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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 18, 1978)
2 P w iU n d Ofaarrver Thursday May 18. 1»T8 Return Ivoncie We see the world through Black eyes No endorsement Not this time Another candidate we connot endorse this yeor is h s * ?h great regret that we withhold our endorsement for County Commission, Position 3, State Senator Vern Cook, who is running for the horn. G iodys M cCoy. We hove been very disappoint Democratic nomination to the U S Senate. We hove ed w rn Mrs McCoy s performance on the School olwoys endorsed Cook in the post and consider him Board and ao not feel that we con give her our »o be a man who is concerned about the plight of those who ore traditionally left out of the political endorsement on that 'ecord processes. Mrs. McCoy is a good and tolen’ed person ond we Cook opooses affirmative action on the basis that do not question her desire for on excellent education citizens should not hove to poy for the crimes tor □ cn aren. but w e do not see her role on the (slavery, segregation) of their ancestors. Cook Board as providing the leadership and indepen believes in equal opportunity - that eoch applicant dence necessary to insure that Block, children and should be selected on his own merit without regard Block fam es ore properly served. Mrs McCoy was to roce We see affirmative oction not only as o e ecred district w >de - not by the Block community _ method to moke up for post discrimination but os a ond she is 'esporsbie to all of the citizens, but os a B ocx woman we expec’ed that she would hove a guord ogomst current discrimination. The days of spec tic concern for the education of Block children. racial discrimination ore not over and o look at the The Schoo District has been in a state of turmoil employees of ony major compony will demonstrate the continuing need for affirmative oction over desegregation ond its ramifications — busing, Cook also opposes Indian fishing rights and ’ he N e w m an P an middle schools, feocher attitudes, promises, if elected, to support legislation to treatment of Block students, etc. For the first time eliminate treaty rights •he Block community has risen up and said a As a member of the U.S Senate Cook's vote eso-na -g "no" ’o one of me district's desegrego- would hmde' Comer's minority "ser-aside'' pro ♦ion moves. The school reorganization proposals, grams, strengthening of affirmative action require even a hen odop-ed are not providing the middle ments, ond the protection of Indion rights. Therefore, schools odfocent to the Block community that were to although we hove great personal regard for Vern nave been the answer eavmg the necessity for Cook, we connot recommend his election to the U.S. oispursmg Block students oc'oss the district. The Senate A o no e 'e r e n o r y schools remom segregated su m m er m e fede'af government found the district discrirr.noting ago "st Blocks in its disciplinary procedures ond other complaints ore currently under investigation. Arnold Biskor, candidate for the City Council Yet Mrs. McCoy has not come to the Block position held by Mildred Schwob, is a well qualified communih, to de’ermme what is happening to kids. candidate. A certified Public Accountont, he has the She has not come to ask why there is such great business expertise to run o city bureau effectively, otssotisfacJion with the district ond with her perfor yet has o great concern for the rights of the people mance on me Board. Neither has she looked into the He is concerned about neighborhoods and how city □legations constantly b a n g mode against the business effects neighborhood residents os well os district - of mistreatment, rejection, and neglect of strengthening the residents' influence in city deci B'ock students She has assumed that because the sions. ofc ect ve of the district, of herself ond of most Blocks He is interested in expanding housing availability, — th e o b -e c ti. e of desegregation — is proper then the especially for the elderly who would like to live actions o f th e d is tric t ore proper. She has promoted downtown near the services they need ond defended them. Commissioner Schwob has been available to the Mrs McCoy has relied on the information provided public and has usually responded favorably when he- by ’he admin strotion and has accepted the contacted regarding specific issues. This ploces her in administration's recommendations. She has not good steod with many voters. Her management of the Pork Bureau, we believe, ndeoenoe'-’ly determined the validity or the com p ete-ess of ’he -formation on the proposals ond nas demonstrated her mobility to effectively manage recommendations. Her role on the Board has been a orge bureau and to pion for maintenance and one o f o f— ost u nor mous acceptance of the recom- growth. Although she responds when asked she mendations of Dr Blanchard, ond Boord members does not always see or foresee the problem. A good Newman and Ridgley. example is the playground at Unthonk Pork. Al M s McCoy states that because she is a wife and though the City did not design or build the pork, its m o th e r and ’.as o full-time |ob. this mony times out maintenance is o City responsibility. After a child of the Portlond oreo, she has not hod the time to was killed by a swing set, the other swings were ~ioke toe community contacts or do the foct finding removed. But the Pork Bureau did not see the other •ncr we would have expected. The County dangerous ploy equipment at the pork ond it was not C om m issio n oosr on is a full-time paid job with a removed until five months later, after a meeting with - ited staff and she would be able to devote her angry citizens. We do not believe the lock of time to citizens. attention to be purposeful neglect, but to be a lock of There ore some positive aspects of having Block foresight on Ms. Schwob's port We therefore endorse Arnold Biskor for City people m e ec’ea positions, even when those people pre n ot os responsive ’o Block interests os they Commissioner, Position No. 2. should be. The - positions con open doors to other B oevs ond they can prov de ro e models for Block youth. Biskar over Schwab it s w ’- some degree of pom that we do not endorse Mrs McCoy A e hope that pain is mutuol and w moke Mrs. McCoy more awore ond 'espons ve to the Block community during her finol yeor on the School Board, ond, if she is elected, in ’he important role os a county commissioner REGISTER -VOTE Cease - District IB Jane Cease is an octive community member who advocates o fair tax system, programs for senior citizens ond youth, ond odequate school financing. Her occupational background is in solid waste disposal and land use planning, both vital to the health of the inner city ond its residents. ^ rs Cease's community service includes. Gover nor's Community Services Committee, Citizen Task Force for City Budget Review, State and Regional Citizen Advisory Committee on Solid Waste M an agement, Multnomoh County Mental Health Advi sory Board She has been a citizen odvocote of every legislative session since 1967. The Observer endorses Jane Cease for the Oregon Legislature, District #18. N allie Fox fo r Lobor Two candidates are challenging Frank Ivonae for a t y Council, position #3 - State Senator Stephen Kafoury ond Mike Burton. Kafoury has on outstanding voting record in the Legislature, where he is identified with urbon affairs ond human rights. He has taught at Jefferson and AYOC ond lives in Irvington Burton hos been octive in neighborhood ossocio bans in North Portlond. He is interested in urban development, citizen participation and sound mon- ogement. We, however, support Frank Ivoncte in his bid for te-elect.on. An honest conservative, Ivoncte has not always voted the way we would like but he has come through on some important issues like supporting PMSC funding. •We ore concerned about the consolidation of power m the hands of the Mayor. The M o y a ', growing influence on the School Boord - with the probable appointment of his former assistont Bill Sch° ° < B° ° rd Ond the Proposed City/Scnool Commission — concerns us. There ore those who welcome the Mayor's entry into this oreo with the hope that he will be a positive influence on the Boord — that anything would be better. But we believe in separation but cooperation in decision making for the City ond the School District to be proper. No man - not the Mayor, not the President — should hold the power to control both. This is not to soy that we ore dissatisfied with the AAayor's programs, but to mointom on independent voice on the City Council, we endorse Frank Ivoncte for re-election Heard for Education Three candidates are competing for the position of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The position is now held by Verne Du neon, a former teacher and odministrotor. A competent but quiet person, Duncon is most criticized because of his lock of aggressive odvococy for education with the Legisla ture. Ruth Me F a land, on instructor at Mt Hood Com munity College, emphasizes more effective teochers ond fewer administrators; more appropriate text books; ond testing os o tool to help teoch rather than to exclude students. State Senator Fred Heard, who teoches at Oregon Institute of Technology, hos served on important committees dealing with education — Ways and Means, the Emergency Boord, ond the Senate ond House Education Committees. Among Heord's proposals, should he become Superintendent of Public Education, ore: a locally controlled reodmg progrom; expanding community schools; increasing vocational education; creating a deportment of urban education; strengthening affir mative action; and, if necessary, seeking from the Legislature tools for more effective enforcement of State requirements; ond incentive grants to local districts to develop more effective reodmg programs. Education in Oregon is in a neor-crisis situation with instability of financing and low public faith in the educotionol system. Heard has the relationship with and the working knowledge of the Legislature to use it effectively in the interest of better educational programs. His legislative record attests to his energy and ability. The Observer endorses Fred Heard for Superinten dent of Public Instruction. Plummer - Position # 5 Berna Plummer is o condidote f a the Republican Forty nomination to the County Commission, Position No. 5. Mrs. Plummer is currently affirmative oction officer f a the county. Previous experience includes plan ning ond evaluation f a the county, teochmg ond ©orly childhood education. She is m taested in criminal justice, having served on the CRAG Criminal Justice Technical Committee ond the City/County Security ond Privocy Committee. Mrs. Plummer is octive in the Republican Party ond was a delegote to the 1976 Notional Convention where she participated in the Block Caucus effort to demonstrate to the Republican Party the need to involve Block voters. The Observer endases Berna Plummer. Measure # 3 . Ye» Portland O bserver Published ever? Thursday by E x » Publishing Company. 2201 North K illings»orlh. Portland. Oregon 9TZ\1 Mailing address: P.O. Box 3137, Portland. Oregon 9 7 2 0 Telephone 283-2486 . J >"T hubscnptiooa $7.50 per year in the Tn-County area. $8.00 pei year outside Portland. Claes Postage Paid u P e n ie e i. Oregaa AI f R L D L HENDERSON Fxtitar/Pabiiviier 1st Place ty Service ONPA 1973 1st Place Beat A4 Result« ONPA 1973 5th Place Beat Editorial NNPA 1973 IMxerv er » official position irexp ressed only in Os P ublishers column iW e See The World Through Black E yes). Any other material throughout the paper ia the opinion of the individual writer or submitter and does not necessarily reflect tbe opinion of the Portland Observer Honorable .Mention Herrick Editorial A »ard NNA 1973 National A dvertising P-r-rtaentath i 2u4 Piare Beat Editorial 3rd Place New Yari Mt» I Oregon Newspaper _ Publishers ' Association MEMBER N e & Í p A p ER The contest for Lobcr Commissioner is one of the most hotly contested ond one of the most important. The Bureau of Labor includes the Civil Rights Division, Woge and Hour, ond Apprenticeship and Training. It IS designed to protect the rights of working people. Several of the candidates ore well qualified and could do o creditable job. Senator M a y Roberts, o former caseworker ond juvenile counselor at the Albina Human Resource Center, has served one term in the House and one in the Senate. She served os a member of the Lobor, Consumer and Business Committees ond has o good legislative record. Ralph Groener, Clockamas County Commissioner ond fo ,mer Legislata, hos a record of involvement wit people s issues. He wos octive in the grape boycott, is o post president of the Day Core and Chi Id Development Council of Oregon, is chairman of the Oregon Coalition f a National Health Security. Jose Bustos, octive in Spamsh-speokmg groups, advocates independence in the Lobor Bureau - freedom from influence of either labor or business • h connections in neither comp, he offers that independence. N ellie Fox is d .recta of Legislative and Political Education (COPE) of the Oregon AFI-CIO Although involved in the union movement most of her life Ms Fox could not be considered a "labor boss" Rather she wos a member of the retail clerk's union whose activities on behalf of women ond low-payed employees brought her the recognition that enabled er to move into the upper ranks of the AFL-CIO. She is on exomple of the port of the lobor movement that brought job security ond decent w a k in g conditions to this country ond hos worked f a economic and social re fa m . We a e concerned about too dose ties between organized lo b a and the Loba Bureau jhot is supposed to e n fa c e lo b a regulations, but we do not think that would become o problem m this case We believe N ellie Fox hos the ability and desire to strengthen the Civil Rights Bureau The Observer endases N ellie Fox f a Loba Commissioner Christ - District #15 Representative Jim Chrest wos appointed to the House m 1974 and elected in 1976 Prior to going ,o the Legislature. Chrest wos involved in agonizing the North Portland Citizens Committee He w a, involved with youth activities - baseball and oject Busy K.d," - and helped organize the North Youth Services Center. In the Legislature h i, activities hove included ntroduemg legislation to requiring hospital, to offer the pap test (co n ca detection,; w a k in g for passage of unit pricing which aids consumas, w a k e d for compensation of crime victims, proposed successful legislation to promote education of handicapped and gifted children; was active in promoting "Proiecf Independence" which o.ds elderly person, in their own homes. Chrest', w a k on behalf of the elderly, the consuma, and educotion and his effort, to preserve ond enhonce Smith and Bybee Lakes ond Columbia Sk)ugh moke him on asset in the Legislature Hi, obility and desire to w a k with the people a e supplemented with the determination and indepen dence to use his talents f a the benefit of his district The Observer endases Jim Chrest f a the Demo cratic nomination f a the Oregon Legislature, District Blum anaur - Position # 3 Earl Blumenour is challenging incumbent County Commissioner Alice C ab ett f a position No. 3. Mrs Corbett hos provided no leadership in her tenure on the County Commission and during the period that »he wos designated as the Commissioner for North-Natheost district, she wos not seen in this neighbahood. Blumenour has campaigned on the theme that he will be a full-time working Commissioner He proposes o night court f a those who must now take time off w a k to go to traffic court and f a other legal business; tighter controls on the police records system (CRlSS); improved government efficiency; ond odded citizen involvement. The Observer endorses Eorl Blumenour for County Commission, No. 3 (Democrat). o h r ^ r M e^ U7 enob,e* ,he s,a’e «•» general o ^ g o ’ -on bonds to provide financing for mult,- fam ily housing f a the low-income elderly. The fund created would be colled the "Elderly Housing Fund" Commerce the D epatm ent of compon,ei' '^ .v id u o ls a government, would be given grants, loon, a contract, to build housing to be rented to the low-income elderly Because there is o great shortoge of suitable low-cost housing, we endorse this measure. Park Levy - Ye» The people of Portlond will vote on o six-year. $19 7 million serial levy f a p a k improvements. The property tax increase would be 54c per $1,000 assessed evaluation The proposal includes im- a o vem en t of existing p a k s os well os development of some new facilities. FHe City's porks ond the progrom, that take place m them a e im patont to the ro^m unity. Vote ye, on the City pork levy. I Previous endasem ents: County Chairman - Don Clark (Democrat, Governor - Bob Sfroub (Democrat) Governor - Tom McColl (Republican, Legislature -- Wolly Priestley - District 16 (Democrat, Gretchen Kofoury - District 13 (Democrat, Carol Bryant - District 14 (Democrat, State Senate — Cindy Bonzer — District (Democrat, Measure #1 -- Yes Measure #2 - Ye, Measure #6 - Yes Endasements with no opposition; Bruce Broussard - District 16 (Democrat, Jewell Loosing - County A u d ita 10
