NORWALK, Conn. – Both Republican Norwalk Mayor Richard Moccia and his Democratic challenger, former Norwalk Police Chief Harry Rilling, chose the same approach to establish a rapport with their audience Wednesday – they spoke in Spanish.
Can’t tell you what they said, but Rilling kept it up longer.
Both of the men were engaging in their first structured debate at the South Norwalk Community Center, where the questions focused on Latino issues. Each answered five questions submitted to them in advance, plus two questions from audience members, sparring back and forth in a lively exchange.
In some spots, Moccia said he agreed with Rilling, as he was already doing what the former chief suggested. In others, they couldn’t disagree more.
“I’ve heard over and over again that Norwalk City Hall is one of the unfriendliest places to do business,” Rilling said. “I have heard it so many times I have to believe that it’s true.”
“Totally incorrect about City Hall and if he knew, we have programs,” Moccia said, referring to employee training for sensitivity to ethnic issues.
Latinos account for roughly 25 percent of Norwalk’s population and 47 percent of the students in Norwalk public schools, according to a question written by El Sol News and La Voz Hispana.
“Yet,” the question read by Lourdes Montalva said, “of the 223 municipal board and community positions in Norwalk, less than 7 percent are Latino. This under-representation may be the reason Latinos feel disenfranchised. … What will you do to address this under-representation, not only on the boards and commissions, but also in all the city departments, including the fire and police departments?”
“As police chief, I was engaged aggressively recruiting and hiring people from all ethnic backgrounds, especially in the Hispanic community,” Rilling said.
“Please understand that for the eight years I worked as mayor the chief worked for me and my police commission and it was our direction, more minority hiring,” Moccia said.
After the debate, Rilling said that he brought candidates to the police commission. All the commissioners did was vote on them, he said.
Moccia said 10 percent of Norwalk departments have Hispanic employees and listed two highly placed Latino volunteers – Redevelopment Authority Chairman Felix Serrano and Norwalk Housing Authority Chairman Cesar Ramirez – as well as Olga Arteaga, a recent appointment to the Norwalk Parking Authority.
To serve on a city board you have to be an elector, he said. This is a problem, given that of 5,200 Latino registered voters only 800 voted, he said.
“The only person that can disenfranchise yourself is yourself,” he said. “… Don’t disenfranchise yourself. Vote. Then you can change it even more so.”
Rilling said something similar. “You have a strong, strong voice,” he said. “Use it.”
But, Rilling said, “Since this question had to be asked, then its a real problem. We have to make sure that you feel welcome on these boards and commissions. We have to hold voter registration drives geared toward Hispanic voters.”
They were asked how they could help the center achieve its goal of “re-inventing itself as a pivotal resource center for the Latino community and the greater South Norwalk Community at large.”
Moccia mentioned the Community Block Development Grant money the South Norwalk Community Center was awarded through the city.
“It all comes down to time and money,” Moccia said. “The entire budget in the state of Connecticut for the Latino commission is only about $340,000. You got $100,000, the rest of the state is only $340,000, and that’s chopped up, kind of hard to get to the cities.”
Moccia, who, in replying to Rilling’s recent endorsements by asserting that the former chief has bought votes with promises, mentioned the $100,000 twice. The money is from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Rilling said the center’s goals are “amazing.”
“We need to be a partner,” he said. “You need to be certain that the city of Norwalk is going to be there for you. That the mayor is going to be sitting at the table with you. That when you need funding we’re going to explore all options, all funding opportunities that are out there, whether it be for private corporations, foundations, whether it be for CDBG money, whether it be money that the city has allocated to help you to achieve that mission.”
Moccia said he is already doing that. He held up a list of 40 agencies under the early childhood plan.
“I’ve been doing it for eight years,” he said. “I don’t need any on the job training.”
One Latino woman, who declined to be identified, said the debate was wonderful.
“I think they touched on a lot of specifics,” she said, but added that Rilling had a much more professional demeanor. Rilling is warm, and connects with the Latino people, she said. Rilling stayed behind to talk, while Moccia left as soon as possible, she said.
Another woman, who only gave her first name, Aleyea, said the debate “was good in a way,” but that they “didn’t get the answers we want.”
What did she think of the answers she did get?
“Some of them I didn’t agree with, with the current mayor,” the active volunteer said. “… I hear everything from the Spanish community that’s going on. As much as they say we have the services, we really don’t. Maybe we do, but they haven’t found a way to communicate what kind services, you know, because people are afraid or they might not know.”
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