Arbanas and Riley bring years of political
experience to the legislator office
by Tony balandran and joe arce

Two candidates who have earned the support of different Hispanic political organizations are vying for the 3rd District at-large seat on the Jackson County Legislature in the Aug. 3 election.

The incumbent, Fred Arbanas, has served on the Legislature since it was created in 1973 – a distinction that makes him the longest-serving elected official in Jackson County. He is being endorsed by La Raza Political Club.

His opponent, Terry Riley, a Kansas City Councilman, is hoping to bring a fresh perspective to the county’s governing body. Riley is being endorsed by the Kansas City Hispanic Business Political Action Committee, the political arm of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City.

“We need a definite change in Jackson County,” said Riley, who cannot run for re-election on the Kansas City Council because of term limits. “We need someone who has the energy coupled with connections and a vision to grow Jackson County and I think I’m the best candidate for it.”

But Arbanas, a retired Chiefs tight end, said his lengthy experience is what the county needs now as the government struggles through a tough national economy and severe budget cuts.

“We are having a tough time with our budget,” Arbanas said, noting that the county has had to slash $40 million already and may trim spending again. “That has been a series of tough decisions.”

He said his familiarity with the details of the county and his longtime connection with constituents are needed most. “I don’t have any particular department that I favor over another so I think I can look a problem pretty well-balanced and make a good decision.”

However, Riley said Arbanas has had close to four decades to make good decisions for the county but has demonstrated little genuine leadership or accomplishment during his performance.

Riley said Jackson County for the past 20 years has been losing population and jobs.

“My opponent is not addressing those issues in Jackson County,” he said. “My opponent has been there since (Richard) Nixon and … if you are not addressing those issues after 40 years, I don’t believe you will start addressing those issues right now.”

Riley said that if elected, he would strive to get Jackson County to work better with other cities in the county to create a regional economic development plan. “I would work to bring those people together to come up with a plan instead of fighting each other.”

He also said he would push for meaningful ethics reform in the county government and work to impose term limits for the Jackson County legislators.

“Now it’s time for a change, for someone with the leadership ability to bring votes together. The difference between my opponent and I is that I lead efforts and he is just a voter.”

Arbanas said his record of service is strong and his experience with details of the county is what residents have desired for years. “I have a lot of knowledge about county government and how it should and shouldn’t be run.” He also said his working relationship with current County Executive Mike Sanders has provided solid leadership in the government.

He said despite his years of service he still has plenty to contribute to balancing the county’s budget and strengthening the communication system of the sheriff’s department – two areas that he would focus on if re-elected.

Arbanas said Riley, who was on the Kansas City Council for 10 years, is no one new to local politics. “He’s been around a long time too,” Arbanas said. “But there are a lot of people who appreciate the job I’ve done and am still doing. I believe I still have value to add to our county.”

One group that agrees with Arbanas is La Raza Political Club, which endorsed him in the Aug. 3 election.

“I was very, very thrilled to get their support,” said Arbanas, who said he is proud of his connections to the Hispanic leadership in Jackson County. He spoke highly of the late Pat Rios, who also served on the Legislature.

Meanwhile, Riley has picked up the endorsement of the Kansas City Hispanic Business Political Action Committee.

“This (endorsement) is huge,” Riley said. “This is a testament of my consistently working with people trying to grow Jackson County, in particular small businesses.”

He said he feels a responsibility to speak up for small businesses in the county and for minority- and women-owned businesses in Kansas City. He said as a legislator, he would work regularly with the Economic Development Corp. of Kansas City to forge a strategy to strengthen businesses in the area.

“We as a community can change,” he said. “We can work ourselves out of these tough economic times. The cornerstone of this democracy is small business development. And now it’s time to bring in someone new to fix it.”