Portland Observer
Thursday, May 18. 1978
Page 5
Through
the eyes
of Mr. W . . .
by Harold C. William.
budget vote bolds key to Mt. Hood CC future
Four years of stability for M t. Hood
Community College w ill be at stake
Tuesday, May 23rd, when district voters
consider a revised tax base lor the
community college.
D r. R. Stephen Nicholson, M HCC pre
sident, said extrem ely careful planning
has gone into the tax base request to
insure that the college can operate within
the six percent limitation during the
1978-82 four year period if the proposal is
approved.
“The college board has made a public
commitment to not seek additional
operating finds for four years if the May
23rd measare is successful,“ Nicholson
said.
"This means the college will have four
years of stability, and voters will not be
asked to provide more money each year
through special levies," he said.
On the average over the four year
period, the $5.9 million proposal will not
increase the college's current tax rate of
12.20 per $1,000 valuation. "In fact, the
average tax rate over the four years is
expected to be less than the current $2.20
rate." Nicholson said.
He explained that the tax rate in the
initial year w ill be higher, but when
averaged over four years it will be lesi
than the current rate.
Tax base funds are used for college
operations only, such as teaching, instruc
tional equipment, plant maintenance, stu
dent services, and instructional support
services.
Nicholson stressed that the
May 23rd ballot measure is only for
operating funds and is not a bond issue
for construction of buildings.
The college's current tax base, $2.5
million this year, was approved in 1970.
This tax base provided five years of
stability; a special levy was not needed
until 1975. Since 1970, the college has
had only two special levies, one in 1975
and another in 1977.
Nicholson noted that a tax base, by
law, can increase only six percent each
year, but that inflation costs beyond the
college's control have far exceeded that
figure since 1970. "For example, inflation
has more than doubled our energy and
paper costs since 1970," he explained.
A t the same time, student enrollment
has more than doubled since 1970, with
the largest increase in the number of
vocational students training tor jobs.
“We can't control inflation, but we do
keep a tight fist on those areas where we
can control expenses,” the college presi
dent said. The college board recently
agreed to re tire nearly $2.7 million in
bonded indebtedness by using state funds
returned to the college for past construc
tion
'T h is was a good opportunity for the
college to return money to our taxpayers
and at the same time keep the tax rate
down,” he said.
In other recent action, the board voted
to proceed with another financial plan
designed to save district taxpayers up to
$650,000 by refinancing bonds sold four
years ago with new bonds at a lower
interest rate now available in the present
market.
“W e are pleased at the progress we
have made this year in controlling costs
while still maintaining quality education
for our district,” Nicholson said.
This year the Northw est Association of
Schools and Colleges renewed M t. Hood's
accreditation for ten years after exten
sive self-study and agency review of the
entire college.
Charter committee sets hearings
The Multnomah County Charter Re
view Committee met Monday. A pril 24,
1978 to hear Subcommittee reporta.
These reports will be open to discussion
and suggestions at weekly Monday night
meetings throughout the month of May
and at public hearings throughout the
month of June.
Summaries of these
preliminary reports are as follows:
D IS T R IC T IN G - The Districting Sub
committee presented a proposal and an
alternative for the Committee to con
aider. The proposal was for a seven
member County Commission with three
full time Commissioners elected at large
and four part time Commissioners (one
quarter salary) elected from districts.
The alternate proposal was for five
bill time Commissioners, two at large,
and three from districts. District Com
missioners would be subject to a resi
dency requirements. Redistricting after
1980 would be done by the Auditor upon
report from the elections division.
S E P A R A T IO N O P E X E C U T IV E
A N D L E G IS L A T IV E PO W ER S - The
Wildcard Subcommittee in concurrence
with the Districting Subcommittee sug
gested a full time chief executive officer
who would essentially retain the present
powers of the Chairman of the Board but
would no longer vote as a member of the
Board.
The executive officer would
prepare the budget, attend and be heard
at Commission meetings, appoint admini
strative officers, and execute the policies
and ordinances of the Board.
The
executive would have veto power but
could be overridden by 2/3rds of the
Board. The Subcommittee recommended
the chief executive be elected at large,
and the Board elect its own presiding
officer annually.
T E R M - Both the Term and Vacancy
Subcommittee and the Districting Sub
committee recommended retaining four
year terms.
R E V E N U E BO N D S - The Wildcard
Subcommittee has suggested the Com
m ittee consider making a recommenda
tion that the County be allowed to issue
revenue bonds with the specific require
ment they not be paid from property
taxes.
O T H E R - The W ildcard Subcommittee
also made recommendations that changes
be made in the Charter to include the
feminine and neuter as well as the
masculine gender, that a disability clause
be included, and that the Charter incor
porate
the
State
nondiscrimination
amendment creating nonpartisan elective
offices. The Term and Vacancy Subcom
mittee suggested that the full Committee
resolve the issues of partisans vs. nonpar
tisan elections and districting before
adopting a position on how best to fill
vacancies on the Board.
S C H E D U L E : C o m m itte e m e etin g
scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Monday night
M ay 22nd, at the Multnomah County
I.E .D ., Seminar Room, 220 S.E. 102nd.
Public hearings are scheduled for Mon
days, 7:30 p.m., June 5th (Roosevelt High
Cafeteria), June 12th, (Cleveland High
Cafeteria), June 19th (Lincoln High Cafe
teriä), and June 26th (M t. Hood Commu
nity College, Town and Gown Room).
Candidate leads YWCA walk
The sale, including used articles and a
“fantastic bake sale" will be held across
the street from the park at the home of
Northeast Y W C A Director Del von Bar
re tt, 2106 N .E . Ainsworth from 11:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
According to Ma. B arrett, money earn
ed from the Walkathon and Sale goes
toward partial scholarships for children
who do not qualify for any other West
wind scholarship program.
W hat happens if it rains?
“W e just get w et,” Director Barrett
said, "and pray a lot."
Ruth
McFarland
The fifth annual Walkathon and May
Sale, sponsored by the Northeast Y W C A
to help raise funds so that boys and girls
in the Northeast area can go to Camp
Westwind, the Y W C A summer camp
near Lincoln C ity, will be held Saturday,
May 20th.
Evie Crowell, a candidate for state
representative from the 16th District and
a former chairperson of the Y W C A Board
of Directors, will lead the Walkathon.
starting at 11:00 a.m., May 20th in
Alberta Park.
W alkers find sponsors willing to pledge
50 cents a lap around A lberta Park.
No m atter what happens in thia elec
tion year, it is important that Black
people and other people of color join
together for a common bond, built on
understanding, trust and the will to live.
In the last decade with the silencing of
the great voice of M artin Luther King,
Jr., the sound of thunder and the voice of
hope have dwindled to a whisper of
confusion, disillusion and distrust.
It is important that Black people and
people of color set out the priorities for
their destiny, for society will not address
the issues that affect Blacks and other
people of color unless Blacks and people
of color are willing to die for principles
that would allow their children of the
future to dream dreams that will become
a reality toward a better life.
Few persons in this present day have
been to the mountain top and even fewer
have a dream. The common bond of unity
is the most powerful force that Black
people and people of color have in which
to fight to bring about change in this
oppressed society.
Black people and
people of color will have to dictate, spell
out what it wants from society, what it is
willing to give in return and what it will
not tolerate.
It should be obvious to Black people
and people of color that no one cares if
you don't care - no one will fight if you're
not willing to fight - there will be no
dreams if you are not willing to dream -
there will be no reality if you are not
willing to join together in a common bond
of power and unity for the betterment of'
all people of color and hope that the -
future will bring universal understanding
to all people.
The time is now to build, for dreams
are the blueprint to reality and without
the blueprint, the children of the future
have no hope.
Endorsed by:
The Oregonian
The Oregon Journal
The Portland Observer
The W illamette Week
Oregon AFL-CIO
Oregon League of Envlronmenta
Voters
Oregon Public Employees Council
Citizen’s Alliance for Responsible
Education (School Board mem
bers and Administrators)
United Transportation Union
Portland Town Council
People
fo r
Im provem ent of
Education (Oregon Teachers)
Citizen Action by State Employees
Oregon Federation of Teachers
Paid for by GRETCHEN KAFOURY for State Representative No 13, BERYL
LINN, Treasurer; 1508 NE Stanton, Portland, Oregon 97212 282-8288
RE-ELECT
JUDGE JORDAN
14 YEARS EXPERIENCE
•Appointed Municipal Court Judge by Mayor Terry
Schrunk.
•Appointed Multnomah County Dtetrict Judge by Gov
ernor Tom McCeN. Elected 1072.
•Elected Presiding Judge 3 Times by hie Fellow Judges.
Art Festival
King and Sabin Community Schools
will hold its first “Spring A r t Festival" on
Saturday M ay 20th, from noon until 8:00
p.m. A t M artin Luther King Jr. Early
Childhood School located at 4906 N E
6th.
This is a community project sponsored
by community people with the assistance
of the Metropolitan A r t Commission,
please mark your calendar for this special
Fun Day. There is no admission, for more
information, contact: Liz Sheppard, 288-
6391 or Don Liedel: 281-6915.
•Elected President, American Judges Association, 1070.
Committee to Re-elect Judge Jordan,
Sam Martin, Treasurer
300 Jackson Tower, Portland, Ore 97208
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carol B ryan t
Democrat for State Representative
District 14
W orking
p eo p le s a y
N ellie Fox
w ill m ake
the best
Labor
Commissioner.
They're
right.
. Conscientious
. Confident
. Committed
• Candid
PAID FOR BY
F O I FOR LABOR COMMISSIONER COMMITTEE S 71
Endorsed,
Ora. AFL-CIO C.O.P.E.
Carol Bryant for State Representative Committee. Bob Smith, Treasurer
130 N.E. Holland St. • Portland. OR 97211 • 285-0060
For State Superintendent o f
Public Instruction
All children are entitled to quality
education.
Teachers should emphasize basic skills.
A new State
Superintendent
could be the
turning point
for our Schools
Textbooks should be at the appropriate
grade level
Quality, not quantity of administrators
is essential.
Competencies should be started at
kindergarten level.
Educational decision-making should be
at the local level.
Ruth McFarland for Supanntandant Committee (Virginia Wat. Ti
?960 N F Ovtamn No 17 Greuhem. OR 97030 666 2203
I believe that all people, regardless of race, religion,
or sex, have a right to equal opportunity in
education, in em ployment, and in housing. We
must work hard on legislation which guarantees
women's and m in o rity rights in this state.
JANE CEASE
I
y