K,
Page 2 Portland Observer Thuraday November 2, 1978
District 15 — Jim Chrest
W e see the world
through Black eyes
Vote on November 7th
Another election has rolled around and once
again candidates have come forward asking for
votes. Many of the successful candidates will
never be seen or heard from again until the next
election, many will not come back to talk with the
voters who elected them. A few will be seen in
the community, attempting to maintain com
munication, and making decisions in their elected
positions that benefit the common people.
But this is not entirely the fault of the office
holders. Communication is a two-way street.
Although elected and paid by the people, most of
the contacts and pressure to support particular
points of view come from paid lobbyists and
special interest groups. The voters have not ap
plied pressure to insure that they are heard, have
not monitored their votes and activities, and
merely forget them until election time comes
around again."
The failures that we see in the Democratic
process are not due to natural flaws in the
system, but are the result of an apathetic elec
torate.
Another difficulty facing the voters as well as
those seeking office is that it is fast becoming a
fact that unless a candidate has access to large
amounts of money — and this money is usually
provided by utilities, banking interests, the
medical professions, timber companies and
unions — he cannot be heard. Hours of talking to
the voters and years of service can be over
whelmed by an intense media blitz. The same is
true of Ballot Measures, which usually have a
group of concerned citizens on one hand and an
industry that will be adversely effected on the
other side. Who has the money?
X Governor — Bob Straub
The best choice for Gover
nor is Bob Straub. In his first
four years in office Straub
successfully requested the
creation of an Affirmative Ac
tion Office of the Legislature,
hired more Blacks on his staff
than any previous Governor,
and brought the number of
Black State employees to a
higher level. He has taken
strong — if unpopular — stands against the
death penalty, for the right of abortion, called a
special session to deal w ith tax lim itation
Measure 6. Although he does not have the ability
to gain favorable publicity that some of his
predecessors have, he has proved to be Oregon's
most capable Governor since Robert Holmes. He
deserves another four years.
X U.S. Senate — Vern Cook
Is money taking the justice
out of the elective process? In
a highly furnaced campaign
<$259,797) Mark Hatfield is
seeking a third six-year term in
the
U.S.
Senate.
His
Democratic opponent. State
Senator Vern Cook, is relying
on his twenty-two year record
in the Oregon Legislature and
an effort to meet the voters
across the state.
Cook has demonstrated his belief in equal
rights and his attention to those issues that
protect the rights and improve the lives of the
poor. The Observer endorses him for election to
the United States Senate.
SO Labor Com m issionor —
Wendy Roberts
Mary "W endy" Roberts is a
candidate for Labor Com
missioner, which has respon
sibility for the Civil Rights
Bureau and Apprenticeship.
Two of the most important
State functions relative to mi
norities. The Civil Rights
Bureau still does not bring
prompt and effective justice
for those who are victims of
discrimination and the minorities are not included
in fair proportion in apprenticeships. Mary Ro
berts is one of the few elected officials who has
dealt first hand with the suffering caused by
racism, having worked in the Albina office of
Children's Services and the Juvenile Court. She
will not only have the commitment to make the
Bureau function properly, but has the knowledge
of management and the strength of will to make
changes.
©
l i
IS Superintendent of Public
Instruction — Vern Duncan
The race for Superinten
dent of Public Education is be
tween current Superintendent
Vern Duncan and Mt. Hood
Community College professor
Ruth McFarland. Dr. Mc
Farland has good ideas and a
flamboyant personality, but
has not dealt with the realities
of administering the complex
Department of Education. Dr.
Duncan, on the other hand, is quiet and reserved
— not much of a campaign speaker — but he has
guided the Department of Education for the last j
four years in a responsible manner. His main
thrust in his first four years was on reading, and
reading scores have improved across the State.
He deserves re-election and gets the Observer’s
endorsement.
OS District
16 —
W ally Priestley
Wally Priestley has served
District 16 well, and during his
six sessions in the Legisla
ture has remembered who
sent him there. Although
Priestley's failure to succumb
to the dictates of well-
financed special interest
groups has brought him con
demnation by the white press,
his voting record on those
issues of concern to the ordinary voter is ex
cellent. For example, the Oregon Consumer
League rates his Legislative voting record as
100%; Common Cause 100%; Oregon State
Council of Senior Advocates, Excellent; Oregon
Women's Political Caucus 94%; Oregon Environ
mental Council 90%; and AFL-CIO 84%.
PORTLAND OBSERVER
lat Place
Community Service
ONPA 1973
la t Place
Saat Ad Hosuit»
ONPA 1973
Published every Thursday by E xit Publishing Company. 2201 North
Killingsworth, Portland. Oregon 97217. Mailing address: P.O. Box
3137, Portland. Oregon 97208. Telephone 283 2486
Subscriphons $7.50 per year in the Tri-County area. $8.00 per year
outside Portland
A kktf.
ALFRED L HENDERSON
Editor/Publisher
Second Clasa Poataga Paid at Portland. Oragon
Honorabla M antion
Harrick Editorial Awerd
NNA 1973
The Portland O b s trrtr't official position is expressed only in its
Publisher’s column (W e See The World Through Black byes). Any
other material throughout the paper is the opinion of the individual
writer or submitter and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the
Portland Obsrrvrr
2nd Place
Baat Editorial
3rd Place
Community Leadership
ONPA 1978
National Advartiaing Rapraaantativa
Amalgamated Publlaheri. Inc
Naw York
I
Bth Place
Bear Editorial
NNPA 1973
e V I p A p ER
3rd Place
Community Leadership
ONPA 1978
Oregon
Newspaper
Publishers
Association
1
Jim Chrest has represented North Portland
since 1974, serving on the Committee of
Education and on Intergovernmental Affairs. He
has worked for consumer protection, including
unit pricing, compensation for crime victims, and
aid to elderly persons in their own homes.
Chrest has the independence and intelligence
to make him an asset to the Legislature, and to
the residents of his District.
® M S D Executive — Rick
Gustafson
35, County Chairman — Don
Clark
«
Don Clark, Chairman of the
Multnomah County Board of
Commissioners, deserves re-
election.
Clark, though
plagued w ith shortage of
funds, has kept the county
fiscally secure. His health
program, providing health
care for the poor through the
normal health care channels,
is acclaimed throughout t h e ______________
nation.
Clark has been responsive to the community
and through the Quadrant Advisory Boards has
sought citizen input in decision making.
Earl Blumenaeur and Gladys McCoy, both
Democrats, are certain of election. Mrs. McCoy
will be beginning a new position - a full time,
paid position- with a clean slate and should be
judged on her future performance, not on the
past. We wish her the best.
/
The extremely im portant
races for Metropolitan Service
District Executive and coun
cil members are all but over
looked in the shadow of the
hotly contested Governors
race and numerous ballot
measures. The persons elect
ed to these new positions will
control in large part land use
planning, solid waste (dumps
and garbage), transportation, highway placement
(including Union Avenue redevelopment), and JS D is tric t C o u rt — Betsy
eventually possibly housing, economic develop
Welch
ment, Tri.-Met and the Port of Portland.
Rick Gustafson, a former Legislator, has the
Elizabeth Welch is seeking
knowledge and experience to get MSD off to a election to the Circuit Court,
good start.
Department of Domestic
Relations, to which she was
® M SD Council, Position 11 appointed
by Governor
— Robert Phillips
Straub. Judge Welch has ex
tensive experience in the field
Robert Phillips receives the
of
domestic relations and
Observer’s endorsement be
juvenile
law. As a Deputy
cause, since his return to
District
Attorney
assigned to
Portland following graduation
the juvenile court, she
from Oregon State University,
specialized in child abuse and neglect cases. As
he has been visibly involved in
director of the city's LEAA High Impact program
grass roots organizing. An ac
she
was instrumental in planning and obtaining
tive member of the King and
funding
for juvenile offender treatment and for
Sabin Neighborhood Associa
crime
prevention
programs. Her emphasis on
tions, Phillips is involved both
early detection of delinquency and provision of
through his employment with
services
to families and children in trouble, results
Adult and Family Services and his community ac
from
her
years of experience with family and
tivities in developing and guiding programs for youth,
juvenile
law.
the elderly, the handicapped, institutionalized
persons and the poor. As Chairman of the North
William
east Police Precinct Council he has demonstrated ® District Court -
an ability to bring opposing factors together to
Snouffer
discuss the differences, to work under pressure,
WilliamSnouffer has been
and to see behind the obvious.
a judge in the District Court
X MSD Council, Position 12 since 1976. He is a former
Deputy District Attorney, a
— Nick Barnett
law school professor and a
Nick Barnett is the Execu
trial attorney in private prac
tive Director of the Metropoli
tice. He has been rated by at
tan Human Relations Com
torney's as the most outstand
mission and therefore is ex
ing District Court judge and is
perienced in the multitude of
known for his fairness and
problems and pressures that
impartiality. He was appoint
effect the life of the com
ed to the Judicial Conduct
munity. A professional social
Committee and the Judicial Fitness Commission.
w orker, Barnett has had
Intelligence, courage and integrity are the most
previous experience in higher
valued qualifications for a man who makes
education as it relates to career
decisions about other people's freedom. Judge
development. His main concerns if elected to the Snouffer possesses these credentials.
MSD Board, will be to insure that planning for
the growth and development of the metropolitan
area will provide a positive impact on inner-city
Be Decisive. Vote No!
residents.
Barnett has the experience and the sense to
Vote No on Measure 6 and No on Measure 11.
perform this function well.
Both Measures are an attempt by frustrated tax
to obtain relief from property taxes.
jSfl MSD Council, Position 8 — payers
Basically, Measure 6 would place a limit on all
Carrie Miller
property taxes raised and Measure 11 would have
the state pay a portion of the residential property
Carrie Miller, a former
taxes out of income tax revenue.
teacher, is president of the
Portland
Federation
of
Measure 6 is the original initiative patterned af
Teachers (AFL-CIO, which
ter California's Proposition 13, and Measure 11 is
represents teachers and non-
the Legislature's effort to soften the blow.
professional employees, anc
Both Measures will bring drastic cuts in city,
Secretary of the Oregon
county and state services - schools, police and
Federation of Public Em
fire, social programs, parks and recreation, health
care, etc.
ployees. She serves on the
Who will be hurt most by these Measures? The
City of Portland's Economic
people who are dependent on state and local ser
Development Council. She
has demonstrated a determined concern for vices - the elderly, children and youth, the ill and
human rights and for ethical principles in her handicapped, minorities and the poor. These
dealings with the Portland School District. She Measures are racist in their intent and application
has the independence and the intelligence to con vote No on Measure 6 and on Measure 11.
tribute greatly to the MSD Council.
9
IS Measure 51 — Yes
M Measure 10 — No
Count all those cavities and fillings in your
mouth. Add up the money it cost to repair them
— and the pain, loss of work, and inconvenience
it cost. Check out the mouths of little children in
Oregon, who got their first cavities about the
time they began kindergarten. Check out the
mouths of the elderly who are too poor to replace
extracted teeth.
Is all this necessary? No. One of Portland's
greatest health hazards could be avoided easily,
safely, and cheaply. Don't be deterred by those
that cry "p o is o n ” — "com m un ism " —
"corrosion."
Vote yes on Measure #51 to fluoridate Port
land's water.
Measure #10 is another attempt to get LDCD
(The Land Development and Conservation
Commission). This measure would eliminate the
state land use goals that have been written by
LCDC with citizen input and would require the
Legislature to rewrite the goals within 60 days or
LCDC will be eliminated.
The people of Oregon have spent years^
developing comprehensive plans to guide
development in their neighborhoods. This
measure would not only negate all of that work,
but would be a step backward, placing local
planning in the hands of a Legislature already
over burdened and restricted by political con
siderations.