The Legislature's Latino Caucus

Originally published in the Los Angeles Times September 18, 2004 

Copyright 2004 The Times Mirror Company
I was left amused after reading Anthony York's Sept. 12 Opinion article, "Latinos in Legislature Run a Risk." His main point accuses the Latino leaders as "more concerned about pushing their own ethnic interests than those of California as a whole." The reason we have a Latino caucus, a black caucus and, hopefully, in the near future, when they have larger numbers in the Legislature, an Asian caucus, is to assure that ethnic issues are addressed in the interest of those ethnic communities. The irony of these caucuses is that they are in response to the "white caucus," better known as the state Legislature before blacks and Hispanics became politically active and energized their communities to elect those who were both sympathetic and responsive to their issues.

These caucus members are in fact representatives who were elected to represent their constituents and deal with the issues in their districts. They have a duty to those who elected them. Anything less would be reason to replace them. Sen. Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles) won't back off because he has a duty, regardless of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's imminent veto and apparent opposition in other districts. He does not represent districts in Orange or Marin counties.

York cited the fact that no Latino Democrat voted against Cedillo's bill -- which would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain California driver's licenses -- as an example of an ethnic agenda and not a California agenda. It is obvious to me that York does not fully understand what is at stake if we continue to ignore the fact that most illegal immigrants are driving throughout the state without the proper safety training and auto insurance that would protect every Californian. As I see it, this is nothing more than a statewide security (anti-terrorists) and safety issue.

The fact that no Latino Democrat voted against the bill suggests to me that they understand what it means to the Latino community specifically, and to the entire state generally.

Victor M. Franco

Monrovia