'Why would we have Centro if they were American citizens?'

By Molly Blancett KVAL News

April 20, 2011

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. - A Springfield city councilor and member of the county Human Services Commission said he doesn't want to continue giving county money to Centro Latino Americano because the non-profit doesn't ask clients if they are legally in this country.

But Centro officials said they don't have to - and that other non-profit organizations that get money from the county and serve low-income and Spanish-speaking clients don't ask about immigration status, either, because the county doesn't require that information.

Last week, Lane County announced it couldn't afford to continued funding Centro.

Since 1999, Centro LatinoAmericano has relied on the county for nearly a quarter of their $400,000 budget. Centro Latino Americano provides Spanish speakers with several services including legal, health and housing assistance.

The organization is appealing that decision. On Monday, Centro representatives told the Human Services Commission about the negative impacts of closing them down.

When they did, a board member lashed out.

Springfield City Councilor Dave Ralston is one of seven members of the commission that makes recommendations to county commissioners about which programs should get county dollars.

Ralston said Centro doesn't deserve the money.

"Why would we have Centro if they were American citizens?" he told KVAL News. "They are not. They are here illegally."

KVAL News asked Ralston if he thought it was fair to assume that every person who goes to Centro Latino Americano for services is in the country illegally.

"Absolutely," he said. "If they were Americans, why would they go there? They would speak English, right?" >>> WATCH: More of the KVAL News interview with Dave Ralston

Shonna Sedgwick Butler serves as Centro's board treasurer.

"It's so surprising that somebody of his stature could be so misinformed," she said.

Sedgwick Butler said they don't ask for proof of citizenship because the county doesn't require it.

"If the county were to revisit their requirements for what is reported into their database, then certainly we would be asking," she said.

Other organizations that receive county funding, like Food for Lane County, LookingGlass and Women's Space, don't ask clients about their immigration status.

Human Services Commission manager Steve Manela was in Salem on Tuesday but spoke to KVAL News by phone about Ralston's comments.

"When he was speaking, he was representing his own opinion, not the commission's," he said.

Commission chair Clair Syrett sent an e-mail to Centro shortly after Monday's meeting saying Ralston had no role in choosing which agencies received funding, nor did any of the other individual commissioners.

The commission plans to hold several work sessions with the group to help them find funding. The next one is scheduled for Tuesday, May 3.

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