Portland observer., April 16, 1981, Image 1

For the children o f A tlanta
and for all children who are
hungry, suffer and live in
fear.
Mayor dismantles economic development unit
On January 2nd, o f this year, the
C ity created a new econom ic
developm ent stru ctu re w ith the
C ity ’ s firs t Business O m budsm an
and an Economic Planning Section
rep la cing the fo rm e r Bureau o f
E conom ic
D evelopm ent.
I he
Business O m budsm an was to a d ­
vocate for businesses and to serve as
the M a y o r’ s d ire ct co n ta ct fo r
businesses in the C ity. In a dd itio n,
the O m budsm an was to supervise
the Economic Planning Section was
to serve as the center for data collec­
tio n and analysis and to do
econom ic developm ent p la nn ing ,
c o o rd in a tin g C ity bureaus in that
e ffo r t, consistent w ith adopted
econom ic developm ent p o lic y .
O th e r p ro gram fu n c tio n s o f the
fo rm e r Bureau o f E co no m ic
Developm ent, in clu d in g technical
assistance and p ro je c t im p lem en ­
ta tion were moved to PDC, the in ­
tended im plem entor fo r economic
development.
One o f the stated purposes o f the
re o rg a n iz a tio n was to achieve
greater im p act on the econom ic
developm ent needs and o p p o r­
tunities in the C ity . It was decided
by the M ayor’ s office to concentrate
resources in a specific area o f the
C ity fo r m axim um im p a c t. S ub­
sequently, review and analysis o f the
va riou s sections o f the C ity id e n ­
tifie d inner northeast as the area o f
greatest need and o p p o rtu n ity fo r
economic development.
On March 18th, M ayor Ivancie's
and C ity C o u n c il’ s citizen advisory
body, the Econom ic Development
Advisory Committee, was presented
a ta rg et area concept by the
Economic Planning Section and, as
stated by M a y o r Iva ncie in the
M a rch 26th P o rtla n d O bserver,
"nam ed inner northeast Portland as
the first area targeted fo r economic
developm ent.” The M ayor fu rth e r
stated th a t, “ T his decision means
that the C ity w ill concentrate and
c o o rd in a te its developm ent re­
sources in this area. This is the first
tim e th a t ah area east o f the
W illam ette River has been singled
out fo r special a tte n tio n in recent
m em ory, i feei it is a very positive
decision fo r all o f P ortland.”
During his press conference at the
end o f M a rc h , the M a y o r an­
nounced a second reorganization o f
economic development as a part o f
his budget presentation. He stated
that PD C w o u ld be the C ity ’ s
econom ic developm ent agency,
because o f its tra c k reco rd in
economic development and that this
m ove was c le a rly w ith in the C ity
c h a rte r, w hich gives P D C the
responsibility and a u th o rity to un­
d ertake the im p le m e n ta tio n o f
economic development.
T h is second re o rg a n iz a tio n in
f u u i m on ths w o u ld e lim in a te the
Business O m budsm an fu n c tio n in
the M a y o r's o ffic e and move that
activity to PDC as a Project C oordi­
n a to r under the new ly created
Econom ic Development D ire cto r.
The M ayo r also proposes either to
elim inate or to move the economic
p la n n in g fu n c tio n under the
Economic Development D irector o f
PDC as well.
In rem oving the Econom ic Plan­
n in g S ection fro m his proposed
budget, it is not clear whether the
Mayor intends to eliminate the plan­
ning fu n c tio n o r to m ove it in to
P D C . H ow e ver, on several oc­
casions the M a y o r has stated that
PDC is an implementing agency and
not a planning o ffic e . He has also
stated they are "m o v in g into an im ­
p le m e n ta tio n m ode ra th e r than a
planning mode.”
Since p ro p o s in g th is second
reo rg an izatio n, neither the M ayor
nor PDC has addressed his proposal
to target economic development in
(Please turn to Page 8 Col 3)
PORTLAND OBSERVER
April 1«, 1M1
Volum« XI Number 28
26C per copy
Community meeting set
Playing the game of politics
I t ’ s politics as usual as the mem­
bers o f the House o f Represen­
tatives meet frequently to attempt to
realine their districts while removing
three p osition s fro m M u ltn o m a h
County.
The p o in t o f co n te n tio n has be­
come the question o f whether an in­
tegral community populated in large
part by Blacks should be in one
legislative district or be divided into
three districts.
Leaders o f the d riv e to d iv id e
the Black co m m u n ity in to three
d is tric ts are reported to be
Representatives Tom M ason and
Jane Cease. M ason c u rre n tly
represents a Southwest district and
Ms. Cease’ s district contains a por­
tion o f Albina.
Children from Head Start Center Number 3, stop to play in sand pile in Jefferson High School s front
yard following a rally to support the school.
(Photo: Richard Brown)
R epresentative Cease denied
Tuesday that she is pushing the
three district concept, saying, "W e
need to know whether Blacks want
to influence three districts or one.”
She continued to explain that in her
opinion the Black comm unity would
have m ore influ en ce in the
legislature i f it a ffected three
districts. "T h e y can influence three
districts or have a token.”
Asked w hether the fo u r House
members now elected from districts
which are now in part in the Black
c o m m u n ity are influ en ced by the
Black constituents, she replied, “ In ­
fluenced, yes; responsive, I c a n 't
say.” She explained that when the
percentage o f Blacks in a legislative
district is small, their contacts w ith
the le g isla to r are few er, and
therefore their effect is m inim ial. " I
deal w ith co nstitu en ts as in ­
dividuals. I f Blacks, as individuals,
came to me I try to respond.”
R epresentative K a fo u ry , whose
legislative district also extends into
the Black com m unity, disagrees. " I
s tro n g ly oppose c h op ping up a
n a tu ra l c o m m u n ity in to pieces in
o rd e r to p ro tect the te rr ito ry o f
cu rre n t le g is la to rs ,” she said. " I
su pp ort o n e -d is tric t that w ou ld
p ro tect the in te g rity o f the co m ­
m u n ity .” Representative K a fo u ry
added that she is very angry at the
b la ta nt attem pts to gerrym ander
and believes the d istricts should be
draw n w ith o u t regard to the
residences o f current legislators.
C u rre n tly fa v o rin g the three-
district proposal are Representatives
Jim C hrest and H o w a rd C h e rry .
The Mason plan (see figure 1) would
create d is tric ts fo r C hrest and
Cherry (9 & 10) in the area north o f
Prescott and between St. Johns and
C u lly Boulevard. The th ird d istrict
(8) w ould run south o f Prescott to
80-N, from the W ila m e ttc River to
approximately 57th Avenue.
Although the dividing line has not
yet been drawn, one proposal would
have created a narrower district fo r
C hrest, ru n nin g fro m St. Johns to
C ully, south o f that district, running
fro m near the U n iv e rs ity o f P o rt­
land to C ully would be a district for
C h e rry. The p ro ble m here is th a t
both live in the western end o f the
d is tric t.
Another problem is the attempt to
retain three legislative districts on
the west side. In order to retain the
needed number o f residents in Vera
K a tz ’ northw est P o rtla n d d is tric t
(pre fe ra b ly Dem ocrats), a p o rtio n
o f southeast P o rtla n d - the Buck-
man area - has been attached to her
area. This, o f course, also protects
(Please turn to Page 10 Col 3)
Wacker: Asset or liability?
W acker S iltro n ic came to P o rt­
land w ith a fa n fa re , and is s till
praised as a prim e exam ple o f
cooperation between governm ent
and private industry.
Many questions remain to be an­
swered: H ow were the C E T A
trainees w ho w o u ld become the
fu tu re W acker employees chosen?
Did the selection process exclude the
real “ hard core” unemployed? Was
the tra in in g provided by P ortland
C om m un ity C ollege, w ith federal
E T A funds, more extensive than
he job s required? Were W acker
rainees over-trained at the expense
i f other C E T A -e lig ib le residents?
)id the tra in in g screen o u t those
. ith less adequate edu catio n and
o rk experience - the residents
ETA was designed to assist?
In return fo r substantial C ity aid,
Vacker agreed to select its produc-
ion employees from a pool trained
by the C ity - a “ First Source agree­
ment.”
Wacker agreed to provide a list o f
jobs and d e scrip tio n s, te ch n ica l
assistance, and machines necessary
lo r training. The agreement was to
over "W a c k e r’ s on-going m an­
power needs fo r purposes o f fillin g
vacancies,” "W a c k e r’ s manpower
needs fo r its first m ajor expansion
on the project site,” and "a n y sub­
sequent expansion i f W acker so
desires.”
Wacker was to return all decisions
on hiring and to provide assessment
materials fo r testing trainees at the
end o f th e ir tra in in g , but were to
hire from the C ity-tra in e d pool. I f
the C ity were able to pro vid e per­
sonnel, W acker c o u ld h ire else­
where. Selection o f the trainees was
the responsibility o f the C ity.
P rio r to the start o f the W acker
project the C ity ’ s C E T A program
was re-organized. The sub-contracts
to PO IC and P ortland C om m unity
C ollege fo r o utrea ch and o rie n ­
ta tio n were w ith d ra w n , a new city
sta ff was hired, and outreach selec­
tio n and o rie n ta tio n became the
responsibility o f the City.
A supplement to the Wacker con­
tract explains the selection process:
"R e c ru itm e n t w ill be done on a
‘ selection basis, i.e ., in accordance
w ith agreed upon goals and o bjec­
tives between the C ity o f P o rtlan d
and W acker. The re cru itin g is d if ­
fe re nt fro m re g u la r re c ru itin g in
th a t it is custom ized to meet the
requirements o f only those potential
Wacker jo b applicants.”
Joe G onzales, d ire c to r o f M a n ­
pow er and T ra in in g fo r the C ity ,
to ld the Observer that he does not
know how trainees fo r the Wacker
p ro je c t were selected. He said the
C ity has no records on numbers o f
applicants, rejections, drop-outs, or
the educational status, race and age
o f applicants who applied but who,
fo r any reason, did not get into the
training program.
This in spite o f the statement o f
purpose fo r the dep artm en t
re o rg a n iz a tio n in a re p o rt to the
C ity Council on February 13, 1979:
" T h e proposed re o rg a n iz a tio n is
designed to assure continuity o f ser­
vices to the economically disadvan­
taged needing em ploym ent assist­
ance in Portland, improve the over­
all management o f the C E T A p ro ­
g ram , and increase the C ity ’ s ac­
co un tab ility fo r the operation o f an
effective manpower program .”
The tra in in g process fo r m ost
trainees began w ith a tr ip to the
C E T A o ffice in the Board o f Trade
B u ild in g d o w n to w n . Some in te r ­
viewed said they had to m ake
repeated a p p lic a tio n s and be very
in siste n t a bo ut being accepted;
o thers said they were put in the
program and told it was "W acker or
nothing.”
The tra in in g fo r some began at
(Please turn to Page 4 Col 2)
Figure I: Mason Plan
Figure 2: One-district Plan
Frohnmayer offers harassment bill change
A tto rn e y General F rohnm ayer
offered substitute legislaton fo r the
G o v e rn o r’ s racial harassment b ill
before the House Ju d ic ia ry C om ­
mittee Tuesday.
F ro h n m a y e r’ s pro po sal w ou ld
elevate the crim es o f m enacing,
crim ina l m ischief and assault from
the classification o f misdemeanors
to felonies when they are committed
with racial intent.
The A tto rn e y General explained
that using the current law against
assault, c rim in a l m is c h ie f and
menacing as a base w ould provide
the new legislation with case law and
court in stru ctio n that w ould make
enforcement easier. His intent was
to rem ove any dangers o f u nco n ­
s titu tio n a lity due to vagueness or
freedom o f speech.
This legislation w ould introduce
“ m o tive ” which is not c u rre n tly a
fa c to r in p ro v in g g u ilt. M o tiv e
w o u ld not be an elem ent o f the
crim e, but would be the essence o f
the crime.
It avoids the free speech issue by
m aking verbal threats and symbolic
threats such as cross burnings and
p aintin g swastikas evidence o f the
motive. Speech would be the " p r o o f
o f ” instead o f the " f a c t o f ” the
crime.
The crimes - as already defined by
law - c o u ld be prosecuted as
misdemeanors, but i f the prosecutor
c o u ld prove ra c ia l o r re lig io u s
m otive they could be prosecuted as
felonies. "H e would look at the fact
pattern and derive the state o f mind
or motive from there.”
Jefferson High School students relly behind their school to oppose plens to move Jefferson to the
Adams building. The School Boerd will heer testimony on high school closure recommendetlons on
April 23rd, 7:30 p.m.. et Benson High School.
(Photo; Richerd Brown)