f » '* P age A S T he P ortland O bserver • J uly 7, 1993 NAFTA: A Bad Gamble For African Americans BY WILLIAM LUCY A frica n Am ericans have a im ­ portant stake in a new trade agree­ ment now pending in the Congress T hat trade agreement is the N orth N A F T A w ill make it worse N A F T A p ro p o n e n ts c la im that firm s arc not m oving to M exico per hour fo r low rates, but rather to reach Threats to move production to the M exican consumer market That M exico w ill depress m anufacturing wages as w e ll as undercut wages in c la im is rid icu lo u s The M e xica n other sectors o f the economy. One market is tin y, less than five percent o f economist concluded that N AF1 A w ill the U.S. market. By almost any c ritc - in flic t an average annual wage loss o f rion, there arc more attractive con- $1,000 per w orker fo r the low er 70 sumer markets rig h t here in the U.S., in clu d in g ---------- A fric a n A m erican comm u- ------------o percent o f the U.S. labor force * T o be sure, increased unem­ nines. Consider this, in 1990, the ploym ent and wage depression w ill aggregate purchasing power o f the have pow erful rip p le effects through­ A fro -A m e rica n com m unity was $265 b illio n , roughly equal to M e x ic o ’ s out every A fric a n A m erican com m u­ private nity. ill re- Gross Domestic Product— all „<-«770 n u y . Less uc»» disposable income w ..... suit in sh rin k in g retail sales fo r neigh- and public sector spending w ith wages in six o f the nine affected industries averaging more than $12 A m erican Free Trade Agreement, or N A F T A as it is better know n Very little has been w ritte n in the black press about N A F T A , but the economic im plications o f this trade agreement fo r A frica n Am ericans are enormous. C u rre n tly, there is a big debate on the benefits that U S industry could yie ld from N A F T A , but little is said o f the grave ana pact m at w in and severe im impact that ill be suffered by A frica n Americans i f this oact is approved. borhood businesses The local tax base Relative to th e ir w hite counter- w ill erode, d ryin g up fu n d in g fo r e n ti- b illio n Instead ofpol.ces to make^Mexico parts, black workers are more lik e ly to be employed in industries w h ich w ill experience large jo b losses to M exico, in c h id in g autom obiles and trucks, cal government programs and ser- vices. Public sector w orkers, w ho are disproportionately female and m in o r- ity, w ill be la id o ff more attractive to ' nvcstorJ- ‘ government sho u ld^n co u ra g u n ve st- ment in our ow n A fric a n A in c r c M arket Ifth e Am erican business com- * In addition to the obvious cco- nom ic backlash o f N A F T A , there are m u iiity were m aking investment in jobs, plants and equipm ent in our also social costs— ch ie fly, drug tra f- fic k in g — to be considered. N A F T A is lik e ly to put more crack cocaine on the inner cities and poor rural com m um - tics, as it is doing in M exico, black unemployment should plum m et from streets o f our inner cities. A recent U.S. intelligence report apparel, household glassware, ceram ics, m ajor household appliances, and electronics H istory has proven that U.S. workers w ho are throw n out o f w o rk because o f im port com petition do not clim b up the jo b ladder. In ­ 1991 average hourly wages in those industries n m n in g a trade^deficit w ith nesses as fronts fo r drug shipments There is already a massive drug cn- its current 14 percent. L e t’ sbeclear: the real m otivation behind N A F T A is the lure o f cheap labor for U.S. investors. N A F T A is a massive gamble w ith Am erica s eco­ nom ic future. For A fric a n Americans, , . the odds are overw helm ingly stacked M e xico ranged from $8.30 to $16.30, forcem ent problem on the border, against us. stead, they fa ll back to low er wages, or worse, end up in unemployment lines. * Jobs lost to 1 mports from M exico are high-wage m anufacturing jobs In warned that d rug tra ffic k e rs have started buy in g M exican m anufactur ing, tru ckin g , and warehouse busi- Common Sense Legal Services sumers, the cost o f using an attorney to handle every legal matter has out­ grow n th e ir budget N ow , in Portland, there is a affordable alternative to seeing a lawyer: C O M M O N SENSE L E G A L SERVICES offers assistance to the general public in specific areas o f the law: filin g a divorce, creating a w ill o r liv in g trust, incorporating a business, fo rm in g a partnership, f i l ­ in g fo r bankruptcy, or help in prepar­ in g other legal documents. The sta ff at C O M M O N SENSE understands that many in d ivid u a ls and fa m ilie s are seeking no legal ad­ vice , but effe ctive and affordable help w ith sim ple yet necessary legal form s and documents. "O u r typical clie n t knows exactly what she wants as an end product,” according to C O M M O N SENSE partner Casey The number o f passengers using A free summer tu to ria l program for students in grades six and up is Portland International A irp o rt ( PD X) being offered by the Urban League o f continues to increase at a phenomenal Portland's W hitney M Young, Jr rate in 1993, vv ith a 2 1 percent grow th Education and C u ltural Center The in May A total o f 664,4X8 passengers summer session w ill run from June 28 to July 29, Mondays to Thursdays flew through PDX in May 1993, far between 9am and 3pm focus areasare surpassing the previous May record ma(h readj ng w rj tin g and SAT ,cs, o f 551,146 passengers set in 1992. preparation M a y’ s impressive performance E nrollm ent is on a first-com e was the 13th consecutive month that basis F o r PDX has bettered the m onthly record n fo r m a tio n , c o n ta c t Herman Lessard o r G lo ria P h illip s at for passengers. For the first five months the Urban Lcaguc 280-2600. o f 1993, PDX passenger count is 20 N ortness, " B u t we a ll need help occasionally, especially in a com plex legalistic society, w ith choosing the rig h t words to use or proper form to file C O M M O N SENSE offers con­ sumer s a choice o f services at an affordable cost, and w ith a faster tu rn ­ PORTlAMr~ ÜF.VE1.OPMENT COMMISSION COMMISSION MEETING C a rg o th ro u g h P D X is also achievingdouble-digit grow th May s 14, 4X7 tons was 14 percent above Date: July 14,1993 Place: Portland Building 1120SW Fifth Ave., 11 th Floor Portland, Oregon Time: 9:30a.m. Commission meetings are open to the public. A complete agenda is available at PDC or by calling 823-3200. Citizens with disabilities may call 823-3232 or TDD 823-6868 for assistance at least 48 hours in advance. PDC is the City of Portland's urban renewal, housing and economic development agency. Rep G ail Shibley, D-Portland, saw two o f her p rio rity b ills make progress though the Legislature on Wednesday. One piece o f legislation House 2900, is aimed at noisy truck brakes called “ja ke brakes.' The other b ill. Senate B ill 262, requires private dev elopers to prov ide bike pal 1 is and foot paths along new roads TIB combined legal experience Partner Barbara D avis stressed the difference between this service and a law firm : “ We aren’ t com peting w ith law firm s, we d o n 't provide the same service I f a c lie n t's need exceeds our ca p a b ili­ ties, we refer them to an attorney. but in most cases, we can assist clients Mon - Fr. 10 a.in. - 6 p.m Saturday 10 - 5:30 pin because they know what they want and it saves them substantial tim e and N e a r L lo y d C e n te r J Bili wide and requires the state to post Taiw an helped boost our cargo n u m ­ bers in May, said Brockely. PDX has now experienced 23 con­ secutive record months fo r cargo O p ­ erations (takeoffs and landings) at the •’• U r Port o f P ortland's general aviatiort airports arc heading in opposite direc ­ tions. Troutdale A irp o rt’ s operations are up 10 percent for 1993 after 11 ,£i: percent growth in M a y . M a y ’ s 10,6X9 ' •' •f. re. ir is •v-., -... operations at Troutdale are the most for May there since 1979. Operations at H illsb o ro A irp o rt, however, continue to decline. In M a y . 5? there were IX .726 o p e ra tio n s at H illsboro, a 10 percent drop from M ay 1992 and the lowest M ay total since ?» A 1988 For 1993, H illsboro operations '• I • are down 15 percent. r. , ; w a rn in g signs fo r truck drivers. T h is b ill was stuck in the legislative p ro ­ cess at one tim e, but Rep Shibley forged an alliance w ith rural la w ­ maker Rep B ill M arkham , R -R iddlw , and brought together a ll interested parties: truckers. Teamsters, State Department o f Transportation, and Public U tilitie s Commission, he P ort­ < . ■J? V. < ■iXi f t $ ató ment« & 'f e & 282-1664 1105 money.” 4 & A dvertise in the O bserver N .E . B r o a d w a y ‘The Eyes and Ears ol the CcmmuntY Sisterhood Luncheon *£ » 7 2900 was approved by the Senate alter land lawmaker helped shapee a con­ passing the House earlier in the week sensus and her jake brake regulations and now goes to the Governor foi her were amended into a b ill sponsored by signature SB 262 passed the Senate Rep. M arkham . Rep Shibley began w o rkin g on and is on its way to the House. SB 262 du rin g the 1991 legislative "These two b ills w ill make O r­ session to create more bike paths along egon a safer, better place fo r m otor­ ists. pedestrians and bicyclists, “ said Oregon roadways The b ill died in Rep. Shibley "T ransportation is one committee that year Shibley came o f m y top issues and I feel H B 2900 back to the legislature this year and and SB 262 form substantive, positiv e gave the legislation a second e ffo rt le g is la tio n that w ill h elp people W o rkin g w ith her colleagues in the throughout the Portland inctro area Senate, she advanced the b ill through that chamber and is o p tim istic the and throughout the state ' Oregonians vv ho live ot vv oi k neai House w ill also support it. The legis­ busy highway s w ill be the most im m e­ lation requires developers to provide diate beneficiaries o f HR "’ 9000 The bike pa’ hs and foot paths along new so-called "anti-jake make b ill pro­ roads, when b u ild in g new roads in hibits unm uffled engine braking state residential or com m ercial develop­ E va G a b o r N a o m i S im s R enee o f P a r is Synthetic & Human I lair For Braiding & Weeving May 1992’ s 12,729 tons and pushed tonnage for 1993 to 69, 454, a 12 percent rise over 1992 Fresh cher­ ries transiting PDX fo r Japan and Shibley Moves Safe Transportation Bills Portland Lawmaker Takes Action On Truck Notice, Bike Paths O n e o f th e N o r th w e st Largest W ig D isp la y s W ig s a n d H airpieces For all N a tio n a litie s around.” The sta ff as C O M M O N SENSE is not a group o f lawyers, but trained professionals w ith over 60 years o f PO R TLAN D OBSERVER percent abov e 1992 s record year ‘ A ttractive lares, new domestic and international destinations like Taipei and New Y ork, and new ca rri­ ers a ll contributed to our grow th,” said A via tio n director John Brockely. PDC 21 PDX Passengers Percent In May W ig la n d “A n a ffo r d a b le a lte r n a tiv e to a la w y e r ” For a gro w in g number o f con­ Whitney Young Center Open For Free Summer Tutoring h O flic e : (503)200-0033 F a x « : (503)200-0015 Dale: J u ly I, 1993 To: A frican-A m erican Women From: A ve! Gordly, A m in a A nder- son O ur next Sisterhood Luncheon, scheduled fo r July 9th at 11:30am, w ill be hosted by R ip C ity D iner, located at 3100 NE Sandy Blvd. The Sisterhood Luncheon’ s are sim ply a tim e for sisters to get to­ gether, share inform ation, eat and en­ jo y in the company o f other sisters. We look forw ard to seeing you there, ify o u have any questions and/or comments please call Jo A nn A lle n @ 52 Sv» 7X'- Summertime Low Prices! & fe K & -w# SAFEWAY 282-7973. P S. Feel free to b rin g a friend and ify o u know o f anyone who w ould like to be added to the m a ilin g lis t please let m yself o r A rtangia know at the above number Ad Prices Good July 7 through July 13,1993 At Safeway. Sw anson F r o z e n D in n e r s & • S e le c te d v a rie tie s • 8 .7 5 to 1 6 -o z . • F irst 1 2 , a d d itio n a l a t $ 1 .6 9 each Parking Parol Adds Swing Shift * vi 1 P ortland's P arking patrol w ill provide enforcement u n til m id n ig h t Tuesday thorough Saturday thro u g h ­ out the city lim its Previously, police officers performed parking enforce­ ment duties after 6pm. “ We continued to receive com plaints from citizens about blocked driv eways, fire hydrants and crosswalks.” said Anne L a rkin , P arking Patrol Manager. "A d d in g the ■■ », dedicated sw ing sh ift should allow us to provide better p arking enforcement and reduce the burden on the Police Bureau.” T w o deputies w ill be enforcing parking violations in clu d in g blocked driveways, fire hydrants and cross­ walks, tra ffic hazards as in blocking tra ffic lanes and no parking zones As meters arc not required after 6pm, meters w ill not be enforced a flc r 6pm an neither w ill lim e zones unless they have an extended tim e w ritten on them such as 10 minute p arking a ll hours C itizens needingto report a park­ ing problem between the hours o f <>pm and 12 00 m id n ig h t can continue to ca ll the C ity o f Portland Police non- emergency number and the request w ill be relayed to the p a tro llin g depu­ E n j o y E x tr a S a v i n g s W ith T h e N e w 'In -S to r e ! S a f e w a y S h o p p i n g <>ui . ' . 'IH . t ' *, .» • ■’ * ■ ■ m • ' ». J • V fe s ' - 4 i A ’ •6.?' .‘1