As Election Day nears, many North County residents are asking themselves if the Escondido mayor’s race will alter the course of that city’s history by electing Olga Diaz its first Latina mayor.

Traditionally, Escondido is a staunchly Republican town, and Latinos have never had a political voice until recently. They now constitute 49 per cent of the city’s population. A new generation of young Latinos is voting, and change appears to be in the wind.

Diaz, raised in Northern California, has served two terms as a councilwoman and has provided a fresh start for Latinos involved in the city’s political process. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Santa Clara University, and has established two businesses in Escondido. Her husband is an Escondido police officer.

On Oct 3 the three candidates for mayor debated the major issues facing Escondido at a community forum for the Latino community sponsored by La Raza Lawyers of San Diego County, MANA of North County, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The bulk of the debate centered on the visions and policies of the two major candidates, Deputy Mayor Olga Diaz and Mayor Sam Abed. A third candidate, Stephan Siaw, is a business student at Cal State San Marcos.

The discussion was moderated by Carlos Gonzalez of San Diego’s Univision affiliate, who covered the main debate topics, followed by questions from the mainly Latino audience.

Abed stressed his background as a Lebanese immigrant but reiterated his conservative views about undocumented immigrants in Escondido, whom he referred to as “illegals.” When questioned about the appropriateness of that word, he responded: “If you entered this country illegally, you are an illegal. We have to follow the rule of law.”

Abed has been criticized widely in the past for the rental ban directed against undocumented immigrants in 2006. It was later overturned in court at a heavy expense to taxpayers. He has also been under fire for pushing traffic checkpoints. Many believe these stops are intended to entrap undocumented immigrants who lack driver’s licenses. Abed says he supports the checkpoints because “they target drunk drivers and other lawbreakers.”

Diaz has always believed both the checkpoints and rental ban were directed against undocumented immigrants. “Latinos have never embraced drunk driving,” she said. “Abed and other council members also supported E-verify checks for all city contractors. It’s always a little back handed slap here or there. And they’ve always got away with this as long as they could.”

Diaz responded to a question about integrating immigrants in Escondido by suggesting that translation services would be helpful at city council meetings. She also regretted that few Latinos hold staff or leadership positions in city leadership, on the police force and in the fire department.

Diaz also criticized the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers at the Escondido Police Department. She said this arrangement was never discussed at the city council, nor has there ever been a memorandum of understanding on the issue.

Both Siaw and Abed said they favored such a discussion, but Abed added that he supports ICE. “Enforcing the law is not divisive or controversial,” he said.

One of the sharpest exchanges took place in discussing Abed’s policy of requiring two council members to bring forward any item before it could be placed on the council agenda. Abed defended the measure to prevent “extreme and irrelevant items coming before the council.” But many believe Abed has used the policy to shut down topics he would rather not discuss, including many brought up by Diaz and her constituents such as bike paths and other infrastructure needs for the community.

Siaw slammed Abed, saying: “This is the kind of elitism I am talking about. It is government by the elite. It’s like he’s telling residents he knows what’s best for them.”

Another bone of contention between the candidates is district elections, rather than at large elections. District elections are now mandated by law in Escondido, after its proponents won a lawsuit under the California Voting Rights Act.

Abed called the decision divisive, but Diaz contends that at large elections tend to work to the benefit of the minority, white population, which has diluted the ability of Latinos to elect candidates of their choice.

Afterwards, an audience member questioned Abed for referring to some immigrants as “illegals,” and said it diminished their humanity. Diaz suggested that Abed revise his terminology and added that her parents worked hard to get their family established in this country. “I would never diminish that,” she said.

Moderator Gonzalez admonished everyone that no person is “Illegal.” They are, rather, persons without documentation.

Abed was also chided when he thanked everyone for being “civil” at the forum. Countered Diaz, “I’m not sure why we would not expect anyone not to be civil. The fact that this is a predominantly Latino group does not mean that it would be uncivil.”

A few days after the forum, La Prensa San Diego sampled random impressions of local residents along the Grand Avenue business district. Greg Huskey, sitting in a coffee shop, said he supported Sam Abed.

Referring to the city’s refusal to open a shelter for Central American children, Huskey said: “I feel used. They need to send these people back to their countries and not use us as a safety net.”

Huskey added that he supported the mayor’s traffic checkpoints as well. “I don’t mind if they use them to round up illegal immigrants. They need to be sent back to where they came from.”

But Richard Studinka, an Escondido city employee, supported Olga Diaz. “She’s shrewd, well versed, and very much in favor of workers’ rights. She rightfully questions the other council members about budgets and finances. I wish she had run for mayor several years ago.”

A few doors down, Barbara Harrison and Karen Kalisek were chatting at a clothing shop. “Olga Diaz is a smart, well versed candidate who has a good head on her shoulders, especially with finances,” said Harrison. “I would like to see her as mayor. And I want to see the Latinos get out and vote. They are a strong presence here, a strong financial presence. I don’t care what her ethnic background is. She (Diaz) is a good woman.”

Kalisek lamented the decline of Grand Avenue business under Sam Abed’s leadership. “He also closed a local library. He promised to re-open it, but he went and sold all the books and the city leased it to a charter school. Olga had a business here, and she has always supported us.”

Nearby, at the Panaderia Oaxaqena on Juniper Street, Jose Ortiz, the owner’s son, spoke out on the polarization and division in Escondido under Abed’s leadership. “Life is very difficult for us immigrants in Escondido,” said Ortiz. “Olga Diaz supports and respects us. Sam Abed has always been against us, especially with the rental ban and the traffic checkpoints. I support Olga Diaz.”