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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2011)
MAY 6, 2011:NWLP 5/3/11 9:54 AM Page 9 May 17 ballot measures could put union members to work Portland Public Schools is asking voters to approve two property tax measures in the May primary election. Both are backed by the Columbia Pa- cific Building and Construction Trades Council, Portland Association of Teachers, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757, Portland Fire Fighters As- sociation Local 43, Portland Police As- sociation, and the Northwest Oregon Labor Council. The big one is Measure 26-121, which would pay for $548 million in building remodels and other improve- ments: 86 schools would be upgraded, and nine would be rebuilt. Upgrades would include plumbing, wiring, heat- ing and ventilation, fire alarms, secu- rity systems, and lighting; updated classrooms, science labs, and libraries; seismic safety improvements and im- proved handicapped access; and im- provements to school grounds and building exteriors. Because the work would pay the prevailing wage, union-signatory con- tractors would be on a level playing field to bid on the work. The measure would authorize short- term bonds of one to three years, to be repaid by a six-year property tax levy of $2.74 per $1,000 of assessed value. Work would start as early as this summer, and projects would employ roofers, electricians, ironworkers (for seismic upgrades), fitters (for boiler re- placement and repair), sheet metal (for duct work and HVAC control systems) and insulators. “The hope and expectation is there will be work for our members,” said Paul Riggs, executive secretary-treas- urer of the Columbia Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council. The second item, Measure 26-122, would extend and increase an existing operating levy that pays for teacher po- sitions. The district estimates the ex- panded levy would protect at least 200 teaching positions from cuts. A current property tax school operating levy — at $1.25 per $1,000 assessed value — runs one more year. This measure would replace it with a new one at $1.99, which would run five years. The new levy would raise $57 million a year, $19 million more than the current one. Property tax levies like this one are a local solution to inadequate school funding from the state. PPS is Oregon’s largest school district, with 47,000 stu- dents. Campaign manager Ben Unger is calling on supporters to put up lawn signs, volunteer, and contribute funds. The campaign can be reached at 503- 284-6346 or by visiting the web site portlandersforschools.org. Northwest Oregon Labor Council and the Columbia Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council also are backing several school board candi- dates in the May 17 primary, including: Chuck Riley for Portland Community College (PCC) board, Zone 7; Maggie Brister-Mashia for Portland Public Schools board, Zone 2; and Mike Smith for Reynolds School District board, Position 7. Smith is a retired business agent and 32-year member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 16. Riley, a former state representative, has been recommended by both local labor unions at PCC: the PCC Federa- tion of Faculty and Academic Profes- sionals, American Federation of Teach- ers (AFT) Local 2277, and the PCC Federation of Classified Employees, AFT Local 3922. The Labor Council also is endors- ing Mike Delman for an at-large seat on the Multnomah Education Service District, while the Building Trades Council endorsed Harold Williams for the Portland Community College board, Zone 2. In Cottage Grove, Merlene Martin, a past president of the Oregon School Employees Association, is running for the South Lane School Board — where she worked for 22 years as an educa- tional assistant. Martin has been en- dorsed by the Lane County Labor Council. Ballots were mailed to registered voters April 29, and must be received May 17 to be counted. ...Portland Rising for good jobs, no cuts (From Page 1) example, in 2009, Bank of America made $4.4 billion in profit, paid zero in federal income tax and received a $119 million tax credit. In 2010, General Electric (GE) made over $14 billion in profits and along with Exxon Mobil, Bank of America, and other giant cor- porations, also paid no U.S. income taxes. In a press release, rally sponsor Jobs with Justice said, “Instead of address- ing the real crisis in this country — good jobs — Congress and their corpo- rate allies push cuts in programs that benefit working people like Social Se- curity, Medicare and Medicaid. While tens of thousands of Oregonians are ex- pected to lose their unemployment ben- efits, Congress is cutting the safety net.” Comparing the attack on workers’ rights and the middle class to the civil rights movement of the 1960s, Mitchell told the crowd: “It is time for us to re- gain our moral outrage and our right- eous indignation, because we have to take this back. We are in the battle of our lifetime. We can’t wait for some- body to save us. We have to save our- selves.” Mitchell said it will take time to get Teamsters Dental Center 1890 NE 162nd Ave. Portland, OR the job done, calling it a sprint, not a marathon. “This will not happen overnight. Progress and reform take time,” he said. With that, Mitchell, Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, and members of nine union locals currently in bargaining, led participants in a 27- block march through downtown Port- land, stopping at U.S. Bank (chanting: “The banks got bailed out, we got sold out!”) and the Hilton Hotel, before re- gathering at Terry Schrunk Plaza for more speeches and chants. More than 65 organizations co- sponsored the event. 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