Countywide : Cisneros to Speak on Republican Budget Cuts

Henry G. Cisneros, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will discuss the effects of Republican-sponsored budget cuts at a conference Saturday night sponsored by a Hispanic newspaper federation, organizers said Tuesday.

Cisneros will be the first high-ranking government official to speak at the National Federation of Hispanic Owned Newspapers’ annual media conference, which begins today in Anaheim and continues through Saturday, said Roy Cosme, spokesman for the conference.

Federation President Manuel A. Toro said, “Mr. Cisneros’ presence conveys a message that the Administration recognizes the importance of the Hispanic press and the communities it serves.”

Federation officials said Cisneros will bring a message from President Clinton in light of proposed budget cuts that would financially affect Latinos nationwide, many of whom depend on government-subsidized housing.

Jonathan M. Sanchez, a founder of the federation, said such policies need to be extensively reported in the Hispanic-language newspapers, which serve a population that might not follow the mainstream press.

The federation is a group of 70 Spanish-language newspapers reaching an estimated 1.6 million readers, officials said.

In its third year, the conference will also tackle such issues as Proposition 187, which denies all but emergency medical services to illegal immigrants, and affirmative action.

Workshops that include “Working With Ad Agencies,” “The Information Superhighway: Relevance to Hispanic Newspapers” and “Business & Marketing Plan for a Newspaper” are also planned to help federation members deal with expansion, Cosme said.

Cisneros will speak at a dinner meeting at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel, 700 W. Convention Way. Tickets are available to the public at $50.