Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 1987)
December 2, 1987. Portland Observer, Page 3 NBTIONAL NEWS UPDATE November 1986 Voter Turnout and Registration Rates of Young Blacks Higher Than Whites Registration and voting rates for young Blacks exceeded those for young Whites in the November 1986 general election, the Commerce De partment's Census Bureau announced. It was the first time rates for Blacks aged 18 to 24 exceeded those of their White counterparts since the Census Bureau began collecting such data in the mid-1960s. The registration rate for young Blacks moved ahead of Whites, 46 percent to 42 percent, while 25 percent of young Blacks reported voting compared with 22 percent of young Whites. Young Black voter turnout rates trailed those of Whites by about 10 percentage points prior to 1978. The Black rate, however, rose from 20 percent in 1978 to 25 percent in 1982 and 1986. The White turnout rate dropped from 24 percent in 1978 to 22 percent in 1986. Registration for Blacks aged 18 to 24 increased from 37 percent in 1978 to 46 percent in 1986, while the White rate remained at about 42 percent. Here are other highlights: • Total Black voter turnout in congressional elections had declined from 42 percent to 34 percent from 1966 to 1974. The rate grew to 43 percent in 1982 and 1986. • Voter participation rates among Whites had dropped from 57 percent in 1966 to 46 percent in 1974. It was 47 percent in 1986. • Blacks under age 45 reported voting in 1986 at about the same rate as Whites — 36 percent compared with 37 percent. • Turnout among Blacks aged 45 and over has risen by about 11 per centage points since 1966, from 45 percent to 56 percent. The White rate has fallen by 3 points, from 64 percent to 61 percent. • In the North and West, total Black voter turnout fell from 52 percent in 1966 to 44 percent in 1986, and for Whites, from 62 percent to 49 per cent. In the South, however, Black turnout grew from 33 percent in 1966 to 42 percent in 1986, while White turnouts were 45 percent in 1966 and 44 percent in 1986. As in all surveys, the data in this report are subject to sampling varia bility and response errors. Copies of "Voting and Registration in the Election of November 1986," Series P-20, No. 414, are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. ____ DoD Contracts to Minorities- and Blacks Will be Expedited The House Committee on Appropriations today approved an amend; ment by U.S. Rep. William H. Gray, II (D-Pa.) that directs the Department of Defense to carry out previous legislative and executive mandates t<J award at least five percent of its procurement and research and develop; j ment funds to minority firms and historically Black colleges and universities , (HBCUs). Gray said: "The Department of Defense has conceded that its efforts ; to date to increase the participation of HBCUs and minority firms in pro« • curement and research and development programs have been inadequate.' : "In a memo to the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, dated June 16th, 1987, the Deputy Secretary of Defense says, 'However, HBCU participation in DoD-sponsored programs has not reached full potential*. . The HBCU program must be supported more vigorously.' " "M y amendment forcefully reminds the Defense Department that its minority contracting efforts are being watched closely by Congress." "I have every expectation that they can and must meet the goals esta; blished by Presidential executive order and by Congress. " "The significance of the goal to minority institutions is clear. If thq 5 percent goal had been reached for fiscal 1987 some $5 billion to $6 billion in contracts and grants would have been awarded to minority institutions and HBCUs." ; Freedom National Bank Presents Top Health Watch Launches Major Attack on AIDS in the Black Population HEALTH WATCH information and Promotion Service (HEALTH WATCH), the not-for-profit organi zation devoted to improving the health and longevity of Black people nationwide, has launched a major attack of AIDS. "Although AIDS is the leading public health problem world-wide today, it is having a greater impact among Blacks and Hispanics," said Dr. Norma J. Goodwin, founder and president of HEALTH WATCH. A striking 24 percent or one-fourth of all persons with AIDS are Black, and another 14 percent of AIDS cases are Hispanic although they make up 12 to 7 percent of the U.S. population respectively. "The mag nitude and multitude of problems signaled by the rise in AIDS cases among minorities has turned HEALTH WATCH to the AIDS issue as the top priority focal point of its 1987-88 campaign to prevent widen ing of the unacceptable Black/ White health gap which exists in America," continued Dr. Goodwin. U.S. Rep. Rangel Receives Public Service Award AAL, the nation's leading frater nal benefit society, today presented Charles B. Rangel, U.S. Represen tative from New York and Chair man of the House Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control, with the Henry F. Scheig AAL Na tional Public Service Award. The award was created by the 1.4 million-member organization in re cognition of Henry F. Scheig's fra ternal leadership and accomplish ments, and was instituted upon his retirement as chief executive offiver of AAL in August. According to AAL President and CEO Richard Judicial Norma J. Goodwin, M.D. AIDS and other HEALTH WATCH targeted disorders including cancer, hypertension, heart disease, dia betes and obesity, each of which is a major killer and disabler. Kentucky Fried Chicken Wins 1987 CEBA Award Kentucky Fried Chicken Corp, has been honored by the World Institute of Black Communications with its 1987 Communications Excellence to Black Audience (CEBA) Award. Also honored was Mingo-Jones Advertising, Inc., Kentucky Fried Chi cken's advertising agency for black markets. The award was presented for a promotion KFC ran last year to coincide with the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. KFC offered a free poster of the Reverend King with each purchase during January. The poster's caption read "It's left to us." Willard Fentress, director of segment marketing for Kentucky Fried Chicken, accepted the award during the awards banquet in New York. You Can Help Others Through IRS Program If you enjoy helping people and working with them to make a difficult task easier, VITA may be for you. VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) is an IRS program for assisting people who need help preparing their income tax returns. "In this year of tax reform we are seeking a group of volunteers that will join us in our efforts to serve all the communities of Oregon" said Carolyn Leonard, District Director for IRS in Oregon. VITA assistance is available for seniors, disabled persons, low income and non-English speaking individuals. The VITA volunteers help these peo ple fill out Form 1040EZ, Form 1040A, a basic Form 1040 including Sche dule A for itemizing deductions and taking advantage of such credits as Child Care and Credit for the Elderly. They also help with prepartion of State of Oregon forms. Volunteers learn how to prepare a simple tax return by successfully com pleting a special training course in basic income tax preparation. Free classes are conducted by IRS and the Oregon Department of Revenue during Janu ary and the volunteers work with taxpayers at VITA sites throughout the tax season, January through April 15. Leonard advises that as a volunteer you are not considered a profes sional tax preparer and will not be held legally responsible for the return. The volunteer income tax assistance is provided free at community cen ters, libraries, churches and schools that set aside rooms for this purpose. In Oregon, VITA is especially in need of bilingual volunteers, particularly those who can speak Spanish and Asian languages. Leonard said that last year IRS trained over 300 volunteers in Oregon who offered their free tax help at many community locations. Nationwide there are about 52,000 VITA volunteers working at over 7,800 sites. If you would like to volunteer, or if your organization would like to be involved, contact the IRS for more detailed information. The statewide IRS toll free telephone number is 1 800 424 1041. In Portland, the number is 221 6565. O rw riteto : IRS, P.O. Box 2709, Portland, OR 97208 The probe is in response to a letter sent to the committee by Gray on behalf of Special Agent Donald Rochon. Rochon charges that he was the victim of harassment, in timidation and threats of mutilation and death by white FBI agents in Omaha and Chicago. Rochon now is assigned to the FBI's Philadelphia office. In his letter to Gray, Sen. Joseph Biden, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, writes that "Rochon's allegations, as described both in your letter and the Department of Justice Final Decision in this matter, t « "Many people around the country are involved in the fight against drug abuse," Gunderson said, "but Rep. Rangel has devoted himself to this fight throughout his 17-year political career. He saw the problem and took it on long before it became the hot issue it is today." Committee to Probe Racial U.S. Rep. William H. Gray, III (D-Pa) announced on November 24, 1987, that the Senate Judiciary Committee has launched an investi gation into the alleged racial harass ment of a Black FBI agent. C h a ir m a n Gunderson, the award recognizes leadership and acts of personal gen erosity in public service and was presented to Congressman Rangel (D-NY) for his outstanding con tribution to national drug abuse pre vention efforts. Harassment by FBI With the key message, "AIDS is preventable" HEALTH WATCH de velops and disseminates culturally sensitive, accurate and relevant in formation on the prevention of A i u o r H */> D H i l i r t M n r r i c are indeed alarming and certainly warrant investigation by the Judi ciary Committee." Sen. Biden goes on to say that he has instructed committee staff to begin an investigation of the matter. The committee will look not only at Agent Rochon's case, but also at the FBI’s overall attitude toward its minority personnel. Gray welcomed Biden's probe in to Rochon's allegations. "I believe that once this investi gation is concluded, it can restore confidence in the FBI, the country's top law enforcement agency." Gray added: "W e have also re ceived communications from the new director of the FBI, William Sessions, saying that the Rochon case has been referred for study and that he would keep us apprised of the inquiry." Undelivered Tax Refunds Waiting to be Claimed Nearly $280,000 in unclaimed federal income tax refunds are waiting for their proper owners to file claims for them, according to Carolyn Leonard, Internal Revenue Service District Director for Oregon. Leonard explained that most of these refunds are going unclaimed for lack of a current address. ugene Webb, le ft, board m em ber or i-reeaom mauonai oa.m , P«o ents the bank's "C h ie f Executive O ffice r's R ecognition A w a rd " to fam ish M axw ell, Chairman of Philip M orris Com panies, Inc. Jo ining hem were Edward Lewis, Chairm an o f Freedom 's Board and publi- Vice President. Freedom National Bank, the Harlem-based thrift institution with more than $130-million in assets, presented its first "Chief Executive Officer's Recognition Award" re cently to Hamish Maxwell, Chair man, Philip Morris Companies, Inc. George Bowman, Freedom's Vice President for Retail Banking and Marketing, said the bank was ex panding its efforts to call attention to major business corporations that have assisted Black communities with "financial and power re sources." Speaking to more than 75 busi ness and community leaders meet ing at Copelands Restaurant in Har lem, Bowman stated: "A principal intent of these meetings is to allow our nation's corporate 'heavy- hitters' to meet our community leaders on a personal basis. We think that first-hand communication will improve the quality of the de cision-making that affects the achievement of our community's goals." Bowman said the bank, which is headquartered in Harlem with a major branch in Brooklyn, would invite other chief executive officers to discussions with minority leaders during the coming months. When Maxwell received the bank's award, he told the group that Philip Morris had been a leader The Portland District IRS office has received names of over 800 persons who filed refund due federal income tax returns from Oregon. The original refund checks were mailed to the home address listed on the tax form but were returned to the government as undeliverable by the Post Office. among American business corpora tions in hiring, upgrading and; making purchases from the Black; community and promised to in-, crease the company's efforts in; those areas. He noted that the company's Cor-» porate Affirmative Action Commit-* tee oversees the company's "active# aggressive policy" to increase the) number of non-white employees and to support minority-based act» vities and minority businessess. Maxwell said: "M inority vendors refresh our creative and competitive spirit and contribute to the growth of the American economy. Ultij mately, they strengthen all Ameri; can business." The Philip Morris minority bank; ing program, begun in 1963 with a deposit in the Consolidated Bank 3 Trust Co., Richmond, Va., currently involves activities amounting tO more than $149-million annually;. The company's active accounts with Freedom include deposits front Philip Morris Companies, Inc., Phi} lip Morris U.S.A., General Foodi and Miller Brewing Company. Maxwell noted that George RI Lewis, Vice President and Treasure^ of Philip Morris Companies, Inc.J was recently elected Chairman ol the Corporate Advisory Group of the National Bankers Association^ a group of treasurers of 60 majof American corporations. Business Success Workshop Slated Are you interested in starting your own small business or need som* Leonard said many checks remain undelivered because taxpayers have moved and failed to leave a forwarding address with the Post Office. Other refund delays, according to Leonard, are caused by errors and omissions on the tax return, or illegible names or addresses. "By publishing these names," Leonard said, "we hope to encourage these people to contact IRS so we can arrange to have their refund checks reissued." The average unclaimed refund amounts to $343.80. The total amount is $278,131.56. People should call the 1RS toll-free tax information number (1-800- 424-1040) for instructions on how to apply for their checks. Information needed includes: name and addresses as shown on the tax return, present name and address, tax year for which the refund is believed due, social secu rity number, amount of refund claimed, signature of taxpayer, and any other pertinent information to verify the claim. Leonard indicated that the processing involved for reissuing checks nor mally takes up to six weeks. help with your present business? . Small Business Administration, S.C.O.R.E., and the Clackamas Small Business Development Center are co-sponsoring a Business Success work(; shop of Thursday, December 3, 1987, from 8:30 to 4:00 p.m. Subjects covered will be: financial factors, marketing, recordkeeping success and failure factors, SBA programs, and legal structures. Each sub ject is taught by a different instructor with practical experience in dealing with small businesses. J There will be free kits of publications distributed, and time for questiorfc and discussion. The workshop will be held at Clackamas Community Col lege, 19600 S. Molalla Avenue, Oregon City. It will be in the small dining room of the Community Center building. :* Admission fee is $10.00 for the day. For information and registration call 656 4447. | PORTLAND OBSERVER ; ‘ The Eyes and Ears of the Community” 2 8 8 -0 0 3 3 j » *
