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FEB. 18, 1998
(Tlje jilorUaitò O^ksrrurr
LC Endorses Carter’s Bid For
State Superintendent Seat
Living Wage Supporters Pack Hearing
Before a hushed crowd of 150,
packing a northeast union hall decked
with dozens of labor and community
banners, contract janitor 'Roberto”
(not his real name) testified Thurs­
day evening about the "sueldo de
hambre”—wages of hunger—paid
him and other janitors. City and
county
com m issioners
Jim
Francesconi, Erik Sten, Gretchen
Kafoury, Beverly Stein, and Gary
Hansen responded by pledging strong
support for hving wages, health ben­
efits and unionization rights for con­
tract workers
Francesconi said that he had been
ready to introduce a Living Wage
Ordinance on Friday, guaranteeing
$7.50 per hour this year and $8.(X)
the next, plus health benefits and
labor rights. Sten announced he
would co-sponsor. Francesconi then
explained that he needed to wail two
weeks to work out some details raised
at the hearing.
Francesconi questioned the im­
pact on small and minority businesses
of imposing health benefit costs and
wondered about the legality of the
“responsible labor relations” lan­
guage in the proposed ordinance.
Francesconi did, however, encour­
age unionization, saying that “the
best way to raise wages is to union­
ize, we all know that.”
Sten indicated his plea­
sure in being able to sponsor
a direct “bottom up” eco­
nomic development ordi­
nance, rather that a business
subsidy which relies on
“trickle down.” kafoury ech­
oed that sentiment, express­
ing her concern that the city
final a way to "pay a living
wage" for service workers in
the non profit charities who
"deliver some of the city and
county’s most crucial ser­
vices.”
County C'hair Stein, while
pledging support for living
wages for all w orkers,
claimed that the county's cur­
rent living Wage and Ben­
efit Project only needed to
be expanded, not replaced.
She promised to further in-
clude temporary workers, such as
disabled workers under contract with
Goodwill and St Vincent de Paul,
security guards and food service
workers.
___
L ocal N ews
area. The routes were selected in
consultation with the Committee on
Accessible Transportation, which
helps guide service for people with
disabilities and seniors.
"W e’re getting a lot of positive
comments from our customers about
our new low-floor buses,” said Tom
Walsh, general manager. “By offer­
ing the kind of buses that people
prefer, we expect to attract new cus­
tomers and help reduce traffic con­
gestion.”
Low-floor buses are especially
beneficial to customers who use mo­
bility devices. Short ramps extend to
provide easy access. The ramps op­
erate faster and more reliably than
traditional liftsonbuses, intheevent
of an equipment failure, the ramps
can be extended manually.
Tri-met launched its first 22 new
tendent of Public Instruction. Carter,
a Portland Community College ad­
ministrator, has represented District
18 since 1984
“During her time in the
legislature, Representative
Carter has been a voice for
all Oregonians.
Her success in Salem
and
ex p e rie n c e
in
Oregon's educational sys­
tem make her the ideal
candidate for this posi­
tio n ”
said
G eorge
Richardson, Co-chair of
the BLC,
The BLC has also en­
dorsed three other local
candidates. In the race for
D istrict 1 M ultnom ah
County C om m issioner,
the organization will sup­
port Joseph Tam.
Tam, a civil rights in­
vestigator for the state
Bureau of Labor and In­
dustry, is also a member
of the Portland School
Board.
The District 1 position was for­
merly filled by Dan Saltzman, who
will run for Portland City Council.
In the race for C ounty C om ­
m issioner D istrict 3, the BLC
e n d o rs e d B a rb a ra W ilie r, a
County Program D eveloper and
affordable housing activist.
T an y aC o llier vacated the D is­
trict 3 seat to enter the race for
Portland City Council.
In the race for House District
18, the BLC endorsed M artin
Gonzalez, D irector of the A m eri­
can Friends Service Com m ittee.
R epresentative C arter is prohib­
ited from seeking reelection to
her House D istrict 18 seat b e­
cause of term lim its.
After the upcom ing March 10
vote-by-m ail election, the BLC
will continue its endorsem ent
process and begin interview ing
can d id ates for C o n g ressio n al,
Statew ide, City o f Portland and
other county races, am ong o th ­
ers.
Advocates Sought to Serve
Long Term Care Residents
Tri -Met’s new low-floor buses coming
to North & Northest Portland
Tri-met will introduce new low-
floor buses in September and Janu­
ary to five bus routes serving North
and Northeast Portland
The buses,representing Tri Mel's
fleet of the future, make boarding
easier for everyone and riding more
comfortable. Every bus Tri-Met
purchases in the future will have low
floors, surveillance cameras and air
conditioning.
Next fall, low-floor buses will
begin serving bus routes 8-NE 15th
Ave. and 72-Killingsworth/82nd
Avenue. In January, the buses will
begin serving routes 4-Fessenden,
19-Glisan and 75-39th Ave.-
Lombard.
The expansion is part of the launch
of 118 new buses beginning this fall,
introducing low-floor bus service to
many portions of the metropolitan
The Black Leadership Conference
(BLC) has endorsed Representative
largaret Carter for State Superin-
low-floor buses in December on
Route 15-Mt. Tabor/NW 23rd Av­
enue. Tri-Met will coordinate with
neighbors and businesses along new
low-floor bus routes where bust stop
improvements are necessary. Those
with questions or comments may call
Young Park at 239-6722.
Volunteers interested in inves­
tigation, advocacy and the elderly
are needed to serve as ombudsmen
for residents of nursing homes, resi­
dential care lacilities, assisted liv­
ing facilities and adult foster care
homes. The Office of the Long
Term Care Ombudsman will train
the volunteers on the aging pro­
cess, communication skills, prob­
lem-solving skills, investigation
and other ombudsman skills. The
orientation will begin on Saturday,
February 28 in Tigard. While the
training is offered several limes
each year, this session is one of
only two that will be offered on
weekends to accommodate indi­
viduals who are employed on week­
days.
For inform ation about the pro­
gram or to learn to how get
in voi vedcontact Kathy W alter at
1-8OO-522-26O2.
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Friday, February 20,
1998at Reflections
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Booksinging and Lecture
Come and meet
Haki R. Madhubuti
Author of:
I 800-IMAGINE*
It’s all within your reach.
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Groundwork: New and
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Saturday, February 21, 1998
at Reflections
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Contact: Mr. OB Hill
503-288-6942
G uest A uthor Kaki R. M adhubuti
As poet, publisher, editor and educator, Haki FL Madhubuti serves
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tradition, emerging from the era of the Sixties and continuing to the
present day. Overthe years, he has published 22 books and is one
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AT&T Stores
THE DALLES
1246 W 6th Street
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next to Albertson's)
541 296-8420
M-F 9 A M -6 P M
Sat. 1 0 A M -4 P M
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Salem North - 503 881-1047
Salem South - 503 881-1048
W oodburn- 503 881-1046
CALL FOR HOURS