Immigration issue heats up Hispanic chamber forum

The issue of immigration made things a little hot Wednesday for the two non-Hispanic candidates at a forum sponsored by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Yakima.

State Rep. Charles Ross, R-Naches, was drawn into an exchange about whether undocumented immigrants and their children should receive public benefits, particularly whether high school graduates from such families should be eligible for college financial aid from the state.

Although Ross said he supports reform of immigration laws to make it easier for immigrants to obtain citizenship, he said his first duty as a state legislator is to “make sure that people who are in this country legally are taken care of.”

Fellow Republican Norm Johnson, a Yakima City Councilman running against Democrat Vickie Ybarra in the other House District 14 race, also drew some criticism during the forum at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in Yakima.

Ricardo Garcia, who recently retired as executive director of Radio KDNA, a Spanish-language radio station in Granger, said he’s known Johnson a long time and respects his many years as a public official in Yakima Valley communities. However, Garcia told the candidate he was “disappointed” in what he heard from Johnson during a recent radio interview on KIT.

“You seemed to agree with the anti-immigrant attitude in the Yakima Valley,” Garcia said.

As part of his response, Johnson said, “I do think we need to overhaul the laws of immigration.”

“It would have been nice if you said that on KIT,” Garcia replied.

The toughest question that Ybarra faced while addressing the lunch crowd of about 50 people came from Ross. He challenged Ybarra’s statement that the Yakima Valley needs to be represented in the House Democratic caucus so that “our values and our interests are considered.”

Ross asked her why the Democratic-controlled legislature eliminated about $10 million in funding for programs from the anti-gang legislation that Ross helped get approved earlier this year.

Ybarra, the Yakima school board president, acknowledged Ross’ efforts in getting the anti-gang bill passed, but said the removal of the funding proved her point about having representation in the Democratic caucus.

“There was no one in that caucus to say, ‘No, we need that money in the Yakima Valley,’ ” Ybarra said. “There was not someone at that table to advocate for us.”

Ross and Johnson expressed support for implementing a two-level minimum wage in the state, with a lower starting wage for teenagers. Both candidates said such a change would benefit many small businesses.

Mayor Jesse Farias of Wapato, running as a Democrat for the open seat on the Yakima County Commission, said he’s not satisfied with how the county has been managing its finances.

“The stewardship of our money is not being properly handled,” Farias said, “and the small towns need a voice in county government.”

 His Republican opponent, Kevin Bouchey, did not attend the forum.

The audience also heard from Christopher Ramirez, the political novice and 2004 Davis High School graduate who’s running as a Democrat against Ross.

Ramirez, who attended Pacific Lutheran University and said he plans  to go law school, told the audience he would bring a fresh perspective to the legislature.