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Legislation, taxes discussed
by RichLixhner
A people’s united front on state
issues was put forward at a March
27 forum sponsored by the Portland
Citizens Party. Ed Blackburn of the
Citizens Party. Ron Herndon of the
Black U nited Front (B U F ), and
Kathy Weaver of Oregon Fair Share
spokt on issues from aid to the med­
ically needy to opposing a sales lax.
They addressed an audience of 60 at
the Friends H all on S.E. Stark.
The speakers emphasized a grass­
roots approach, mobilizing people
so progressive bills don't get lost in
the legislative shuffle.
The sales tax is pushed mostly by
lib e ra l-to -m o d e ra te Dem ocrats
frightened by the near-victory last
November o f the property-tax lim i­
tation measure, Blackburn said. He
believes legislators " w ill confront
voters with a bad choice: a sales tax
or no property tax relief.” He calle«!
for positive choices, such as a home­
stead exemption or a more progres­
sive income tax.
The Citizens Party is organizing a
phone and letter-writing campaign
to local legislators against the sales
tax, Blackburn stated. He said the
sales tax would hit people in the $15-
$30,000 income bracket hardest,
since they would receive little or no
rebate under current proposals.
The black community would pay
relatively more of the sales (ax than
any other group in the state, accord­
ing to Ron Herndon.
The BUF has three major legisla­
tive concerns, Herndon said: wel­
fare reform, use of deadly force by
police, and South A fric a divest­
ment.
Mothers on public assistance no
longer get paid prenatal care until
the eighth month o f pregnancy,
Herndon said, a rule he believes has
increased in fan t m o rtality in the
black community. He called for Re­
publicans to "live up to their apple
pie and fam ily rhetoric" and sup­
port welfare for 2-parent families,
eliminated in 1979 cutbacks.
Herndon wants the State of
School transfer
deadline near
Portland high school students
with a valid reason to transfer
schools for the 1983-84 school year
must submit requests between April
I and June 16 under new guidelines
established by the school district.
Limiting transfer applications to
a specific time period is being ini­
tiated in the Portland School Dis­
trict this year, to process transfer
applications more equitably.
After the June 16 deadline, trans­
fer applications w ill not be con­
sidered until one week after school
opens in the fall. Transfer requests
at that time w ill be granted on a
space-available basis.
School district policy specifies
these four reasons for granting
transfers: Desegregation (to help
achieve integration of students of all
races); hardship (includes health,
critical personal problems, unusual
job problems, etc.); educational
program (to provide an educational
program not otherwise available);
transfer to neighborhood school of
residence.
Applications are processed in the
order they are received, and most
transfer requests willl be acted on by
the end of this school year.
Present freshmen, sophomores or
juniors who want to transfer schools
should obtain a transfer application
form at the school they now are at­
tending and return the completed
form to that same school.
Eighth-grade students who want
to attend a high school out o f their
neighborhood should obtain a
transfer application form from their
elementary or middle school. The
same transfer policy applies to
eighth-graders.
Magnet high schools will continue
to accept applications directly until
May 15. After May 15 the transfer
application policy also will apply to
magnet schools.
FORAHROYWG
COUCH ARD
STUFFY ROSI
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COUCH FORMAR
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Oregon to tell its stock in companies
doing b utin eu with South A frica,
which he labeled "the only country
where segregation it the la w . . . the
most oppressive nation on earth.”
He attacked a South Africa trip tak­
en by Oregon’s Secretary o f State
C lay M yers, who opposes divest­
ment. Herndon said the trip was
featured in a Portland business
magazine as “ a tourist paradise
complete with pictures o f smiling
blacks and exotic animals. ”
Kathy Weaver said Oregon Fair
Share supports welfare reform and
opposes the tales tax. She pointed
out difficulties with working in the
state legislature: citizens often feel
overwhelmed by legislators and lob­
byists who act more like media stars
than people’s servants.
She said bills her group developed
out of neighborhood organizing are
often sent to committees dominated
by opponents. Even when bills do
pass, big business often finds ways
to avoid them.
For instance, in 1981 Fair Share
won a ¡aw sharply lim iting utility
shutoffs during winter months.
Weaver said the utilities have avoid­
ed the law by charging deposits o f
up to $200, teiming customers who
move "applicants,” and charging
high fees for c u to ff notices. Fair
Share now is working to stop these
new practices, but Weaver said the
utilities are offering "amendments'*
that would effectively gut the legis­
lation. She added, however, "This
one isn't up for compromise.”
F air Share is organizing a
people's lobbying day in Salem in
M ay. Forum moderator Thalia Ze-
patos said that since the groups have
many common issues and oppon­
ents, they should consider a united
lobbying day.
Zepatos went on to propose hu­
morously that tax breaks for the
well-to-do be given only as "luxury
stam ps." She said many people
blame high taxes on (he poor when
(hey see the dow n-and-out using
food stamps. She wondered what
people's reactions would be if they
saw the rich using government "lu x ­
ury stamps” to buy expensive cars,
vacations, and jewelry.
Dr. H. Claude Hudaon. a former national board
member of the N ational Aaaocltlon for the A d ­
vancement of Colored People, la being honored by
Supervisor Kenneth Hahn whoee motion wee ap­
proved by the Loe Angelee County Board of Super-
viaora to proclaim April 19. 19*3 ea Dr. H. Claude
Hudaon Day throughout the County of Loa A n ­
gelee. On that day. Dr. Hudaon will celebrate hla
97th birthday. "Dr. Hudaon la a great humanitarian
w ho haa dedicated hla life to fig h tin g for civil
rlghta and equal opportunity for all people.” Hahn
aald. "Ha la one of our graataat citizens and a great
American."
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