Ferraro Woos Latino Vote by Vowing to Appoint More

Councilman John Ferraro promised Thursday to appoint more Latinos if he is elected mayor, saying they “couldn’t do any worse by choosing me” than they have under Mayor Tom Bradley.

The meeting with Highland Park supporters marked the beginning of Ferraro’s official Eastside effort to win a large segment of the Latino vote in the April 9 election. Ferraro is counting on the Eastside vote, along with support from the harbor area and more conservative sections of the San Fernando Valley and West Los Angeles, to upset Bradley.

Ferraro campaign strategists, citing 47% Latino support for President Reagan last November, say they might tap conservative sentiment in the Latino community.

The group of about 35 who heard Ferraro’s speech were voters who generally identified themselves as supporters of Reagan, Gov. George Deukmejian and 14th District Councilman Arthur K. Snyder.

‘Lot of Similarities’

Although Snyder has said he does not intend to endorse either Bradley or Ferraro, Snyder is friendly with Ferraro. More important, those close to Snyder said he believes that Bradley tacitly, if not openly, endorsed and aided last year’s recall attempt against him. Snyder, a conservative, beat the recall decisively. But the victory required months of work, and Snyder still owes money for campaign expenses.

“A lot of us Snyder people are here, and we’re going to be working for John,” said Al Molina, a businessman and Highland Park resident. “Art and John have a lot of similarities, and we like that.”

Ferraro told the group that his administration would have “more commissioners, more of a voice” for Latinos. The Bradley Administration has appointed 30 Latinos now sitting on boards and commissions, said Deputy Mayor Grace Montanez Davis. The mayor has 175 such appointments.

Ferraro was supported at the meeting by Salvador Montenegro, a former police commissioner. He was appointed by Bradley in 1973 and said he quit in 1980 because his concern for the “cop on the street” caused him to be “totally ignored” by other commission members.

Montenegro, who lives in San Gabriel, said he became “disgusted with insensitivity of the mayor toward the Police Department.”

‘Should Get Their Share’

Los Angeles Police Officer Martin Gonzales, who said he attended the meeting “on lunch,” said he believes that “the street cops support Ferraro.” Gonzales said that in appointing commissioners, “Bradley has paid more attention to blacks than Hispanics,” and Gonzales said Ferraro has told him that “he agrees with me.”

“I didn’t say that,” Ferraro said. “I did say the Hispanic community should get their share of the pie.”

Also attending the lunch was Frank Casado, owner of Lucy’s El Adobe Restaurant and Democratic Party activist. Casado said he is supporting Ferraro for mayor “so I can run for his seat. I really do want to run for council. . . . I need a cushy job.”

Ferraro has named Rex Gutierrez, a former aide to Assembly Majority Leader Mike Roos (D-Los Angeles), as his Eastside coordinator.