Volume 1, Edition 9 — June 2007

friends all made extraordinary efforts to help him arrive at this point. He decided that he not only owed it to himself but also to those who had believed in him to take advantage of the opportunity. So, he moved to Massachusetts.

Four years later, he returned to Los Angeles with a degree in mechanical engineering, worked for Hughes Aircraft, participated in the CORO fellowship program and eventually got involved in politics. Senator Padilla is often asked “how did you go from engineering to politics?” He responds, “Engineers are trained to solve problems, I would like to think that is what we do in public service as well.”

In 1999, at the age of 26, he became the second-youngest person ever elected to the Los Angeles City Council. Just two years later he was elected council president. For 4 ½ years he presided over the city council of America’s second largest city.

Ultimately, he passed on the gavel to seek election to the State Senate. This past December, at the age of 33 he was sworn in as a Senator, bringing closure to the first major chapter in his life and opening an entirely new one. “At every step of my life there have been people who have either pushed me, stood at my side or showed me the way,” says Padilla. “I think the key is to welcome that encouragement that support, that guidance and then do your best.”

California Latino Legislative Caucus Newsletter — June 2007

Noisy voices on the right and on the left are busy trying to kill the most practical immigration compromise this country has seen in years. If we let them. But I’m hopeful that there are enough of us who see sufficient good in the comprehensive proposal agreed to by the President and a bipartisan group of Senators – enough of us who deal more with the reality of immigration than with the rhetoric – who will stand up to all the noise and provide the reasoned voices that can spur Congress to pass the immigration bill.

The recent release of a poll showing that a strong majority of Americans, including nearly two-thirds of Republicans, support legalization for immigrants should come as no surprise in California, where we experience daily the positive impact immigrants have on our economy and our community. But those numbers are news in that they demonstrate the existence of a broad based, broadminded “society of the center” that has the potential to frame the discussion on immigration and generate congressional support for the current bill.

Clearly, the complexities of the nation’s immigration policy cannot be fixed in any one particular piece of legislation. Neither can tax policy, energy policy or environmental policy. All are issues that take time and a series of layered steps to fully address. The immigration bill, which President Bush and Senate Majority Leader Reid are working to bring back to life on the Senate Floor, fits that process.

Three of its key elements are items that reasonable people agree we need. Few Americans disagree with the concept of thoughtfully tightening and securing US borders, efforts which can include

added border personnel, electronic surveillance systems, and effective diplomacy with Mexico and other nations. Many Americans, especially those in agriculture, also agree that the US economy is dependent on some sort of system for providing seasonal workers. And, as that latest poll shows, a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants – who pay their taxes and learn English – is a path thoughtful Americans are comfortable with.

Reasonable people also agree that though the current bill is nearly 1,000 pages in length, it does not and can not resolve all the conceivable issues attached to immigration. There are remaining questions about family unification, taxation and benefits, employer responsibility in hiring, language, and stopping human traffickers. These issues are real and important and definitely need to be addressed in further legislation.

On the left, distrust of President Bush over the war and other issues makes it difficult to proffer support to him – even when, as in this case, it may be deserved. On the right, talk radio is a powerful megaphone that can distort the message received by many politicians on that side of the aisle. The rest of us in the society of the center have to rise above all that and make our voices heard if we want to see any real change in the current immigration situation.

It is our responsibility, in the society of the center, to stand up, speak out, and support these vital and workable first steps. If we do, we have the potential to not only save the current immigration bill, but to reframe the entire immigration discussion away from the existing and exhausting partisan polarization we see now. Silence may be golden, but here it only costs us a golden opportunity.

Scientists, governments, and world consciousness all agree that the planet is warming. The environmental consequence of this reality is believed to be the most severe threat to the sustainability and progress of human existence. Our eyes have grown familiar to Mother Nature’s constant fury, devastation, and agony. The terrible blow of Hurricane Katrina upon the African-American community of New Orleans and the reality that millions of uninsured Latino children suffer from respiratory illness linked to contaminated air should tell us all one thing…impoverished people of color are most vulnerable to the harmful effects of global warming and air pollution.

While our planet warms, Latino communities are getting hotter by the minute. Many Latino families living in California are especially threatened by the contamination that is emitted from oil refineries, power plants, marine ports, rail-yards and congested freeways.

Many venture capitalists and financial institutions are devoting billions to commercialize sustainable environmental technologies that emit low to no air pollution.

It is important that a public and political

As the emerging majority of the 8th largest economy in the world and the recipients of the most egregious environmental and public health conditions in the state, it is necessary that the California Latino political community discuss its role in the development of strategies aimed to fight global warming and air pollution. Our state is currently witnessing the emergence of young Latino advocates and Latino elected leadership on environmental issues. In the city of Maywood, Latino leaders won a majority on the city council, campaigning on a platform of immigrant rights and environmental health. Speaker Nuñez, championed landmark legislation that will begin the regulation and reduction of global warming gases in the state. It is important that as Latinos, we organize ourselves around this growing political influence, while working to ensure that our leaders always reflect the true interests of their constituency.

The California Latino Caucus is proud to announce the recipient of the first annual Internship Award. Cesar Pacheco, a student at California State University Sacramento, will begin a year-long accounting internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Los Angeles.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) is the largest global network of professional services firms – offering a wide range of assurance, tax, and advisory services to many of the world's largest and most prestigious companies. As the Latino Caucus Intern, Cesar will have the opportunity to work in 3 of PWC’s thriving divisions: The Assurance Practice, External Audit and Related Services Practice, and the Tax Practice. Cesar will be receiving professional development and direct staff mentoring with some of the most experienced and successful administrators in the company.

Born and raised in Peru, Cesar came to the

USA as a teenager. He attended American River College in Sacramento, where he discovered his interest in business management and accounting. Later, he moved on to California State University, Sacramento, where he will graduate in the spring of 2008 with a B.S. in Business Administration. He has developed strong leadership and decision-making skills while working and attending school; equally important are his family, friends, spiritual fulfillment, sense of accomplishment, and respect for others. He plans to give back to the Latino community and help others from similar backgrounds as his own.

When asked for comment about his acceptance to the program, Cesar replied:

“I would like to thank the Latino Caucus and PricewaterhouseCoopers for giving me this once in a life time opportunity. I feel very honored by your generosity.”

California Latino Legislative Caucus Newsletter — June 2007

The Latino Legislative Caucus developed a comprehensive bill package to ensure issues that affect the Latino community are addressed this legislative session. Of the 3,003 bills introduced this year, 24 are active Latino Caucus priority bills. In determining the final list of caucus priority bills, Latino Caucus Members presented their bills to the Caucus and after a lengthy vetting process, only those bills that met all of the criteria established by the caucus were chosen as priority bills.

The caucus priority bill list is centered on the following eight policy areas:

* HEALTH: Universal Healthcare &
Healthy Lifestyle

* HOUSING: Homeownership & Financial Security

* EDUCATION: College Education & Competitive Workforce

* PRISON REFORM: Public Protection & Safe Neighborhoods

* CIVIL RIGHTS: Equity, Freedom & Access to the American Dream

* ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: Access to a Healthy Environment

* CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: Participation in Public Life

* ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Economic Growth and Job Security

Three Members Committees guide each of these policy areas and meet regularly to discuss the policy area, as well as strategize to ensure the caucus priority bills make it through the legislative process and to the Governor’s desk. The members of the committees were chosen by their work experience and their interest in the policy area.

The first success of the Latino Legislative Caucus this legislative session was SB 113 by Senator Calderon. SB 113 moved the Primary Election up from June to February 2008. The bill was chaptered on March 15, 2007 and has placed California in a pivotal position to decide the next President of the United States.

For a full listing of Latino Caucus Priority Bills, please click on the “Priorities” tab on the Latino Caucus website at http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/latinocaucus