It was a privilege to host the 2012 International Hispanic Network (IHN) Conference in San Antonio, Texas in May. With nearly 250 conference participants, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The conference featured presentations by San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, City Manager Sheryl Sculley, Former Mayor Henry Cisneros, and the Honorable Texas Secretary of State, Hope Andrade. Informative panel sessions provided an environment for exchange and learning and were complimented by the mobile workshops that featured key initiatives in various areas of the San Antonio community. As a wrap up to the conference, the IHN Gala featured an evening of pride and excitement and welcomed back a native of San Antonio, Fred Diaz, President/CEO Chrysler/Ram Trucks Brand, who served as the keynote speaker. 

By: Jesus Nava, IHN President,   

Finance Director/Treasurer, City of Burlingame, CA   

 

May and June passed in the blink of an eye but not without significant changes occurring in the world around us. Foremost was the U.S. Supreme Court decision nullifying large portions of Arizona SB1070. Though I am grateful for the court's strong message to anti-immigrant states, I am still troubled by the fact that the most controversial portion of the law, which gives local police the ability to stop and question individuals who they suspect are in the country illegally, was allowed to remain intact.

 

As I think about it, many questions come to mind. How can someone, including trained police officers, ascertain whether a person is a legal resident? What are the observable characteristics that would lead a police officer to suspect someone? Would an officer be more likely to view a fair skinned, blue-eyed, blonde person as illegal versus a swarthy brunet?   Would an officer be more likely to suspect a person in an expensive business suit versus one in construction work clothes? Would someone driving a new Mercedes Benz be more suspect than someone driving an old Ford truck?

 

If it is true that there are 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. of which the greatest majority are Latino, then wouldn't it be easy to surmise that it is Latinos who should be suspect? Why would the police stop and question anyone else?

 

The court did leave room to rehear this portion of the law if there is ample evidence that it results in racial profiling. I personally believe that racial profiling was the only intent of the Arizona law all along. It's only purpose being to make life so difficult and uncomfortable for Latinos that they would simply cower or move out.

 

What is most disheartening to me is our failure to learn from our past mistakes. Our nation's history is riddled with dark episodes of anti-immigrant sentiment, violence and racial injustice. Everyone has had their turn as the brunt of discrimination: Native Americans, Germans, Irish, Italians, Poles, Jews, Catholics, Muslims, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans. But we keep forgetting.

 

A case in point. The July 2 issue of the New Yorker's "Talk of the Town" section tells the story of a sixty-three year old Cuban citizen named Pedro Victor Garcia, who boarded a flight to Miami without a valid visa in 1962. He was immediately detained by U.S. immigration officials for entering the country illegally but was later released and allowed to stay for reasons unknown. Sr. Garcia would go on to become a U.S. citizen and the grandfather of Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida.

 

The irony of the story is that rather than acknowledge that his forbearer was given amnesty and the opportunity to become a citizen, the good Latino Senator instead has been a staunch critic of illegal immigration. If amnesty was good enough for the elder Garcia then why is it not good enough for others who also seek a better life?

 

Such hypocrisy is common in our country. We tend to view our personal situations as different from others believing that the circumstances surrounding the migration of our ancestors to be more compelling than those faced by more recent arrivals. We easily forget about the hardships and discrimination faced by our great-grandparents and grandparents when they first arrived in America. We ignore current injustices and tend to look the other way.

 

Instead we should remember and pay tribute by extending a welcoming hand to the new immigrant. We should acknowledge the opportunities bestowed to our antecedents and offer them in kind to others. In short, we should "pay it forward."

 

 

The following moves can help you save money for future financial goals, such as retirement, without having to make big sacrifices.

 

Get more tax breaks. Find out if you qualify for frequently overlooked tax breaks, such as the retirement saver's credit, the child-care credit, the American Opportunity credit for college expenses, or deductions for job-search expenses and moving costs. If you missed a tax break within the past three years, you can file an amended return (Form 1040X). See  www.irs.gov for details.

 

Save on insurance. Life insurance rates have dropped over the past decade such that you may be able to find a lower-cost policy or lock in your current rate for 10 or 20 more years. Also, shop around for a better auto insurance deal whenever you have a life change (if you get married, relocate, or your child starts driving), and make sure you're getting credit for all of the discounts you deserve.

 

Slash your interest rates. Mortgage rates are low right now, and you may be able to cut your payments by a few hundred dollars a month even if you just bought your house (or refinanced) a few years ago. Also cut credit-card interest by taking advantage of low-rate  

balance-transfer offers - but be careful about balance-transfer fees of up to 3 percent of the transferred amount. Be ready to pay off the balance before the teaser period expires and the rate soars.

 

Stretch your savings. Use some of the money you've saved to help pay down high-interest debt, build up your emergency fund, and save for retirement.

 

This article is intended for educational purposes only and is not to be construed or relied upon as investment advice. Except as expressly permitted by ICMA-RC, reproduction or redistribution of this content in its entirety or any portion thereof, is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission of ICMA-RC. For more information, contact ICMA-RC at 777 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4240. 800-669-7400. Copyright © 2009 ICMA-RC. All rights reserved.

 

 

The following articles are provided from workshop presentations at the May 2012 IHN Annual Conference in San Antonio, TX.

  How Local Government Administrators Can Promote Public Administration as a Career and How Universities are Catering
to Student Needs 

Jack W. Meek, Ph.D, Director, MPA Program, University of La Verne;

Chair, Standards Committee, National Association for Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA)

  

Local government administrators can continue to promote public administration as a career by seeking formal connections with local colleges and university programs, by joining academic program advisory boards, supporting internships, offering guest lectures or

teaching courses, hosting university research teams and participating in accreditation and program reviews. It is particularly important to have a diverse group of site visitors and with the growing number of Hispanics making up the student bodies of many universities and the communities in which they work. Finally, even if resources are tight for tuition reimbursement programs, local governments can still encourage employees with advancement potential and aspirations to pursue MPA degrees.

 

Universities are catering to student needs and keeping up with the trends for government efficiency by establishing competencies to meet the demands for greater accountability and to demonstrate the relevance of the degree as a valuable educational path for individuals interested in beginning or advancing in careers in local government administration. NASPAA partners with ICMA to develop competencies specific to programs claiming local government, city/county management or similar specializations.

 

In addition, many programs are designed for mid-career professionals with classes in the evenings and by offering various modes of curriculum delivery (traditional, distributional, hybrid and on-line). Through national accreditation standards, MPA programs are keeping up with current issues and trends through the use of advisory boards, developing program missions with diverse stakeholder input, requiring faculty to be current and requiring program graduates acquire competencies that reflect contemporary needs.

The Changing Demography of Latinos and Its Impact on the United States  

  

 

While the Latino rapid growth is due to various factors, its youthfulness is the primary reason. The median age of the Latino population was 27.3 in 2010 compared to 42.0 among whites. Reflecting this age difference, the birth-to-death ratio over the 2000 to 2009 period was 8.9 to 1.0 among Latinos but only 1.1 to 1.0 among whites. This major difference is an omen of the U.S. population in the near future. Indeed, population projections suggest that two-thirds of the U.S. growth between 2010 and 2050 will be due to the Latino population compared to only 2% among whites. Accordingly, the Latino population is expected to increase its share of the U.S. population from 16% in 2010 to 30% in 2050, while the portion of whites is expected to fall from 65% in 2010 to 46% in 2050.

 

Latinos will have an increasingly important impact on all societal institutions - economic, education, family, health, housing, military, political, and religion. Given the continued low levels of education among Latinos today, it is imperative that the education of Latinos becomes an immediate priority for states and the country. Furthermore, despite the major significance of Latinos in the nation's future, it is appalling that Latinos continue to be excluded from debates, discussions, and planning regarding the most pressing issues affecting the country's future. It is imperative that Latinos be included as an essential part of such dialogue.

Eight Point Plan to Address Fiscal Challenges

 By: Maria A. Hurtado, Assistant City Manager, City of Tracy, CA  

 

Cities across the country continue to look for ways to address the increasing cost of doing business. The slow economic recovery is the subject of much debate and an increasing challenge municipalities face, particularly when State actions result in increased unfunded mandates and elimination of revenues to local jurisdictions. Public management strategies to deal with the financial challenges facing communities are diverse and require multi-faceted approaches. Below is an eight point plan to tackle fiscal challenges with minimal impact to service delivery and residents.

 

Addressing fiscal stress in local municipalities requires a partnership with labor groups, together with expenditure reduction and revenue generating efforts. For example, new labor contracts requiring employees to pay an increased portion of retirement costs are necessary to address the escalating cost of pensions. Contracting Out and Service Redesigns such as janitorial and tree trimming services save money while maintaining service delivery. Organizational Changes, including offering early retirement incentives or evaluating the need to fill vacancies provides opportunities to rethink service delivery. Reducing the number of City Departments can affect greater efficiencies. Departments can be challenged to Re-Prioritize Expenditures within their operational budgets to reflect an increase in expenses. Eliminating non-essential or duplicate services is critical in re-prioritizing core services. The use of Technology, like geographic informational systems (GIS), website redesign, or offering residents the ability to pay their utilities at convenience stores can create efficiencies within the organization. Finally, focusing economic development on sales producing businesses and job creation can increase sales tax revenue long term.

 

For additional information on this 8 point plan, contact the City of Tracy, California.

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