A Robin Hood Legislator - by Roland Palencia

Assemblymember Gil Cedillo represents the 46th. California Assembly District extending from Mid-Wilshire to East Los Angeles, with most of the greater Downtown L.A. area sandwiched in between. The district is very diverse representing the socio-economic and ethnic spectrum: from Downtown power brokers to the homeless, from recent New York bohemian émigrés to Mexican-American families who were here before the signing of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in the 1840’s. His district also houses the largest and most active Central American community in the U.S.

Cedillo has found a balance with his underlying message that progressive politics is good for business. This circular logic of “what is good for the people is good for business” is what allows this legislator to have his cake and eat it too—a working class tilt without antagonizing the business class. He understands that unless there is net creation of wealth, there will not be much to share. And sharing he does. His recent Cedillo-Alarcon bill pumped $50 million into infrastructure funds for community clinics serving the uninsured, low-income. The vast majority of the beneficiaries are Latino patients. He also provided seed monies for the statewide expansion of Padres Contra El Cancer and general funds for SALEF (Salvadoran Leadership and Educational Fund). Previous to legislators like Gil, it was Latino taxation without representation, let alone the sharing of wealth by investing in our communities.

Cedillo’s record on empowering marginalized populations is legendary. His causes have ranged from becoming a formidable counterweight to Pete Wilson’s inhumane crusade against undocumented families to his unwavering support for lesbian and gay rights, the uninsured, low-income families, victims of violence and so on.

If there is a “Robin Hood” award, Cedillo is a deserving recipient. Although the populations whom he represents are seemingly disconnected streams of political power, he has mainstreamed these once marginalized agendas. He contends that the “Latino agenda is an American agenda”. We could not agree more.

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Roland Palencia is a native of Guatemala. He is the Executive Director of Clinica Monseñor Oscar A. Romero and co-founder of LG PLAN (Lesbian and Gay Professional Latino Access Network). He was recently selected as “Local Hero of the Year” by KCET and Union Bank of California. He may be contacted at ropalencia@yahoo.com12
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