COMMUNITY
State-funded network links parents to agencies
By June Russell
Emefaid RepoMer
Whether their youngsters are toddlers, terns or
somewhere in between, parents can find answers
through the Parent Information Network, a free service
linking parents to lame County agent ies and other re
sources
The network started in Septemlier through the state
funded C.reat Start program As a clearinghouse (or in
formation on parent education, the network links par
ruts to resourr es in the community ranging from class
es and workshops to various state and local agent ies
servif es
Parents don't have to he in a crisis situation to < all.
said network direr tor Marisela Ki/.ik-t»raham Parents
w ith any questions or problems are encouraged to < on
tail the network at 747-2409. from H 30 a ill to 4 ttl
pin
We are not a crisis center." Kizik-Crahain said
"We're an information network \Vt> want to normalize
the c oih opt of I Ml rout educ alion. and tin- id»»a that you
don't have to la- a bad parent to wonder if your parent
ing is rigid or wrong
"We see parents needing help and guidance, or
sometimes just to tell them they're doing a good job."
she said.
"Sometimes parents don't know what's right or
wrong There's heen so much publicity about child
abuse that sometimes a parent is ufraid to show affec
lion in public
Changes in the family structure and economic de
mand arc1 c hanging parenting conc erns and problems,
said assistant director Kathleen Kingman As time1 con
straints for parents Ins mile tighter, more parenting
jobs are lieing done outside the home, often in child*
care facilities 1
"Tamilies are smaller today ' Kingman said "We
don't have the extended families we've had in the
past. with grandparents living with tin; family and tak
ing i are of the kids There just aren't as many people
to handle the parenting
"It's a lot tougher for parents today." she said.
"Kconomit pressures force both parents to work more
There just isn't as much time for parenting."
In addition to answering parents' questions and
linking them with community resources the network
also provides counseling at no charge for low-income
families w ith children under the age of six
The network also coordinates with school counsel
ors and other agencies in the community Since its
start in September, the network has served about 50
families. Kizik-C.raham said
"Parenting is difficult in the Oils, and you don't
have to l>e in a crisis situation to seek help." Kingman
said "All parents can use advice."
Non-profit agencies follow court’s tax decision
PORTLAND (AIM Executives of
non-profit agent ies are watching with
interest as the Oregon Supreme Qnirt
prepares to hear arguments in a dispute
over whether a Coos County legal de
fense agency must pay property taxes.
The question in the case is whether a
non-profit agency with a budget fixed
by state government is entitled to an ex
emption from lot al property taxes The
stall- Department of Revenue and the Or
egon Tax Court have said Southwestern
Oregon Public: Defender Services is not.
The1 Oregon Tax Court ruling is being
appealed to the Oregon Supreme Court
The court protiably will hear arguments
in late limitary
Executives nl other non-profits that
dupend on government mone> .ire wor
ried that if the publii defenders’ service
in Coos County is ordered to pay its
$r».ti(Ml lax hill, their agenc ies may lie
next.
"Our agencies are very worried." said
Priscilla Seaborg of the I’nited Way of
the Columbia Willamette, a Portland
area umbrella agency for smaller chari
ties.
"We know it would have a devastat
ing impat t on our agencies." she said
Jim Wilcox, manager of program ser
vices in the state revenue department's
Prapertv Tax Division, said the state
found the public defender was a sub
contractor for slate government, not a
i hunts
Directors of legal-defense agencies for
the indigent are act ustomed to property
tax exemptions
Their lobbying group, the Oregon
Criminal Defense lawyers Association
of Eugene, has drafted proposed legisla
tion specifically exempting them from
property taxes
"In 1‘lHti. the state took over indigent
defense from the counties And now
that the counties an- trying to tax them,
it adds to the resentment," said Ed
Jones, director of Multnoniah Defenders
Inc. in Portland.
Multnomah Defenders Inc. defends
indigent clients accused of misdemean
ors Its lax bill would be about $10.0(10
if it had to pay property taxes.
The bill for the Metropolitan Public
Defender office, which handles felony
defenses, would be about $45,000.
About 1.300 non-profits art; in
Multnomah County alone Most receive
some government funding
Seaborg said her agency likely will try
to draft legislation that would exempt
non-profits from property taxes
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Mandatory seat belt
law in effect Friday
SAIJiM )AP] Buckle up on
Friday or fat e <i $50 fine.
Oregon's mandatory automo
bile seat belt law goes into ef
lei t this week and police sav
they won't have am trouble en
fori mg it
All .he police need to see to
pull a i ar over is a shoulder
harness or a lap belt dangling
unused.
"Police officers routinely tell
us that safety belt law s .ire easy
to enforce.'' said (ieri Parker,
safety licit program coordinator
tor the Oregon Traffic Safety
(aimmission.
(Iregon voters approved a
ballot measure Nov. ti to extend
mandatory seat belt use to peo
ple age 1 ti and older Seat belts
or safety seats already are re
quired for everyone under Hi
Beginning Friday, everyone
in the front and back seats ol a
car will need to buckle up if
belts are available.
Although police probably
w ill have some latitude to issue
warnings as the new law gets
broken in. the safety licit law
w ill lie enforced like any other
law. said Capt. |im Stevenson
of the Oregon State Police Pa
trol Division.
In HiHH, 394 drivers and pas
sengers who died in Oregon
crashes had lielts available but
didn't use them That is 72 per
cent of the 545 deaths that year
"VVe can conservatively esti
mate that we w ill save 10 per
cent of serious injuries or
deaths in Oregon if we ai hieye
7(1 percent" Use. Parker said 'I
think that is attainable."
She noted a compliance rate
of more than 70 percent with
the law requiring those under
lti to buckle up.
Oregon's new law will lie far
toucher than Washington's 5
yoar-old mandatory seat belt
law.
Under Washington's seat belt
law, officers lannot stop some
one solely lor not wearing a
seal belt Washington officers
can issue a citation only after
they stop the person for another
infraction, such as speeding,
and find the person not wear
ing a se.it bell.
The new Oregon law does
not require si liool buses to la1
outfitted with seat belts.
There are other exceptions to
the law People in older cars
not manufactured with belts
don't have to wear belts How
ever. it a bell was later in
stalled. the belt must be used
Stevenson said it would be
more difficult to enforce the
law for older cars that don't
have shoulder harnesses bc
cause the officer can't see
whether the seat belt is bui k
led. Hut the driver or others ill
the car can be cited if the car is
stopped for another reason and
the officer sees the seat belts
are not being used.
Some people, such as those
who suffer from severe arthri
I is. might be able to get a medi
cal exemption certificate issued
by the Division of Motor Vehi
i les after receiving a letter from
a doctor.
Other exemptions include:
people who are in custody of
law enforcement personnel:
people delivering newspapers
or mail; people in ambulances
who are administering or re
ceiving aid: occupants of pri
vately owned commercial vehi
cles. except for pickups; and a
passenger if all seating posi
tions in the vehicle are occu
pied by other.people.