Email this page  Print this page  del.icio.us  digg

Bond to get better

Latino nonprofits get little funding

Latino leaders are urging Hispanic voters to vote "yes" in the Phoenix bond election March 14, although some Latino bond committee members say they are disappointed that just over $4.8 million of the issue's $878.5 million total will go directly to Latino groups.

The final bond budget recommendations finally allocated $4.8 million to Valle del Sol, Inc., after some 11th hour lobbying.

Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. was recommended for $40,000 for cultural and social work building costs. 

They are the two largest Latino-run agencies in the state.

Other cultural groups such as the Black Theatre Troupe were recommended for $2.3 million, the George Washington Carver Museum/Cultural Center for $3.2 million, and almost $1.9 million recommended for the Native American Connections business and cultural center.

The issue is that Latino nonprofits got so little direct money from the bond, despite the fact they are servicing the fastest growing segment of the city's population. Nonprofits overall received about $90 million.

 "I'm not saying we need to fund from the bond on a formula, but the funding in proportion to our numbers is out of balance," says one Hispanic volunteer subcommittee member who wished to remain anonymous. Proportionately, Latinos represent 34 percent of Phoenix's population, African Americans 5 percent, and Native Americans 2 percent.

Critics add that although Latinos participated in bond committees in record numbers -- city officials say about 100 of the 700 bond committee members were Latino -- lack of knowledge about bond recommendation process, some confusing committee budgeting procedures and more effective lobbying by other groups resulted in lost opportunities for Hispanic agencies.

"There is a very large disparity between what the Hispanic groups got in comparison to other elements of this community," says Harry Garewal, president/CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Garewal was a member of the bond's executive committee.

"We Latino agencies just have to get better at understanding what the process is," says Edmundo Hidalgo, CPLC chief operating officer.  "Regardless of Valle and CPLC, I think overall as a community we need to do a better job of understanding the process and really pushing our agendas."

Alfredo Gutierrez, former state legislator, defended the bond process. He says that while Latino concerns are "not illegitimate," the bond funds still will directly benefit Latinos in Phoenix.

"The bond process is imperfect, but Latino children will benefit from the investments to improve school infrastructure," he says.

Garewal says lessons from this bond cycle should be taught to future bond committee members, perhaps at seminars put on by Latino nonprofits or by the city. Phoenix officials say bond elections occur every five to eight years as the city government needs to finance upgrades in city services.

"At the very least, it was a learning process for us," Garewal says. "Once you get in and see how it works, in another five years we will have another opportunity."