Third District Challenger James Ramos Emphasizes Positive Change for County

Editor's Note: Redlands-Loma Linda Patch recently approached candidates seeking to represent the Third Supervisorial District of San Bernardino County. Interviews with the incumbent Neil Derry and challenger Jim Bagley were published earlier this week.

James Ramos, former chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, who rose from poverty on a small reservation north of San Bernardino to tribal leadership, casino wealth and business ownership, portrays himself as the option forward-looking voters seek in the contentious race for Third District Supervisor.

Ramos says he wants to represent Redlands, Loma Linda, and the mountain-desert-urban sprawl of the Third District to help rid San Bernardino County government of its negative image, to lead economic recovery, and to partner with other counties for a more prosperous future.

Ramos is running against incumbent Supervisor Neil Derry and fellow challenger Jim Bagley, former councilman and mayor of Twentynine Palms.

Election day is June 5. An outright winner must take 50 percent of the vote plus one. Otherwise the top two finishers in June run-off in November.

Ramos agreed to meet with Redlands-Loma Linda Patch in Riverside recently to discuss his background, his formative experiences and challenges he's faced as a tribal leader and local business owner.

Derry and Bagley also met with Redlands-Loma Linda Patch to share perspectives. Interviews with Derry and Bagley were published earlier this week.

Redistricting has changed the Third District by excluding the Lake Arrowhead area, and including Lucerne Valley and Barstow. The re-drawn Third District is now home to about 407,000 residents and it covers roughly 2,700 square miles.

The Third District has 183,000 registered voters, including 75,000 registered Republicans, 62,000 registered Democrats, and 35,000 registered as non-partisan, according to the county elections office.

A map of the redrawn district is attached to this report.

The following interview with Ramos was recorded at Little Green Onions in Riverside. Ramos' remarks are quoted here verbatim.

Early Years on the Reservation

"I grew up on the San Manuel Reservation when there was nothing. I grew up in a mobile home. For those that remember back then, you would drive up Victoria and there was three mobile homes.

"I grew up in the first mobile home . . . this is north of Patton, you would drive straight up Victoria and there was three mobile homes there. I grew up in the first one.

"The tribal government never had any money, for infrastructure, for anything. And the tribal government really survived on federal government assistance, which was far and between. There was never any state, city or county resources coming to the tribal government. And that's still true today.

"So when we were growing up, the tribal council would always try to figure out ways to lease the land or do something that would generate some money. Because we had nothing. We were one of the smallest reservations in Southern California, if not California.

"So when money was allocated, it would always go to the larger tribes and it would run out of money by the time it came to us. So where those three mobile homes were at, behind those mobile homes there was some horse stables that the tribe leased out the land to a couple named Jerry and Ann Buckles. So they brought horses up, up the road, and they put them there with some stables.

"They rented out horse rides to people from the community, half-hour rides, hour rides. In the back of our mobile home, we created a snack shop where we sold soda pop and fry bread and things like that to the riders. My grandma, Martha Manuel Chacon, was actually the one that would sell it.

"So we would have that little snack shop behind our mobile home and you know, that's when you could buy soda pop, sell it for 50 cents, when you're paying 35 cents for it you're making a little money. . . .

"So that was how the tribal government gained some money. And really the tribal government back then survived on less than $300 a year to provide for its people. And at that time, not too many people even knew that we existed, on the San Manuel Indian Reservation, because there was no infrastructure and the poverty, all those things were there.

"Then came smoke shops, we sold cigarettes out of trailers. And us, the kids, we would unload the cigarette shop trucks and we'd get paid ten, maybe fifteen dollars a truck. Then that came, it was short-lived, it was challenged in court, not paying sales taxes and things.

"And the tribal government didn't have money to hire attorneys to fight that case. So it just came and left. So the economic development of the tribal government has always tried to find something that would provide infrastructure, roads and different types of business opportunities.

"Now as I was growing up on the reservation, in the mobile home, I attended Belvedere Elementary School, and you know, myself and my cousins . . . San Bernardino Unified . . . we would have to get up, and would cross the wash that's there, and go to Belvedere.

"The wash, I think it was Sand Creek, the one that's running out through the reservation now. Me and my cousins we'd go to Belvedere Elementary School, we'd walk together and come back, and we'd get tangerines from the Yorks property, and it was a different time. There was nothing. Although our parents worked hard, my cousins' parents they worked hard, my parents worked hard to make sure we had clothes and food, but it was a different time.

"Then we went to Serrano Middle School, and then Pacific, and then to San Gorgonio High School. . . . . graduated in 1985 from San Gorgonio. And so, it was a different time.

From Poverty to Creating Jobs

"Then in '86 is when the first bingo hall opened up. And that was a period of time to where you know there were different confrontations within different city officials and different things like that. But the thing the tribe did was create jobs in the area.

"We created, originally we had about 500 jobs, then 750, and grew to 1,500. Today we have 3,700 employees. The majority, 98 percent are non-Native American employees.

"So we've actually become that pillar in the community. And now, back in the days when I was growing up people didn't even know that we were there, but after '86 people started to know that we were there because of the bingo hall, because of all these things.

"But culture is something that's been important for me, to make sure people understand that the culture's far more important than the economic developments that are there now.

"And for me, it actually was education that allowed me to get that second chance at life, growing upon the Indian reservation. And it's no different than other areas and obstacles that you have to overcome.

"But education, I went and I got my associates degree, my bachelor's in business administration and my master's in business administration. . . . Cal State San Bernardino my undergraduates and my MBA out of the University of Redlands. . . . the first in my family to obtain an associates, to obtain a bachelor's of science degree, and a MBA.

"And it seems like you know when we were growing up, it seems like it was a different era because others would come up and support us. Nonprofits would come up. But the moment we started to be able to evolve, to move and provide homes, no longer living in mobile homes, being able to provide nice structures of houses to live in, there seemed to become this type of a backlash, as far as being able to now have quality homes and a quality way of life.

"For me, you know, understanding that, and understanding that the community has to evolve together I think is something that it's really the story of how the San Manuel tribal government evolved from nothing, from horse stables to cigarette shops to where we are now, becoming one of the largest private employers in San Bernardino County.

"But we have to be able to work together. We have to have that mutual respect and understanding. Now, it's ok for some to think that the reservation didn't have infrastructure, didn't have all these things but today we do. And for some, many in the community are happy for us that we were able to go from poverty to where we are today, to afford these homes, to start our own businesses, to be engaged in the community.

"But there's always going to be some nay-sayers out there that aren't as happy, that say 'No I liked it over this way better.' But you know what, as people start to evolve, and the genuine humanity of them, right, you build yourself up with your culture, education, spirituality, those three things start to allow you to move forward and start to tackle these areas.

"Growing up and having that snack shop behind our trailer allowed me now to get into small business. I have a restaurant, Yum Yum restaurant, which I purchased, and a Pepito's, which I purchased. And I purchased the land, and the buildings, so I have to pay the property taxes on those lands, I pay the employee taxes on the businesses that I run, and any improvement that I do to that land, the taxes go up.

"So I'm learning first-hand the actual affects of the regulation and the taxes that come to small business ownership. But it also, you know, if we didn't evolve from where we were, we wouldn't be able to be employing close to 23 people, and it might not seem like a lot, but that's 23 people that count on us to make sure that they get that paycheck to provide for their family.

"Those are the things that we've actually evolved from to where we are now. But if I wouldn't have grew up in that setting I wouldn't have the great passion and desire to get out there and speak to people, and to let them know you know, follow your dreams. Don't let nobody cut you short. Pursue them and move forward.

'Create a Positive Image for San Bernardino County'

"One of the things, looking at what's been going on in the county, certainly we see a lot of negative things that have been happening in the county. And you can sit back and talk about, 'Well somebody needs to get out there and run and change these things.'

" . . . A year ago I announced I was running for San Bernardino County board of supervisors because we have to get rid of that negative image. Those things that are going on, FBI raids, corruption, people pleading guilty to misdemeanors . . . . I want to be able to clean it up, to create a positive image for San Bernardino County.

"Because the values that are bestowed in me, it's not about me and it's not about our time together. When our kids grow up and nothing has changed and we're still in that negative image, they're going to ask us 'What did you do to get engaged to try to make it a better place?'

"'What did you do to make sure that my future was something that I could plan on?' And if we stand back and continue to say 'Well somebody should get in there, somebody should get in there and fix the negative things that are there,' we could talk for 10 years, 20 years and nothing's going to get changed.

"And I'm a different person. I mean if I see something that needs to be done I'm going to get engaged and try to at least do my part. . . .

When you bring up negative perceptions of San Bernardino County government, where do you think they come from?

"I think it comes from those that are being elected. You can see it's an expensive race. I'm the biggest contributor to my race. And some of the opponents are criticizing that, but I've been blessed and I'm going to do that. It comes down to 'Who are you held accountable to?' You've got to make decisions. . . .

"Certainly we're battling in mail. Immediately when I announced I was running in May 2011 the incumbent challenged whether I could even run as a California Indian person. So we had to cite the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act to him. Since 1924, Indian people have been able to hold office, vote, serve in the military.

"I think it's a different day now today in 2012 than what it was in 1924. And you see the admirable things Native Americans have done to contribute to the United States of America with the Navajo Code Talkers, Ira Hayes being one to raise the flag . . . on Iwo Jima."

Do you think it was an insult to all Native Americans that the incumbent questioned whether you could run?

"I think it's something that your readers and those that listen the story will have to decide for themselves. But any time somebody starts to really pinpoint whether any ethnicity can run today in the United States of America, questions have to be asked.

"And it just so happens that I'm the first one, the first Native American running for San Bernardino County board of Supervisors. I'm running because I have the passion, desire to see our county forward in a positive direction. And I'm engaged in the business atmosphere. I hear the negative things that are out there.

"I hear how some business owners would love to come into the area, but they're not because elected leaders aren't working together, they're fighting with one another. And the negative image. You have one that's actually out there that's been charged with different things, pled to misdemeanors and currently serving three years probation.

"If we want to seriously shed that negative image . . . that's the incumbent, if we want to shed that negative image, you're going to have options in front of you come June 5th."

What question would you would ask each of your opponents?

"Well there's a series of questions I would ask the incumbent. Number one, why did you challenge whether I could even run as an American Indian when we're citizens of the United States?

"Not only that, why did you challenge the differently things as far as being called a business owner? You wanted to follow that, the judge, the superior court threw it out.

"And not only that, trying to throw more dirt, filing false complaints against me with the FPPC?

"If you are really seriously talking about the issues let's talk about the issues. don't start trying to throw these accusations out there.

"For me, it's really about creating jobs, easing regulations with small business owners, because I'm one of them. And we have to start creating some type of synergy and economic development.

"If not, we're going to miss this whole new bubble that's going to come our way. People are still going to remain unemployed, our unemployment's higher than the state and national average now.

"I believe that elected leaders have to start working together, not against one other but work together to make sure that the economy starts to move forward. And also the part-time initiative ballot that's going to be on the ballot in November. I'm in total support of that.

"Because nowhere else in business or anywhere else where you see a high unemployment rate going on and you still get $250,000, salary plus benefits. When everything else is going this way, you're still . . . either elected leaders are going to correct it themselves or the constituents are going to get involved and correct it themselves. That's why you see this initiative on the ballot.

"And once it passes it should be a wake-up call to all elected officials to start working together, to create the economy, to create the jobs, right, it's not at the end of the day you get elected to a position and you think that you're going to be there four or five terms. No.

"You get elected to do the best job you can during that time you're elected. So you have four years to make it a better place than what it is when you first got elected. If you can't, if it's not a better place than when you got elected, then maybe you should let somebody else run. . . ."

The incumbent says casino money is a factor in the election and he says he believes you are trying to buy the election.

"It's worth looking into . . . some of the reasons why Derry is in the situation that he is now. I mean as far as having those FPPC press releases saying 'money laundering settlement' because he plea-bargained out to the misdemeanor and three years probation. That goes directly back to his accusations now. Look where he was getting his money from.

"All that is part of that whole negative image. That negative corruption that's happening. . . . Anyone that's innocent will maintain, that's truly innocent will fight it. He made his decisions on however he did that."

But how do you explain to everyone in the Third District that casino money is in this election?

"I think that what you see, and it's great that you took this all the way back to the beginning, when we grew up in a mobile home, I remember growing up there. We were in deep poverty. Nonprofits came and helped us out.

"But the moment the table starts to turn, and we're able now to fend for ourselves, to be able to open up our own businesses, to be able to contribute to nonprofits ourselves, somehow there's something wrong with that. But when you look at the American dream, it's nothing short of our tribe succeeding and achieving that American dream.

"And when you see that I'm the first Native American running in a major race, San Bernardino County board of supervisors, paving the way, other Native American people and tribes, tribal governments are happy to see that happening, that they're supporting me.

"There should be no reason why. I mean look at the realtors, look at the pharmaceuticals, look at all these different ones. They pump in a lot of money. But just because now it's tribal governments getting behind a Native American candidate there's something wrong with that? I say there's nothing wrong with that.

"This is part of the American dream and we're fulfilling that right in front of your eyes. . . .

"If you liken an industry like gaming, then liken it to those others that are out there too. Realtors, it's the same type of deal, look at pharmaceuticals, look at dentists, look at all these different things.

"It's tribal governments getting behind me. Derry's tried to create a some type of demonizing thing, when you look at what the tribe has done has actually held up San Bernardino County in our area, with 3,700 employees. When Norton closed, Kaiser closed, we became one of the largest private employers in our area.

"Now you know it's ok again, it seems like he has a view, that as long as Indian people remain here that's ok. But the moment we're able to expand and challenge and be able to go head to head, there's a problem.

"Those are some things that voters are going to have to ask themselves when they read your story.

'Move Forward in a Positive Direction'

"The bottom line is I see a need for San Bernardino County to move forward in a positive direction. Because once that happens you're going to be able to see business growth, and elected leaders working together to create a regional approach to move our county forward and to work with Riverside County, L.A. County, Inyo and Mono to create that synergy and that hub to move our county forward.

"Now jumping into politics, now it was a great idea when I announced May 11 but the opponent comes back and throws all this different mud and nothing is sticking. FPPC, they dismiss the case, I mean he's upset about that. A superior court judge ruled against him to use a title that he has no business using, right.

"So he keeps throwing all these things out there. But you know what? I'm running because I want to see it a better place than what it is today. I have the passion, the desire, and the qualifications to see this county move forward. That's why I'm running for San Bernardino County board of supervisors."

Derry and Bagley also met with Redlands-Loma Linda Patch to share perspectives. Click and for interviews with Derry and Bagley published earlier this week.