The Latino Caucus Gives a New Voice to Latinos in California

By Tony Castro, Voxxi

A group of California Hispanic county supervisors has created a new statewide group aimed at improving Latino elected representation at local levels.

The leaders of the newly formed Latino Caucus of California Counties say they see an urgency brought on by the high Hispanic population and voting statistics and the paltry number of locally elected Latinos in the Golden State.

Latinos make up about 40% of California’s population

California’s 14.4 million Latinos make up almost 40 percent of the state’s residents, but Hispanics hold only a small percentage of county supervisor seats.

In Los Angeles, while nearly half of the county’s population is Latino, there is only one Hispanic on the five-member board of county supervisors.

“Government must be inclusive and reflective of the people it serves,” says Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna, president of the group that has been recognized as an affiliate by the California State Association of Counties (CSAC).

“(The) California State Association of Counties’ legislative priorities have a direct impact on all Californians including Latinos.

“As president of the Latino Caucus of California Counties, one of my primary goals is to enhance communication and collaboration between CSAC, the State Legislature and Latino communities in all of our state’s 58 counties.”

Officials of the California State Association of Counties have pledged to help the new group in its goal of developing strong Latino leaders and encouraging full participation of Latino county officials in the policy making process.

The Latino Caucus gives Hispanics a stronger voice in the California government

“The Latino Caucus gives us a stronger voice in representing the growing Hispanic population in our state and sends a clear message that we expect the Legislature and Administration to serve all Californians,” said CSAC Executive Director Matt Cate.

Serna, the son of a former mayor of Sacramento, is serving his first term on the county Board of Supervisors, his first elected position.

“I see the Latino caucus,” he said, “as a way to enhance communication and collaboration between CSAC, the state Legislature and Latino communities throughout California.”

This article was first published in Voxxi.

Los Angeles based writer Tony Castro is the author of the critically-acclaimed “Chicano Power: The Emergence of Mexican America” and the best-selling “Mickey Mantle: America’s Prodigal Son.”