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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1989)
Portland, Oregon 25C PORTLRNÖ ERVER — "The Eyes and Ears of the Community" Volume XIX • Number 6 ■■■ February 9,1989 Introducing Elaine Jamison Asst. Principal Portsmouth Middle School Linda Harris Principal Woodlawn School Bobbie Jackson Library Clerk N. Portland Branch W ASHINGTON, D.C.--"Today, I am calling on President George Bush to adopt the Parity 2000 theme as a goal for his adm inistration,” stated John E. Jacob, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Uiban League, during the release of THE STATE OF BLACK AMERICA 1989, Tuesday, January 24, 1989 at the National Press Cub in Washington, DC. THE STATE OF BLACK AM ER ICA, a publication of the National Urban League, is the most authorita tive annual docum ent examining the current status and conditions of Blacks in America. In calling for the president to adopt Parity 2000, Jacob said, “ Parity 2000 is a theme that can allow him to claim the higher g ro u n d -to give his administration a unifying obje ctive -ta p into the idealism of an America fed up with greed and glit ter—and help reshape the map of American politics for generations to com e.” Explaining Parity 2000, Jacob said that the National Urban League’s priority goal is to secure black-white parity by the year 2000. "O u r Parity 2000 theme aims at black-white par ity in th key indicators of individual and family w ell-being-such as life expectancy, educational achievement, employment and incom e.” Jacob added that, “A national Parity 2000 goal would include the private sector and the black community, as well as government. Corporate and neighborhood based initiatives to radically improve education, training, hiring, health and housing will be essential.” Jacob said that he was encour aged by Bush’s handling of “the diffi cult period between Election Day and Inauguration Day. His Cabinet ap pointments have been wise. His state ments encouraging selection of Afri can-Am ericans and other minorities for key sub-Cabinet positions are welcome. His meetings with Black leaders dem onstrated sensitivity and concern.” Referring to THE STATE OF BLACK AM ERICA 1989, Jacob said that, “ In 1988, Blacks were three times as likely as whites to be poor. Two-and-a-half times as likely to be jobless. Housing segregation in creased and for the second straight year, Black life expectancy declined. “The gap has been made wider by government cuts in program s that help poor people survive, that create opportunities, that enable families to make it." Jacob further noted that, “ Thetragic disturbances in Miami last week reflect the results of that gap, and the growing anger and bitterness it encourages. Miami's Black people were the only major ethnic group in the city whose unem ploym ent rate rose during the 1980s. As in other cities, Blacks did not share the pros perity and got more than their share of misery.” "O ur task in 1989 is to focus na tional attention on the growing Black- white gap, and to begin the process of closing the gap,” said Jacob. THE STATE OF BLACK AM ER ICA 1989 presents nine papers pre pared by experts in the fields of hous ing, education, politics, religion, eco nomics and social welfare. SUM M ARY THE ECONOM IC STATU S OF BLAC K-AM ER IC AN S DR. DAVID H. SW INTON D E A N -S C H O O L OF BUSINESS JAC KSO N STATE UNIVERSITY INTRODUCTION This report on the current eco nomic status of Black-Americans comes at the end of the Reagan administration and the beginning of the Bush administration. The new administration will follow an admini stration which presided over eight years of stagnation and retrogression in the econom ic status of Black- Americans. As reported in all of the last few volum es of The State of Black America, no progress has been made in reducing the longstanding economic disparities faced by Blacks during the Reagan administration. In fact racial inequality in American economic life actually increased by many of the standard indicators. (Continued to Page 7) Minority Business Enterprise In Oregon: Part //; Redden Decision Seriously Flawed Ms. Cora Smith by Stephen E. McPherson, Special Correspondent Last April Multnomah County ad vertised for bids to construct a 220- bed minimum security facility in North east Portland. The L. D. Mattson Con struction Com pany submitted the lowest bid of about $4.4 million but that bid was set aside because it contained less than one per cent participation for women. That amount was more than fifty per cent below the county mandated set aside for women. The prim e contract was awarded to the third lowest bidder, Marion Con struction which came in at about $4.7 million. Their set aside for women was estimated at four percent. The same amount was allotted to minori ties. The Mattson Company sued in Federal Court claiming that they had m ade a good faith effort to satisfy the minority mandate. They also took the legal position that their constitutional rights guaranteeing equal protection under the law had been abrogated. U S. District Court James Redden agreed with th Mattson Company and ruled late last Novem ber that the Multnomah County set aside for women and minorities was unconsti tutional because there was not ade quate findings of discrimination. He also ruled that the existing program was not tailored with adequate re strictions to address past problems Those two statements are a contra diction of themselves and lend a cal lous absurdity to the legal process. If anything at all is questionable it is the manner in which the jurisprudence system functions in U S. District Courts. The Bork confirm ation hearing dem onstrated quite clearly that appoint ments federal judges enjoy often are a result of their political prowess rather than for their dem onstrated excel lence at the bar. W hile life time ap pointments might have eliminated one caveat attendant to the position they have aggravated another area. The latter case makes such judges enti ties unto them selves who rarely answer to anyone but themselves. Some are known to have presided (Continued to Page 3) •XISÍ Uj'.» > . •r « B lack H is t o r y M onth National Urban League Calls On President Bush To Adopt The Parity 2000 Theme During Release Of “ The State Of Black America 1989” 4<r > ¿? . v , - .-•T Business Community Questions Salzman Defection Businessman, Oregonian Owe Community An Apology The January 30, 1989, front page edition o f the Oregonian headlined a story written by Holley Gilbert o f the Oregonian staff, claim ing Peter Salzman, ow ner o f Salzman M otors on Union Ave. in Northeast Portland was moving out o f the area due to the high crime rate. Mr. Salzman cited drug paraphernalia, persons peddling hot goods and the decline in his business as m ajor factors for his decision to move. However, the Observer has learned from form er employees, form er business associates and neighborhood business that m ost of the information released to the Oregonian was distorted, misleading and unfortunate. The drug activity surrounding the BM W operation while not being mute, has most certainly dim inished with the closure o f the drug house two blocks east. The peddling o f "hot"goods is apparently an accurate statem ent but, according to some form er employees, Salzman Motors was doing as much buying and selling as the "buyers and the sellers." Asking to remain anonymous, a t least two form er em ployees o f Salzman's stated in a taped interview with the Observer that they witnessed m any transactions o f property being brought and sold a t the BM W repair shop. These employees also claim a deteriorating relationship between father, son, and another business also housed in the building have contributed as much to the decision to move, as the decline in auto repair business along a street already saturated with auto repair shops. The publication o f this story by the Oregonian once again fuels speculation about the m edia’s com m ittm ent to a com m unity that is asking for economic support. It also points out the extent a disgruntled businessman will go to "publicize" a move and falsely blam e local elements for his problems. Hopefully, rem aining businesses will serve as leverage for the continuing exodus, and also hopefully the local media will resort to more responsible journalism. In any event, som eone owes this com m unity an apology. by Stephen E. McPherson Special Correspondent A host of tradespeople has owned businesses for many years along Union Avenue and in the immediate vicinity. Many are in an uproar over the deci sion of Peter Salzman to relocate his auto shop to the suburbs. With a voice of unanimity they say that his stated reasons for leaving are invalid. Even Werner Salzman, Peter’s fa ther agrees with that contention. The elder Salzman joined together with Franz Wirkner, a compatriot from Germany, to establish their auto shop at the corner of Union and Northeast Shaver some thirty years ago. W irk ner, part owner of the building, ab hors Salzman’s move. He will con tinue to operate Franz Auto Haus in the same building. No one is going to deny that there have been problems. During the civil disturbances of 1968 the place was firebombed and looted, but it was not burned down. This problem did not interfere with their booming business. The customers kept coming and they had more work than they could ac complish. The BMW dealership they started in 1969 lasted only two years. From the very outset, the more se rious problem has not been their neigh bors, but the contentious relationship that developed between the two part ners. Persons who worked for them at that time describe the constant bickering and rancor expressed in the presence of clientele that eroded the original partnership. The differences must have been very serious. What once was a large garage facility with a common repair bay is now sepa rated by a solid brick wall. Their own version of a "Berlin W all." Even today a stifling animosity between the part ners continues to persist. The future of their Union Avenue property will depend largely upon how the elder Mr. Salzman and Franz W irkner can resolve their own perennial cold war. The Salzm an’s occupy one portion of the building where the expensive toys of the rich such as BMW ’s and other foreign luxury cars are main- tained. Franz W irkner is on the other side where he attends to the more commonplace vintage Volkswagens and the less expensive foreign makes. At first glance it would appear that the Salzm an’s got the better of the deal even though it still exists on paper as an equal partnership. Despite the fact that the Salzman Automotive works sets in the middle of what once was a high crime area, the direct effect upon them has been minimal. Outside competition has had a greater influence on their business operation. Franz W irkner has been burglarized only twice in ten years. Most calls from police are to answer false alarms. Peter Salzm an denies his personal involvement in receiving stolen items. However, there are ex employees who admit that they have purchased questionable merchandise from street people on the premises. American General Contractors, a minority owned business across the street from Salzman Motors was burgalized shortly after moving in approximately one year ago. A business acquaintance of the owner was able to secure the names of the burgulars, who surrendered most of the stolen items, but informed the victim that they had sold the oomputer to the Salzman BMW Shop for one hundred dollars. The victim confronted Salzman w ho denied any knowledge of the incident. According to Portland Police, they have no knowledge of any illegal activity at the Salzm an establishment. Peter Salzman did not mention any burglaries or robberies. One cus tom er was hassled by the local crim i nal element and at tim es certain local characters got into a parked car and played the stereo equipment too loud. This reporter has had the Salzman establishment under surveillance ever since a sensational article about the problems in the area appeared in the local daily newspaper. There always were more than one half dozen ex pensive vehicles parked on the streets, unvandalized and with all hub caps intact. W e were led to understand that a secure, fenced in parking lot adjacent to the building is owned by the Salzman-W irkner partnership. Peter Salzman does not use it. The irony of this controversy is that even though Peter Salzman's busi ness associates question his motiva tion to abandon his Union Avenue shop, they all agree that he is a warm and sensitive individual. Just across the street on N.E. Shaver is John’s European Body and Paint Co. Peter Salzman recently seceded his partnership in that enter prise to John W ecker without recom pense. The problem here is that along a 10 block stretch on Union Avenue there are at least six auto body shops The Ray Fleming Auto Parts supply company is located within walking distance of the Salzman's. They maintain a huge inventory and have never been burglarized. Both Art Dienstel and Don Waters laugh about the tim e one of the unarmed locals attempted to hit their cash register. They subdued the culprit and held him until he was arrested by the police. The crack house that bothered Peter Salzm an’s customers last summer is now closed and boarded up. The prostitutes, pushers and users that annoyed the Salzman clientele have vanished from the scene. The corner of Union and Northeast Shaver is tranquil so why does he still choose to leave? Paul Rohrback, the owner of Eastside Foreign Car Service, sums it up quite succinctly. He worked for the Salzm an’s for many years and frequently found himself embroiled between their disputes. Mr. Rohrback contends that the Salzm an’s have made millions out of the Northeast community. They are insensitive to the internal problems because they reside outside of the area that gave them their wealth. Mr. Rohrback further contends that the younger Salzman was taking advantage of the trem endous amount of free publicity the story would give him. Peter Salzman agrees with that latter perception. Persons who inhabit the lower Northeast sector of Portland long have contended that the media create the extra problems that often plague that enclave. Here again is an instance that lends support to that contention. Joel Davis, the owner of a BMW who is a custom er of the Salzm an’s sug gested this story to Holley Gilbert who pursued it with great vigor. Even Peter Salzm an is dismayed by the fact that it received front page attention and admits that it was exaggerated out of proportion. One cannot measure how much the initial story will affect the M ayor’s revitalization program in that area. If Portland is the most livable city inthe United States, it might take a bit of serious image building to re-estab lish that fact. If the developing con vention center is to succeed, the local daily media will have to becom e seri ous boosters of that effort ratherthan display an overt and reckless propen sity for sensationalism and detrac tion. When Peter abandons the Salzman consignment of the building jointly owned with Franz W irkner, it will be his father who will be left holding the bag W irkner certainly is not going to agree to any arrangement which would be deleterious to the survival of his own business effort. Peter claim s that he does not have any problems with his father pointing out that the elder Salzman is helping to finance his new venture. None of this makes sense. (Continued to Page 3) f : ■: ? ‘ V ■ '. t - -- f ■> •-■’7 ÎÏ y - K ’ * -• : ■ b '■ f e f e f& s -Möi í' Kits «B i- a g? f& e £ • *• al i ' ' te? K îï- för- I & f.’';. F r W t"- : V ï •"