A gubernatorial candidate forum hosted by Northeastern University and El Mundo Media last week elicited lively exchanges on immigration reform, increasing access to education and creating a Latino-inclusive administration.
The forum was moderated by Marcela Garcia, a Boston Globe op-ed contributor and former editor of El Planeta newspaper; Yadires Nova-Salcedo, host and producer of WBZ-TV’s Centro; and Janet De La Torre, an Entravision reporter and Telemundo producer. In what was billed as a conversation rather than a debate, the candidates did not address one another and were often free to chime in without a specified order.
The clearest differences emerged on how to deal with the on-the-ground reality of illegal immigration — whether to rely on local or national action. This discussion came after Garcia asked whether candidates would support the type of municipal ID card New York City has approved for all residents, including undocumented.
Republican Charlie Baker, answering first, rejected the idea that cities and towns should be devising their own solutions to a national problem. He said they should instead be pressuring Congress to act on immigration reform.
“As governor, I want to build a coalition of governors, mayors and others to push this issue hard on Washington,” Baker said. “They have the key to solving this.”
Later, he added, “I completely disagree with those who say we can solve this problem state by state, city by city. The easier we make it for people in Washington not to do anything, the less likely they will solve it.”
Democrat Attorney General Martha Coakley argued that states have to take action in the face of an intractable federal government.
“[Undocumented] people here are working. They’re paying taxes. They need to get to the doctor’s office, they need to get to work,” Coakley said. “We are going to have to come up with a solution.”
She said she has already been trying to put pressure on Washington for eight years, and to say that the governor would just need to use the bully pulpit is “not helpful” as a strategy.
“I’ve spent a lot of time suing our federal government,” Coakley added. “States are laboratories of democracy. That is where we try things out. Changes often work their way up to the top.”
Independent candidates Jeff McCormick, Evan Falchuk and Scott Lively also weighed in.
“I think the spirit here has to be, people cannot live their lives in fear,” said McCormick.
Falchuk called implementation of a universal ID a “common sense” action. Washington legislators are well aware of undocumented people and their struggles, but benefit politically by dragging their feet on immigration issues, he said.
Lively was the only one to voice unabashed disapproval of undocumented newcomers.
“I’m not afraid of controversy,” he said. “The rule of law is important. We should not reward people who cheat their way into this country.” But he added that he favors a generous legal immigration policy.
The discussion on stage was interrupted briefly by a passionately angry audience member who demanded that Baker talk about his views on undocumented immigrants and driver’s licenses.
The issue of driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants was specifically left out of the forum, with moderator Garcia explaining this topic had already been covered elsewhere. Of the front-runner candidates, Baker has expressed clear opposition to such a policy, while Coakley has said she would consider it.
On another topic, moderator De La Torre asked about displacement in the face of rising housing prices. “A lot of people in our community feel there’s no one standing up for them, and they’re being evicted,” she said. “How would you change this?”
Baker said he would offer developers low-cost leases on state-owned land to increase the housing supply, and listed “labor, land, and permitting” as the key factors in housing creation.
Coakley ran quickly through a list of housing plans, including working to ensure that existing residents aren’t driven out as regional and neighborhood economic development progresses; creating more housing under existing statutes such as 40B; and improving conditions in older public housing.
On reducing cost barriers to higher education, Coakley proposed need-blind admissions for two-year colleges and a loan forgiveness program for graduates choosing careers for social good, such as teaching and police work.
Baker would explore ways to allow students to complete degrees in three years instead of four and increase the use of online education to deliver education at a lower cost and help working people fit classes into their schedules.
Falchuk proposed making two years of community college free of charge and diverting money from big corporate tax breaks to direct aid for students.
McCormick, whose solutions usually revolve around greater use of technology, supported online education expansion and increasing apprenticeship opportunities with private businesses.
On another education topic, Coakley emphasized the crucial importance of culturally competent early education, regardless of family bank account or zip code.
Baker said he strongly supports more charter schools and would set up ongoing dialogues between educators in successful schools and struggling schools.
Falchuk called for more dual-language education, McCormick for raising expectations and emulating the successes of charter schools, and Lively for increased parent choice, including home schooling and religious and charter schools.
While Lively incurred some boos for his position on immigrants, some of his straight talk seemed to strike a chord. His statement, “I believe in standing on my principles, win or lose. We need more God and more focus on the family,” earned him vigorous applause.
An audience member asked the candidates how they would increase Latino representation in their administrations. Baker promised a high degree of transparency in job posting and hiring; Coakley would hire a chief diversity officer to bring people into the agencies and to be held accountable; Falchuk spoke of rooting out the systematic racism and discrimination still lurking in the hiring process.
All five candidates said yes to continuing the “ethnic media roundtables” Gov. Patrick has convened to connect with minority communities.
At the start of the event, Gov. Deval Patrick made an appearance to receive an award from El Mundo for his commitment to the Latino community.
“I don’t think the work we’re doing is anything less than you should expect,” Patrick said in a very brief speech. “You should expect your government to see you.”
