Forum tackles Latino issues in Nov. 8 election
Six candidates running for various positions in the upcoming election convened to discuss issues relating to the Latino community Wednesday afternoon.
The Latino Business Alliance, a nonprofit organization aiming to empower Latino business owners, hosted the event at the Chemeketa Center for Business & Industry.
Candidate for Governor Bud Pierce, candidate for House District 20 Paul Evans, candidate for House District 20 Laura Morett, candidate for House District 22 Patti Milne, candidate for House District 19 Jodie Hack and a representative for Teresa Alonso, candidate for House District 22, attended the open forum.
More than 50 members of the community attended, some clutching their babies, others taking notes and a dozen lining the conference room walls to listen to candidates share their thoughts.
Jose Gonzalez, Latino Business Alliance board president, proctored the conversation and asked questions focusing on issues affecting the Latino community. His topics included the candidates' thoughts on Measure 97, a proposed corporate tax that could affect Latino business owners, their various Latino outreach efforts in their respective campaigns and thoughts on former governor Ted Kulongoski's 2007 executive order that changed requirements for drivers licenses.
The latter is an order Gonzalez said is a persisting problem for the Latino community, including Latino-owned businesses and farms. He asked candidates if they were willing to tackle and solve the problem.
"This is a huge failure of our federal government," Pierce said. "The obvious answer is comprehensive immigration reform which would take away the driver license card problem and many of the problems that immigrant communities face."
Alexandra Aguiar of Salem said the drivers license issue relates directly to her real estate business, where many of her clients are fearful to drive to her office due to lack of licenses.
"I work with the Latino community and a lot of my clients don't have drivers licenses so I always have to meet with them in their homes," Aguiar said. "They don't want to drive and get a ticket, or lose their car."
Under the order, applicants must provide a valid Social Security card if they have one, passport, birth certificate, resident card, tribal identification card or a driver license from another state.
Adriana Miranda of Salem had her month-old baby girl Abigail resting on her chest while she listened to the candidates establish their platforms on issues affecting her family.
"It is a federal issue but at the state, local level, our legislature can do a lot more for our people because it is a state issue," Miranda said.
Miranda said the order affects her family and community friends on various levels, like preventing them from driving to work or driving their children to school
"If a student misses the bus and they don't have any other form of transportation, it's affecting their children as students and at every level," Miranda said. "They don't have the means to say, 'Okay, let's get in the car and take you to school,' because they fear getting pulled over by a cop and getting deported or putting their rights in jeopardy."
As a mother of three, Miranda said many of the issues tackled at the forum directly affect her and her family, specifically Measure 97.
"It affects our families and education in so many different levels," Miranda said. "The outcome of the measure will have an effect on schools."
Measure 97 would tax corporations at 2.5 percent on all sales above $25 million and would fund schools, in addition to heath care and senior services.
Candidates were asked to share their respective outreach efforts to the Latino community and what they learned by immersing themselves in diverse communities.
Gonzalez asked candidates to specify if there were programs, tax incentives or policies they would pursue to help Latino business owners.
Morett told a story of meeting a woman named Maria, a self-employed cleaner, who said many Latinos don't vote because they are afraid they're going to "make the wrong decision."
"There are 8,000 Latinos in my district. Only 1,800 of those Latinos voted," Morett said. "Why are 6,200 of you feeling that your vote isn't important to me? Or that your vote doesn't matter?"
Morett said she joined forces with the Latino Business Alliance, the organization hosting the forum, to help her produce and distribute fliers published in Spanish.
Sandra Hernandez, a coordinator with Mano a Mano Family Center, a community organization aiming to provide resources to the Latino community, said it's important for candidates to speak about various issues, but wanted to hear from more candidates running for election or re-election.
"I came here today because I wanted to hear from all the people running for representatives of our city and of our communities," Hernandez said.
For more information on the Latino Business Alliance, visit http://latinobizalliance.com/