Page 4 Section I Portland Observer, January 18, 1984
EDITORIAL/OPINION
School
oard must obey law
Why does the Portland School Board refuse
to obey the law and allow voters to determine
whether board members should reside in seven
zones instead o f at-large? O f course it is an ef
fort to protect their own turf. For years the
Portland School Board has considered itself
above the law— remember the years o f unfair,
one-way “ desegregation” that was justified with
promises, half-truths and distorted statistics?
Now the Board is attempting to resist the ef
forts o f citizens who believe representative gov
ernment would be better served by requiring rep
resentatives from all areas o f the city. Currently
three members live in Northwest and three
others a few blocks o f each other in Northeast.
Some board members—rather than look at
the law—attempted to avoid the question by
asking how the new system would change the
quality o f the board. Although that question is
irrelevant—and implies that lower-class areas
might not have quality candidates—the answer
should be apparent. No, it is not assured that the
next board would not be as homogeneous as the
current board— five white men, one white wom
an; four attorneys, all professionals; all nearly
the same age; the same social class. But it is cer
tain that there are many, many citizens who are
as well qualified and perhaps more open-minded
than some o f the current board members.
Nomination/election by zones would be one
more step in the direction o f representative de
mocracy. Along with extending the vole to Blacks,
women, renters, young people, the move across
the country to single-member districts (Con
gress, state legislature, county commissions.
Metropolitan Service District, etc.) has brought
the voter closer to the elected official and al
lowed the voter the opportunity for a better
ers elected legislators county-wide, would never
go back to that system.
The School Board can try to stand in the way
o f democratic progress—as it has for at leas, 20
years—bu, in the end the people will prevail.
Why spend a Io, o f unnecessary time and money
to fight progress?
Stop the killing now
Last week a unit o f Nicaragua's Popular M ili
tia— the old men, little boys and women who
protect their homes and fields from U.S.-sup
ported “ Contras” — shot down a U.S. recon
naissance helicopter that had flown into Nicara
gua from Honduras. The helicopter was able to
land across the border in Honduras, but the fir
ing continued (according to news reports) and
the U.S. pilot was killed.
President Reagan's response was predictable.
It's not right to shoot from one country into
another, he said.
That’s exactly what the Nicaraguans arc say
ing. I t ’s no, right for the U.S. to train, support
and pay troops to invade across Nicaragua’s
borders and to bomb its cities and ports.
There were more than 200 overflights by U.S.
recon-helicopters and airplanes during the first
eleven months o f 1983, Defense Minister Hum
berto Ortega said in late December. There were
19 airborne atacks by “ those counterrevolution
ary instruments o f the C IA ” including the
bombing o f the Managua airport and the de
struction o f port facilities in Corinto. Since O r
tega’s remarks the port o f Portino was attacked
by air and sea.
There were also 100 violations o f Nicaragua’ s
territorial waters by U.S. naval ships and 60 by
Contras. These included 16 attacks on port facil
ities, ships and fishing boats.
There were 90 known incursions by counter
revolutionaries, 79 from Honduras and the res,
from Costa Rica. “ These infiltrators respond to
plans for kidnapping the remote populations,
assassinations, campaigns o f terror and eco
nomic sabotage that the C IA has designed for
the counterrevolutionaries,” Ortega explained.
During the first 11 months o f 1983, 346 civil
ians were murdered, and 601 wounded or kid
napped. O f the 346 killed, 242 were farmers and
workers and the other 104 were technicians or
professionals.
In the face o f these statistics o f war—o f
“ shooting from one country into another” —
Reagan is suddenly concerned that a U.S. pilot
has been killed while carrying out these deadly
operations.
Perhaps he should give a little concern for the
men, women and children he is killing and
maiming in Nicaragua.
“Central City" plan set in motion
(Continued fro m page I. column 3)
• W ill the new planners be hired or
existing staff transferred from other
duties?
• W ill the public financial assist
ance be given to firms in the targe,
area and, if so, will special prefer
ence be given to locally-owned or
minority-owned enterprises?
A ll o f these questions are laden
with political connotations. Some
will be answered as the plan de
velops, but most will be resolved in
the next three months during what
Commissioner Strachan's resolution
calls a "p re planning process."
The pre-planning process, to be
gin immediately upon passage of the
resolution, calls for the hiring of a
consultant (for $18,000) and the fo r
mation o f a Pre-Planning Com m it
tee. The Pre-planning Committee
will include M ayor Frank Ivancie,
Portland Development Commission
Executive Director Pa, LaCrosse.
Portland Planning Bureau Chief
Terry
Sandblast,
Commissioner
Strachan (serving as chair) and three
citizens. Ivancie will appoint two of
the citizens, and Strachan one.
The resolution empowers the Pre
planning Committee to "assist the
consultant(s) in preparing for Coun
cil consideration a timeline, process,
budget, detailed management plan,
exact boundaries and scope of
study.” The Pre-planning Com m it
tee also will "recommend criteria
for composition of a broad-based
Citizens Advisory Committee to en
sure adequate and balanced repre
sentation___ " A budge, for Fiscal
Year 1984 85 is to be presented by
M ay 1 from this group to the City
Council.
Responding to comments from
the Southeast U p lift board about
the "stacked” nature o f the pre
planning
phase.
Commissioner
Strachan reiterated her commitment
to citizen review and as chair o f the
committee said she would do every
thing possible to allow for it.
I f other members of the comm it
tee don't want open, public hearings
during the pre-planning phase,
Strachan promised, " I ’ ll do it my
self.”
Despite this pledge, there remains
significant concern from Southeast
U plift activists about the openness
of the pre-planning process. “ I t ’s
not that easy for Joe Citizen to call
up Pat LaCrosse and talk with him
for 20 minutes,” commented one of
the board members. Worried that
limited response time might lock ci
tizens out o f the process. Committee
Chair Ben Butzien noted, "T h e y’ve
only got three months, and we know
how that works with neighborhood
associations."
Next week: A look at How the
Central City plan could change the
face o f Portland.
Public Safety Commission seeks input
(Continued fro m page I column 31
will likely be surveys and cable T V
programs, she added.
Public participation is also en
couraged at commission meetings
held the second Thursday evening of
each month at the Portland Build
ing, she said. To place an item on
Ihe agenda it is necessary to call or
w riie ahead.
Nielson said that at the end of two
years, or as ideas come up along the
way, the commission will take its
findings to the City Council and the
County Commission. Lindberg sees
the Public Safety Commission’s re
port as a plan for policy makers
"that would be our guiding light as
far as budget decisions in the fu
ture.”
He looked forward to the Com
mission's work having the same im
pact on public safety as the C ity’s
energy savings plan had in that area,
becoming a model for many other
cities.
Lindberg said the idea for the
Commission grew out o f controver
sy surrounding the opposum inci
dent, internal police department
problems, budget cuts, and lack of
jail space. Contrary to the fear of
some city commissioners, said Niel
son, the commission will not be as
sessing the performance o f the po
lice and local criminal justice sys
tem. "T h e purpose o f htis commis
sion is not to point fingers," she
said.
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MEMBER
X»»oti«fion - founded ,885
Months after Reagan’s highly
touted "recovery," over 10 million
Americans are still unemployed.
The Reagan Administration has
done everything it can to guarantee
widespread suffering and jobless
ness for the future Budget reduc
tions slashed over two million jo b
less men and women from receiving
unemployment compensation bene
fits last year. Funds for vocational
training and for new federally-spon
sored jobs have been cut 60 percent
since January, 1981. About 100,000
people lost jobs due to Reagan’s re
ductions in Urban Developments
Action Grants (U D A G s).
And
another $2.1 billion cut in 1982 de
stroyed J40.000 jobs for low-income
people funded by state and local
programs.
W ith the exception o f Jesse Jack-
son, none of the Democratic presi
dential candidates are proposing e f
fective full employment agendas.
Most o f them are advocating a " w a
tered-down” version of Reaganom
ics— real increases in defense spend
ing, no restoration o f social pro
grams to pre-1979 levels, and no
massive vocational training and jobs
initiatives. It's clear that the de
mand for " fu ll employment" can
not get on (he national agenda un
less we employ grassroots activism
and protest strategies which were
also used during the civil rights
movement. We cannot depend upon
the Democratic Party or the elector
al system to implement reforms un
less we build a powerful movement
for jobs and greater social justice.
The Association o f Community
Organizations for Reform Now
(A C O R N ), the largest grassroots or
ganization in the U.S. with over
50,000 low and moderate income
member families in 25 states, has de
"F ro m The Grassroots'
veloped an effective campaign to
fight for jobs. A C O R N is pushing
cities across the country to adopt
"First Source” resolutions. A First
Source Agreement requires compan
ies that receive specific types o f pub
lic assistance to hire the hardcore
unemployed first. Companies that
obtain tax abatements, U D A G s and
low interest loans at taxpayers' ex
pense have to agree to use their
city’s manpower training agenev as
their firs t source for all entry-level
positions which are generated by
(heir business development.
The people who benefit directly
from First Source Agreements are
those who have been the principal
victims o f Reaganomics. Workers
are eligible for First Source jobs if
(hey have been jobless for half a
year or more, or are foodstamp or
welfare recipients, or have a pover
ty-level family income. A corpora
tion can recruit other potential
workers only if the city manager is
unable to find sufficient numbers of
qualified women and men with the
above criteria.
Can First Source Agreements
really work? A C O R N organizers
point to a recent Rutgers University
study which praised Portland, O re
gon’s First Source program for in
creasing the hiring o f persons eligi
ble for their C E T A program. Over
1700 unemployed were hired in
Portland alone; another 1500 found
jobs through Minneapolis, M inne
sota's program. The Rutgers study
stated that "employers in Portland
confirmed that they are hiring a
greater percentage o f minorities and
women than they would have done
in the absence of First Source and
they are pleased with the persons
they have hired.”
In 1983, A C O R N won First
ey
A C O R N leaders would be the last
to suggest that First Source Agree
ments are a solution to the unem
ployment crisis. Not even the defeat
o f Reaganism will bring about a full
employment economy. But the First
Source campaign is a bold and
worthwhile technique which moves
us in the right direction. For more
inform ation, contact Ms. Michele
A . Tingling, A C O R N , 413 8th
Street, S .E ., Washington D C . ,
20003,(202)547-9292.
by Gladys McCoy, County Commissioner
This inform ation is designed to
prepare you for an "onslaught" of
ballot measures in M ay, each re
questing tax dollars for services.
The following is the request before
the Board o f County Commission
ers. There will be others and I will
bring them lo your attention as they
come forth. You need to begin to
prioritize each issue and become in
formed o f its merit so you may vote
as an informed voter.
On December 13, the Justice C o
ordinating Council made its final re
port to the Board of County C om
missioners. They are asking at the
election of M ay 15, 1984, that the ci
tizens o f Multnom ah County ap
prove a three-year serial levy for
County Correction Services.
The purpose o f this measure au
thorizes Multnom ah Counly to levy
$4,640,000 each of the three years
1984 85, 1985-86, 1986-87. for a to
tal o f $13,920,000.
Recommendations:
1) Reopen Claire Argow Center
for a women's correctional facility
$3.073,540.
2) Reopen the courthouse jail for
sentenced
male
misdemeanants.
M axim um sentence: 30 days—
$1,408,700.
3) Establish a work release/resti
tution center in an urban location
for sentenced misdemeanants and
low-risk felons. Average length of
stay: 3 months—$1,920,960.
4) Establish a mental health " u r
gency" center for 4 to 14 day pre
trial residence with release supervi
sion and services— $2,305,150.
5) Establish a mandated alcohol
ism treatment facility for misde
meanants and city ordinance violat
ors. Average length o f stay: 4
months with release supervision and
services— $2,433,220.
6) Contract for pre-trial release
supervision: temporary shelter and
services— $512,260.
7) Expand pre-trial close street su
pervision: Add 2 staff; length of su
pervision: 60 days— $2 56 ,130.
8) Contract for sentencing sanc
tions and services: Alcohol, drug,
mental health counseling, job place
ment, education and training and
related
court
ordered
ser
v i c e s ^ 12.260.
9) Establish day labor/com m u-
nity service program for sentenced
offenders to work daily in public
service projects and reside at home,
in lieu of jail. Length o f involve
ment: 2 months. W ork crew size:
10. Staff. 3. $384,180.
Further, the Justice Coordinating
Council recommends that the policy
for M ultnom ah County be as fo l
lows:
1) T o establish and maintain a
corrections system which enhances
public safety by:
•A ppropriate detention of per
sons arrested for criminal conduct
to insure appearance in court and to
prevent recurrences of criminal con
duct.
•Appropriate incarceration o f con
victed defendants for purposes of
deterrence, punishment, prevention
of recurrence o f criminal conduct
and the safety o f the general public.
•A ppropriate placement of de
fendants in non-secure facilities and
programs which encourage payment
of restitution to victims and ac
countability for adherence to court
ordered requirements.
2) To adhere to the obligations
imposed by the federal and state
constitution and statutes. Disposi
tion of offenders will be consistent
with such requirements and those
the sentencing judge has directed.
3) T o provide adequate booking
and
1 ■ " " " ™ ™ ™
pre sentence detention
space
for persons arrested and detained
for violation o f municipal, state and
federal statutes. However, under
O RS 169.030 and other applicable
statutes, each entity shall pay the
county for costs of providing such
facilities for any prisoner put into
the system by that government enti
ty. The county shall enter into a
contract with each entity to define
such costs.
4) T o provide appropriate hous
ing for sentenced misdemeanant
prisoners,
5) To determine quickly guilt or
innocence and to appropriately pun
ish wrongdoers by providing, direct
ly or through the State, sufficient re
sources to the courts, prosecution
and indigent defense for speedy ad
judications.
6) Whenever possible, to hold all
pre-trial detainees in the M u ltn o
mah County Detention Center in or
der that they will be available to the
judicial system while their cases are
being adjudicated.
7) That the state should provide
the facilities and pay the costs of
housing sentenced felons in local
correctional facilities. The provi
sions of ORS 169 030 should be
amended accordingly.
Prisoners
would remain under (he jurisdiction
o f the court and not be transferred
to the slate.
8) That the legislative branch of
city, county and state government
and the taxpayers provide adequate
funding to implement policies here
tofore mentioned.
I expect the Board o f County
Commissioners to hold both work
sessions and public hearings during
the month o f January before put
ting this package on the M ay, 1984
ballot. We need your input. I urge
your review o f these recommenda
tions and let me hear from you.
'I
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Source Agreements in Little Rock,
Arkansas, Denver, and Dallas. L it
tle Rock agreed to require First
Source Agreements for every con
tractor receiving emergency jobs
money, and 40 A C O R N people will
be hired by the developer o f one ho
tel. 125 A C O R N members in Den
ver will be hired, and forty A C O R N
members were placed for jobs by the
Dallas Alliance o f Businessmen. A t
lanta mayor Andrew Young voiced
strong support for the first source
concept, and Young’s staff is d ra ft
ing an ordinance that will include re
cipients o f all forms o f public subsi
dy. In Detroit, progressive council-
person Mel Ravitz plans to intro
duce A C O R N 's resolution. This
fall, Washington. D .C . mayor M a r
ion Barry issued a First Source O r
der that covers all city-aided pro
jects.
A C O R N has combined its public
lobbying with Grassroots protests to
force the First Source issue, l ast
August 16, for example, A C O R N
activists showed up at selected sites
in 15 cities in a series o f coordinated
job actions or "w ork-ins.” M any of
the sites chosen for the demonstra
tions receive federal funds from
U D A G s, but few if any low-income
people. Blacks or welfare recipients
obtain jobs created by public mon
From the Boardroom
you.
B o » 3137 Portland Oragon 97208
Alfred I Henderson, Editor/Publisher
Al ti illiams. Advertising Manager
by Dr. M anning M arable
ï News for and about
Portland Observer
Oreqon
New .paper
Full employment agenda needed
Mad ,o Pon,and Observai
Bo» 3137
Portland Oreqon 9T208
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