Editorial: Freedom for all — including laborers

Monday, Aug. 1, 2005 | 9:04 a.m.

We're not aware of any real problems caused by laborers who congregate on sidewalks and outside of businesses such as nurseries. They are waiting for someone to offer them a job for the day. Yet local government officials are receiving complaints. In response, the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition has asked representatives of the governments to study the situation. One alternative that has been suggested is to construct buildings around the valley for the laborers' use.

In our view, the laborers should be free to congregate in any industrial or commercial area of their choosing, as long as they don't trespass, block traffic or break any other laws. A dozen or two people dressed in business suits, after all, wouldn't cause a stir.

We would not object, however, if clean, air-conditioned buildings with restroom facilities were constructed in convenient areas for the laborers seeking work. We would be opposed, however, to the idea of restricting the laborers to the buildings. That would require an ordinance that would be incompatible with what we cherish -- freedom.