Portland observer., August 07, 1986, Image 1

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Volume XVI, Number 39
August 7, 1986
25$
Small
Business
Officials Dragging Feet on Court Ruling
Subject of
Forum
By Jerry Garner
Residents living in the Eliot/King
neighborhoods have been trying for
years to close down the Walnut
Park Adult Movie Theater located
at 5029 N.E. Union Avenue They
compain that the sex theater, which
is in the vicinity of a grade school,
church, and residential area, is a
haven for prostitutes and crimes
associated with prostitution.
The residents assessment of the
role the theater plays in the area s
prostitution problem is correct.
After viewing sexually explicit
movies in the theater, a majority of
the men (mostly White men who
live elsewhere) cruise down Union
Avenue seeking the service of a pro­
stitute, getting their sexual desires
fulfilled in vacant lots, church park­
ing lots, and even in front of rest
dent's homes
By soliciting the
service of a prostitute, they also
contribute to the growing drug pro­
blem in the area, since many prosti
tutes are addicted to heroin and
crack.
For years, residents were told by
city officials that nothing could be
done about the theater because city
zoning laws permit such establish
ments in the area. This argument
doesn't hold water anymore due to
a recent U S. Supreme Court deci­
sion.
In March of this year, the nation's
high court rules 7-2 that city offi­
cials could "restrict the placement
of adult sex theaters as long as cities
had reason to believe that such
establishments contributed to crime
or reduced property values."
The high court's decision was
based on a Renton, Washington
case Renton officials changed their
anti smut zoning laws after a thea
ter owner converted two downtown
movie houses to adult sex theaters
The zoning change resulted in a
520-acre area for x-rated movie
theaters located near factories, of­
fices and warehouses. The owners
challenged the city ordinance claim
ing that it infringed on the first
amendment's right to free speech
The Supreme Court rejected this
argument.
DO
'
Despite the court’s decision,
Portland city officials have been
dragging their feet in using the high
court ruling to eradicate theaters
such as the Walnut Park Theater
from residential areas
Shortly after the court's decision,
Portland Mayor J.E. "Bud" Clark
said he would have the city attor
ney's office look into the ruling to
see how it could be used by the
city It has now been more than 4
> o
months and the Mayor hasn't issued
any statements on the matter
In
the meantime, the Walnut Park
Theater continues to contribute to
the prostitution problem along
Union Avenue
Many have criticized Oregon's economic development
efforts for paying insufficient attention to small business,
though eighty percent of the net new jobs now being created
in the United States are created in companies with less than 20
employees and annual sales of between $1 and $5 million.
On Wednesday, August 13, from 5:30 7:00 pm, the City
Club will hold a program examining the concerns of small
businesses and perceived constraints on small business (level
opment. The program will be held in the Multnomah Room of
the Portland Center Red Lion, 310 S.W . Lincoln. The public is
invited. There are no reservations and the $3 50 admission
includes light food.
Panalists will discuss: 1) Liability insurance What are the
alternatives to skyrocketing and reduced coverage liability
insurance^ 2) Competition from tax exempt organizations
Should the laws and regulations governing determination of
tax exempt status be changed? 31 Taxation To what extent
does the workers' compensation insurance system hinder small
entrepreneurs? W ould an Oregon State tax investment credit
for capital purchases help small businesses? 4) Financing —
How can new, as well as established, small businesses over
come the reluctance of traditional sources of capital li e.
banks) to fund capital requirements?
Should banks be
encouraged to make more equity investments? 5) Regulation
Do Oregon's planning and environmental regulations help or
hinder small businesses? Should Oregon's Economic Develop
ment Commission use its resources to retain and encourage
existing small businesses?
Panalists will bring a variety of prespectives: Allan L. Cole,
President/General Manager of Premier Gear Et Machine
Works, Inc. since 1969, has extensive involvment in shaping
public policy relating to small business including chairmanship
of the State of Oregon Economic Development Commission;
Ann L. Gardner, Business Assistance Coordinator, Portland
Development Commission, has a broad vision of the situation
of small businesses developed in her work with a wide range
of small businesses; and Douglas Leonetti, Treasurer/Con
troller of Leonetti Furniture Manufacturing Co., has extensive
experience in negotiating the financial and regulatory hurdles
facing small businesses. Moderator is John L. Frewing, who
served previously as coordinator of Club economic develop
PPIC Offers Adult GED Program______ m
en,ac,lvl"es_____________
BY Jerry Garner
The Portland Private Industry
Council (PPIC) has developed a
unique GED program for adults.
PPIC's GED program differs from
other such programs in two major
ways
First of all, to be eligible for the
program, not only must the partici­
pant be from a low income house­
hold. their reading levels must be in
the 4th to 6th grade range
"Our
other contractors were focusing on
people with 7th grade reading
scores at entry in order to assure
successful completion. This left a
large percent of people not eligible
for the GED programs with which
we had contracts," said Carla
Sosanya.
Carla Sosanya developed the
GED program and is also an instruc­
tor. She said the program provides
an invaluable service to adults.
"Without a GED completion, most
of them would not be able to obtain
desirable employment because of a
lack of skills. When, added to this,
these people generally have little or
no work experience, most of them
would be practically unhirable'."
Another unique feature of the
program is that it is free. PPIC also
provide* materials for students to
use. plus a 110 a day stipend to
,those people eligible for the pay­
ment to allow them the time and a
little support to help them gain
success.
The PPIC GED program has been
in operation since January of this
year Each participant has 22 weeks
to complete his or her GED, and the
program has an open entry open
exit policy.
The program is de
signed to accomodate 30 students
at any one time
So far, six stu­
dents have completed the GED pro
gram.
Sosanya said the program has
given the students a sense of self
assurance. "Many of the students
have gained a lot of confidence and
have been successful in going on to
jobs or further training."
One such individual is 29 year old
Ruthie Ocsa. Ocsa, who has been
in the program for 3 months, said
she has benefited immensely from
the program She said the reason
she entered the GED program was
because she was tired of working
minimum wage jobs and wanted to
better her education
Ocsa said,
"Once I get my GED, I would like to
get into computer programming."
Sosanya said people who may be
eligible for the GED program and
other services are not aware of their
existence "It is especially difficult
to recruit people for our program,
many who are eligible do not read
well. They may not read the posters
we hang up."
In order to be eligible for the GED
program, an individual must be from
a low-income household, at least 21
years of age, and have a reading
level range of 4th to 6th grade Indi
vtduals who receive food stamps or
welfare are automatically eligible
A dults
ta k e
ad vantage
of
PPIC
ad ult
GED p ro gram .
Photo by R ichard J B row n