationalize that at this time.”
Gage also said the county should have bargained with its unions over the new holiday.
Other options discussed included converting an existing holiday, Columbus Day, into a floating holiday or removing an existing holiday and replacing it with the Chavez honor.
