Columbia Basin Job Corps program in danger

MOSES LAKE - Congress passed a bill that could result in the closure of the Job Corps campus in Moses Lake.

House Appropriations Chairman Harold Rogers presented a bill (HR 1) on Feb. 19 to cut $100 billion from President Obama's 2011 budget request.

Part of the cuts is the removal of $300 million from the Job Corps federal budget. Additional cuts, to operations and appropriations for construction, rehabilitation and acquisition, would cost Job Corps an additional $691 million.

It could leave Job Corps centers operating on one-third of their normal budget. This could mean the closure of more than 80 out of 124 centers across the country.

The Columbia Basin Job Corps center in Moses Lake could be closed, along with the Cascades, Curlew and Fort Simcoe Job Corps campuses. Job Corps is the nation's most effective federal dropout recovery and career preparatory program for disadvantaged youth. The average Job Corps center directly and indirectly supports 228 jobs in its local community and brings more than $4 million to the local economy according to the National Job Corps Association.

The program is recovering the $469,200 each high school dropout costs our economy and government over the course of their lifetimes, according to the association.

The Columbia Basin Job Corps serves almost 500 students each year and offers training in 11 trades, including cement masonry, construction, culinary arts, health occupations and welding.

"Job Corps made me who I am today," says Ann Golden, museum curator at Moses Lake Museum and Art Center. "I grew up in a small rural community with very few opportunities for work or higher education. Job Corps not only gave me a trade and the beginnings of a college education, but the leadership skills and confidence in myself. Job Corps challenged me to create new goals and gave me the tools to start a life."

Nationwide, more than 23,000 jobs could be effected.

"If these cuts were approved, any expansions would be pulled back," says Director of Government Relations at National Job Corps Association, Anand Vimalassery. "There are new centers that are supposed to be constructed in Wyoming and New Hampshire; those would be affected. Even the ones that remained open would be pretty negatively impacted by these cuts."

"HR 1 passed in the House, but the Senate and the president said they would not agree to the cuts in HR 1. They have two more weeks now to resolve how they are going to solve the funding situation ... We hope there is going to be some compromise," says Vimalassery.

"The Columbia Basin Job Corps students are a fantastic asset to our community," says Marianne Bondi, executive director of the Moses Lake Business Association. "They provide skilled workers for the businesses in our community. The program teaches underprivileged individuals skills they can use to be productive adults. The social educational and technical learning they receive is very important ... I would urge everyone to call their federal representatives and senators and ask them to protect Job Corps from funding cuts."

"I am extremely disappointed that the House Republicans' proposal would decimate workforce programs in communities across Washington state," stated US Senator Patty Murray. "I believe that now is the time when we need to be investing in our workers and helping local businesses find skilled employees, not slashing resources for the job training centers that do so much for our local communities. I am going to fight these short-sighted cuts so that the North Central Washington Workforce Development Council and the Columbia Basin Job Corps can continue their great work investing in local workers."

The Job Corps facilities in Washington serve more than 1,400 youth each year.