Register now
Harold Williams
H arold Williams is a labor negoti-
ator and fo rm e r a ffirm ative action
officer f o r the Stale. H e is involved
in the N A A C P , a n d B ethel A M E
Church.
W hat new sources o f revenue do
you support? H o w would you bal
ance the state budget?
" I am looking at (ax incentives to
established businesses who will hire
in the area. Oregon is depressed be
cause o f unemployment. There will
be no assistance fro m the federal
governm ent so the state must f ill
that role.”
W illiam s would favor building a
structure so all econom ic grants
com ing to the state would go to
the m o il depressed areas to entice
business to put people to work.
The budget would be balanced if
the cuts were spread across all
agencies. Now cuts are usually
made at the expense o f human ser
vices. “ We need to look at priorities
in the whole structure o f go vern
m e n t.” The tax structure needs to
be revamped.
W hat is y o u r o p inion o f pub lic
utility districts?
The whole structure and a lig n
ment o f utilities should be studied.
I f there is a lower rate with PU D s,
Williams would support them.
D o you fa v o r the f a ir share con
cept f o r state employees?
‘ ‘ I f they get the benefits they
should pay.”
Should public employees have the
right to strike?
“ D e fin ite ly they should have a
right to strike. A strike by public
employees has the same impact as
private employees. It is wrong to as
sume that the adverse effects o f a
strike by public employees is d iffe r
ent than those created by a strike of
private employees.”
H o w w ould you reo rg an ize the
slate system o f higher education to
economize yet provide quality edu
cation?
W illiam s would look at the skill
areas needed for the fu tu re . “ W e
have to steal concepts from the ju
nior colleges— we need to move
away from the elitist attitudes and
be more in tune with reality.”
“ A cadem ic freedom is not
enough” — the schools are taking too
much money. We have to see where
people go to w o rk— about types o f
em p lo ym en t— and m ake the c o l
leges more productive.
What Committees would you like
to serve on? W hat are the m ain
issues you w ould address in these
Committees?
Land Use and Economic D evel
opment because they have an impact
on fu tu re g ro w th . M o re money
should go to the departm ent o f
economic developm ent to a ttra c t
business— they haven’t put enough
money into this.
He is also interested in human re
sources. “ I w ould w ant to make
sure that no person has to suffer be
cause o f not having the basics o f
life. We need to prived more money
so people can live w ith d ig n ity .”
The adm inistration o f funds in hu
man resourses is often dehumaniz
ing. T o have food people must go
through this when there should be
resources to help. “ We need to have
a system with humaneness.”
What are the m ajor problems f o r
the people o f D is tric t 18? W hat
would you do?
“ The number one problem is eco
nomics— the 20 per cent plus unem
ployment.” We need to attract busi
ness to put people to work. Image is
another problem . “ It is a positive
community but a negative approach
is given. W e never see the 95 per
cent who are the successes.”
Who would you consull regularly
regarding legislative decisions? H o w
would you keep in touch with your
constituents. ?
“ I would like to see an ongoing
com m unity body made up o f the
churches, business, etc., to touch
bases monthly and have a continued
voice to m ake sure w hat we are
doing has insight. This would need
to be continuous.
“ I would talk w ith people who
are involved in the particular issue.”
What is you r opinion on crime in
the area?
“ I would approach it from two
sides— not put more people in jail. I
would get social groups involved,
look at black on black crime, make
sure law-enforcement is not negative
and causing things to happen. How
the police relate to the community is
very important.”
What is your opinion o f the Tub-
man decision? D o you support the
B U F ’s tactics?
“ The School Board made the
promise; it can’t be changed just be
cause two School Board members
change.” As fo r the B U F , “ I re
spect the results, you c an ’ t argue
with that. Because o f their actions
the Board is reassessing. The b o t
tom line is the result. People are
working together who haven’t spok
en fo ra long tim e.”
Roger Troen_
Roger Troen ‘s m ajor interest is in
the rights o f dom estic a n im als—
dogs and cats. H e is active in related
organizations. H e is a p rin te r by
profession.
W hat new sources o f revenue
w ould you support? H o w w ould
you balance the budget?
‘ ‘ N o ta x ,” Troen said. " I am a
L ib ertarian-D em ocrat.” State ser
vices would have to curtailed. The
fire departments would have to be
m aintained; leg alizatio n o f drugs
w ould have an im pact on crim e,
lowering the incidence o f burglaries,
so the police would not have to be
expanded.
“ I can’ t understand how people
so alienate themselves that they
c an ’ t go to fa m ily or friends fo r
help. I ’ve swallowed my pride and
maintained control with my family;
I try to have friend s. I f I have a
problem I don’t want to have to rely
on someone down in M edford. Peo
ple need to look after themselves.”
Troen explains that because gov
ernm ent has taken the c itizen s ’
money through taxes it would be ne
cessary to continue social programs
for the poor for some time, to phase
them out gradually. Ultim ately the
poor would be assisted voluntarily.
“ People are better than the p o liti
cians make them out to be.”
D o you fa v o r p u b lic u tility dis
tricts?
“ W e have in 11-D in the consti
tution to provide funding for public
power and I think it should be put
in to e ffe c t.” H e is in fav o r o f
P U D s: “ H yd ro power belongs to
the people.”
D o you fa v o r the f a i r share con
cept f o r state employees?
“ I f I wanted union help, I would
jo in . T o force people to pay union
dues is w ro n g .” As to people who
reap the benefits o f union activity
and do not pay, “ Let the union
people call them freeloaders." I f the
workers arc getting better wages be
cause o f union organizing, and still
do not want to jo in , they will have
to put up with the scorn o f the union
members.
The employer, the employees and
the union should w ork out their
problems together.
“ Em ployers are not th e ir own
boss.. . . I developed a skill, decide
what to charge for it, and sell it at
that p ric e .. . . People have the same
opportunity; they arc not restricted
from the libraries. I see kids in school
w hile some others were out p la y
ing.” I f people are not satisfied with
their w o rkin g conditions they
should go elsewhere.
Should public employees have the
right to strike?
Society. " T h e people still have not
been told the truth about what hap
pens out there.” The consciousness
o f the media is low . Tro en would
aggressively push for expanded con
sciousness about the plight and the
rights o f domesticated animals.
What are the m ajor problems f o r
the people o f D is tric t 18 and how
would you address them?
The m ajor problem is the lack o f
home ownership. I f everyone who
wants to own a home could obtain
one, the d istrict w ould not be as
drab as it is. There is a lack o f color,
a flatness. “ The district has tremen
dous potential. It is close to down
town, access is good, but there is a
lack o f sense o f community. Neigh
borhoods are very important.”
Who would you consult on pend
ing legislation? H o w w ould you
keep in touch with y o u r constitu
ents?
" I would talk to all o f the Liber
ta ria n s .” H e w ould seek advice
from the other candidates since they
are the n atu ral leadership. H e be
lieves they w ould want to be in
volved.
BTiar is you r opinion on the crime
problem?
Legalization o f drugs would d i
minish crim e. U nem ploym ent
causes much crime. “ I am basically
for creating jobs— having the type
o f education that would allow peo
ple creativity in finding jobs for sat
isfaction not just for money.”
He advocates no more prisons be
cause prisons create criminals. The
state should o ffe r trea tm en t, not
punishment.
W hat do y o u think o f the Tub-
man decision and the Black United
Front's tactics?
The Tubman decision was wrong.
They are talking money. It causes
other spin-offs that could cost a lot
more in the long run. The School
Board should have honored its com
m itm en t. “ They want to m anipu
late, not be manipulated. They are
out o f touch.”
The Black United Front: “ I love
th e m .” They are very imaginative
and it w o rk s — i t ’ s w o rkin g now.
They w o u ld n ’ t have gotten media
tion w ithout the disruptions. The
fact that has been overlooked is that
“ the School Board disrupted the
lives o f all those kids.”
Seattle and San Francisco.
Legislators should have local o f
fices in the community— staffed by
senior citizens— where people can
give suggestions and file complaints.
Backstrom would consult people
at Portland State University, com
munity organizations, and the net
work o f close associates he has es
tablished throughout the country.
What are the m ajor problems f o r
the people o f D is tric t 18. W hat
would you do?
Backstrom considers the m ajor
problems to be housing, crime, eco
nomic recovery. His goal would be
to bring new business to the are to
provide employment.
What is your opinion on the crime
problem?
Crim e is compounded by lack o f
jobs and m oney. P ro v id in g jobs
w ould do much to a lleviate the
crime problem.
Who would you consult on pend
ing leg islatio n ? H o w w ould you
keep in touch with y o u r constitu
ents?
W hat do you think o f the Tub-
man decision and the Black United
F ro n t‘s tactics?
Backstrom considers the School
Board change o f plans to be wrong.
He does not think the fact that two
new members joined the Board to be
a valid reason for changing the deci
sion. “ W hen Congress makes a
treaty it is upheld even a fte r the
members o f Congress change. I
think a prom ise w hould be like a
treaty— it should be kept.”
The B U F is providing leadership
and direction in the Black com mu
nity and he supports them w hole
heartedly.
“ Public employees should have a
right to strike and the state should
have the right to fire them .”
H o w w ould y o u reo rg an ize the
state system o f higher education to
econom ize y e t p ro v id e q u a lity
education?
T ro en w ould abolish a ll public
schools, including the colleges and
universities.
He favors a system where anyone
who wants to teach could set up a
class and find students. The increase
in the level o f education “ would be
p h en o m e n a l.” D iffe re n t classes
would teach different things; there
w ould be an exchange o f ideas.
“ M inds w ould expand on every
level.”
Troen believes this w ill happen
automatically. “ The people are at a
point where they won’t be told what
to d o ."
What Committees would you like
to serve on? W hat are some issues
you would address?
Troen would choose the commit
tee on environm ent and would
spend much o f his time speaking on
behalf o f animals— especially dogs
and cats. Thousands o f cats and
dogs are killed annually— strays and
animals turned over to the Humane
vote on May 18th
Elect a man who la
EXPERIENCED
to the
Court of Appeals
JUDGE WALKER
In a recent statewide
JU D IC IA L PERFORMANCE SURVEY
lawyers rated Judge Walker very high in
•
•
•
•
Analytical Ability
Open Mindedness
Common Sense & Practicality
Legal Knowledge
£L
Pd for by the C o m m ltlM to elect Judge Walker to the
Court of Appeals
re-elect
Gretchen
Kofbury
state representative
democrat
~
A Proven Record
Paid for by: Gretchen Kafoury for State Representative Committee,
Anne Kelly Feeney, Treasurer, 1508 N E Stanton, Portland, or 97212
Walter Backström
(E d ito r's note: M r. B ackstrom
d id not p ro vid e a photograph f o r
this interview./
W hat new sources o f revenue
w ould you support? H o w w ould
you balance the budget?
Backstrom would support a grad
uated income tax to ensure that
persons on the upper end o f the in
come scale pay their share o f taxes.
He also supports a graduated cor
porate income tax.
Backstrom supports and would
work for the designation o f N o rth
east P o rtla n d as an “ enterprise
zone.” Under the Reagan adminis
tra tio n ’ s plan enterprise zones
would offer (ax benefits and a relax
ation o f federal regulations on em
ployers within the zone.
D o you fa v o r p u b lic u tility dis
tricts?
“ Yes, if cost effective.”
D o you fa v o r the f a ir share con
cept f o r state employees?
“ Yes, one fo r all and all fo r
one.”
Should public employees have the
right to strike?
“ Yes."
H o w w ould you reorganize the
state system o f higher education to
economize yet provide quality edu
cation?
Backstrom would support a com
mission to look at the colleges and
universities to see where there is du
plication o f programs. In order to
economize it might be necessary to
see if particular programs should be
located at one school and other pro
grams at another. He would support
closing schools if their programs du
plicate and are available elsewhere.
What committees would you like
to serve on?
Backstrom would select the trade,
judiciary and labor committees. He
would work for a 10 per cent set-
aside to ensure that m inority firms
get a share o f state contracts.
He would advocate for an enter
prise zone and would seek economic
funding to bring jobs to the area.
He advocates modernization o f the
Port o f P ortland to compete with
(Charles Stoudamlre and Rose Qangle were feetured In our May 6th Issue. I
J
Because
we're all in this
together.
Paid lor by Committee to Re elect Margaret Strachan