FEB. 17, 1999
‘age A4
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O n-L ine
S alem - S ecertary o f S tate P h il
eislin g an n o u n ced to d a y th at the
>99-2000O reg o n B lue B o o k w ill be
v a il a b le
o n -lin e
at
luebook.state.or.us b eg in n in g M on-
»y, F e b ru ary 15. T h e B lu e B ook,
T egon’s o ffical g o v ern m en t direc-
>ry a n d e n c y lo p e d ia o f h isto ry and
lets h as b e e n p u b lish ed b ien n ially
n e e 1911.
“T h is is the first tim e th at w e have
slesed the In te rn e t v ersio n o f the
fregon B lue B o o k b efo re th e p rin t
e rs io n ,” said K e islin g ,” b u t w e had
n o v erw h elm in g ly p o sitiv e reactio n
> th e last B lu e B o o k w h en w e p u t it
n the w eb.”
K eislin g p o in te d o u t th a t th e n ew
Hue B o o k h as liv e w eb an d e-m ail
inks, a co lo r to u r o f th e S tate C ap ito l,
an d co lo r p h o to g rap h s from each
O reg o n C ounty. A cu rren t v ersio n o f
th e O reg o n C o n stitu tio n , a co m p lete
h isto ry o f elec tio n s in O reg o n , and
ch ap te rs o n the th ree b ran ch es o f
g o v ern m en t, the eco n o m y , cities and
c o u n tries, an d g o v ern m en t are also
included.
“ T h e o n -lin e v ew rsio n o f the O r­
eg o n B lue B ook contains all the infor­
m atio n th at the p rin t v ersio n w ill, and
it’s free,” said K eislin g . H e added
th a t th e w in n er o f th e B lue B ook
C o v e r C o n test w o u ld b e an n o u n ced
in c o n ju n ctio n w ith the release o f the
p rin t v ersio n o f th e 1999-2000 B lue
B o o k in m id -M arch . T h e B lu e B ook
w ill b e av ailab le for $ 14 th ro u g h the
secretary o f State ’ s office and at book­
sto res th ro u g h o u t the state.
R A IN B O W P U $ H
Rev. Jackson Takes on Pataki Over
Cuts for Schools
C h ic a g o — R e v e re n d J a c k s o n ,
te s tif y in g b e f o r e th e N e w Y o rk
S ta te E d u c a tio n C o m m itte e o n
F e b r u a r y 9 , s t r o n g ly c o n d e m n e d
p r o p o s e d b u d g e t c u ts in s t a te
fu n d in g fo r s c h o o ls .
G o v e r n o r G e ro g e P a ta k i, a p o ­
te n tia l c a n id a te fo r th e R e p u b li­
c a n P re s id e n tia l n o m in a tio n , p r o ­
p o s e d c u ts in s ta te s p e n d in g fo r
th e p u b lic s c h o o ls to ta lin g $ 7 3 3
m illio n . T h is w a s d o n e d e s p ite a
s ta te b u d g e t s u r p lu s o f m o re th a n
$2 b illio n .
A s a r e s u lt, s ta te fu n d in g h a s
b e e n e f f e c tiv e ly e li m in a te d fo r
g o a ls s u c h as: u n iv e rs a l k in d e r ­
g a rte n , s m a lle r c la s s siz e s fo r c h il­
d re n in g ra d e s K th r o u g h 3 , a n d
fu ll d a y K in d e rg a r te n . F u n d s fo r
te a c h e r tr a in in g w e re a ls o fr o z e n .
J a c k s o n w a rn e d th a t w h ile th e
B y D orothy R . L eavell and
J effrey R. L ewis ________
A s the W hite H ouse, C ongress,
econom ists, academ icians, advocates
and the m yriad o f lobbyists co m p ris­
ing w hat is k now n as the “ Inside the
B eltw ay W ash in g to n E stablishm ent”
jo ck ey for position o n how b est to
“save” Social Security w ithout losing
their constituents and clients, critical
questions go unansw ered. W e hear a
lot about the im pact on the unified
b u d g e t a n d w h a t is re q u ire d to
strengthen and solidify the financial
solvency o f Social Security, b u t w e
h ear nothing about w hat else is in
Pandora’sB ox.
T here are a variety o f proposals
being brandished about. W hat do we
really know and m ore importantly, what
d o n ’t w e know about the im pact these
various proposals w ill have o n the
business com m unity, labor m arkets,
and the overall health o f the n atio n 's
econom y?
T he fact is, m any o f the reform op­
tions m ay cause significantly greater
costs for businesses and their em ploy­
ees. Employers need to know if they will
shoulder the burden o f increased ad­
m inistrative costs to set up individual
Social Security A ccounts. I f so, how
w ould the extra co st affect business
grow th and expansion? W o uld the
A m erican business com m unity look to
foreign m arkets w ith cheap labor to
produce even m ore o f their goods and
services? H ow m any sm all businesses
w ould be forced to retrench, o r even
close dow n?
W hat about the effect on high-w age
earners and high-bracket tax payers? If
C ongress lifts the cap on incom e sub­
ject to the Social Security tax, can high-
incom e earners expect greater o r re­
duced Social Security benefits w hen
employer-paid Social Security taxes cre­
ate an incentive for em ployers to m ove
aw ay from offering private pension pro­
gram s for their em ployees?
L et’s not forget the im pact o n health
care. If C ongress raises the retirem ent
age - an alm ost seem ing fete accom pli
for Education Service District
Director, Position 5, Zone 1
N/NE Portland
m t Employees 9, Letter Carriers 82. New
Stop School Closures
Keep Our Children in School
All Students Can Succeed
Rep. Deborah Kafoury. Tom Kelly. Clara
fe w o v e r th e m a n y .
T h is is th e re a l b a tt le g r o u n d o f
th e n e x t c a m p a ig n : w h e th e r th e
d re a m o f q u a li ty , u n iv e r s a l p u b ­
lic e d u c a tio n s h a ll b e a t lo n g la s t-
r e a l iz e d — a s o u r n a tio n e n jo y s a n
e r a o f s u r p lu s , a f t e r a g e n e r a t io n
o f d e f i c it s - o r w h e th e r th a t d re a m
w ill b e d e f e r r e d a n d in d e e d d e ­
s tro y e d . G e o rg e P a ta k i’s m o d e r-
a te .
at this point - how w ill it affect em ­
ployer-provided health care? Ifemploy-
ees opt to w ork longer to receive their
full Social Security retirement benefits,
w ill em ployer health care costs also
rise?
W ill the w orkplace gender gap grow
even m ore? W ill these changes m oti­
vate m ore em ployers to integrate pen­
sion and Social Security benefits ? W ill
this further intensify the face o f pov­
erty being distinctly fem inine?
A m ericans deserve to know exactly
w ho w ins and w ho loses under any
plan for S ocial Security reform . M il­
lions o f A m ericans m ay very w ell be
adversely affected - directly through
changes in benefit s tru c tu re -a n d indi-
rectly b y em ployer reaction an d labor
m arket effects.
B efore Pandora’s Box is opened and
unleashed on a trusting public and a
b o o m in g eco n o m y . C o n g ressio n al
o v e rsig h t sh o u ld clo sely ex am in e
w h a t’s inside. O ur nation’s m ost im ­
portant social program is at stake, and
w e deserve nothing less.
W e need deliberative, thoughtful
study and debate in the C ongress to
prevent the partisan feeding frenzy that
typically surrounds any m ention o f
changes in Social Security. A n informed
electorate offers the best potential for
truebi-partisan,responsiblerefonn. The
prerequisite for that is asking the right
questions and m aking sure w e get the
Vote by Mail
Feb. 18- Mar. 9
ate im ag e b e lie s a ra d ic a l d is re g a rd
fo r th e g re a te s t h o p e o f A m e r ic a ’s
w o rk in g fa m ilie s: th a t th e ir c h il­
d re n m ig h t a tte n d s c h o o ls th a t a re
th e fin e s t in th e w o rld .
R ev . J a c k s o n s p o k e at U n io n
C o lle g e in S c h e n e c ta d y , N Y on
W e d n e s d a y a b o u t th e c h a lle n g e
o f c ru m b lin g p u b lic s c h o o ls , th e
ris e o f th e ja il- in d u s tr ia l c o m p le x ,
th e n e x t s ta g e o f th e c iv il rig h ts
m o v e m e n t (e c o n o m ic ) a n d ra n g e
o f o th e r is su e s.
A fte r h is re m a rk s , as R ic h a rd
F o x o b s e rv e d in th e N e w Y o rk
T im e s T h u rs d a y , m e m b e rs o f th e
p re s s a sk e d six q u e s tio n s - o n e
q u e s t io n a b o u t w h e a th e r R e v .
J a c k s o n p la n n e d to ru n fo r th e
p re s id e n c y in 2 0 0 0 , fo u r q u e s tio n s
a b o u t im p e a c h m e n t, a n d o n e
q u e s tio n a b o u t th e S u p e r B o w l.
big GER/
umbrella
They don’t come in XL.
So fix your roof instead.
PDC offers loans for home repairs
and improvements.
[For details, call 823-3400.
iim :
dkvelopmext
commission
call 281-3951
right - the true - answers.
Congress should venture outside o f
the Beltway to hold tow n m eetings all
across the country. Local forum s w ould
give all Americans the opportunity to
understand the consequences o f w hat
is being proposed - w ho w ins, w ho
loses, and what the “after shock” effect
from em ployer to em ployee w ill b e .
A bsent such fell and open disclo­
sure and discussion, w e are headed for
a replay o fN A F T A and the health care
reform debacle. L et’s talk openly and
honestly w ith the A m erican people.
C ongress needs to be rem inded that
even tiny changes can translate into
massive consequences. There ’ s still time
to take a peek inside before w e lift the lid.
THANK
YOU
M c K inley
PORTI A M )
ounty Chair Bev Stein. Comm Erik Sten,
Serena Cruz, Councilor Ed Washington,
el Gordly. Sen Bob Boyer. Rep Margaret
exam .
In r e s p o n s e to d e c li n in g s t u ­
d e n t a c h ie v e m e n t, th e N e w Y o rk
S ta te R e g e n ts a d o p te d a s e t o f
g o a ls c o n s id e r e d to b e th e h ig h ­
e s t a c a d e m ic s t a n d a r d s in th e
c o u n tr y - r e q u i r i n g , f o r e x a m p le ,
th a t a ll 1 l ,h g r a d e r s to p a s s th e
E n g lis h e x a m in o r d e r to g r a d u ­
s u r p lu s .
W h ile P a ta k i c u ts g e n e ra l f u n d ­
in g f o r p u b li c s c h o o l s , h e p r o ­
p o s e s to b o o s t s p e n d in g o n
“ c h a r t e r s c h o o l s ” to a to t a l o f
$ 175 m illio n , th e r b y c h o o s in g th e
they retire?
H ow about the m iddle and low er
incom e em ployees? W ill increases in
Geri
Washington
, PCC Faculty Federation. Rainbow
n United Food and Commercial Workers
nimunication Workers 7901. Hotel and
P a t a k i ’s s c h o o l b u d g e t is r e ­
p u d ia t io n o f th e s e g o a ls , g o a ls
th a t m ig h t h a v e b e e n m e t w ith a
m o re r e a s o n a b le b u d g e t- a b u d ­
g e t th a t is w e ll w ith in N e w Y o rk
m e a n s , g iv e n th e s iz e o f th e s ta te
Social Security Reform: What Else
Elect
xed by : Service Employees State
o ld -tim e s e re g a tio n is ts m ig h t h av e
s to o d in fro n t o f s c h o o l e n tr a n c e s
to b l o c k a d m i s s i o n to p u b li c
s c h o o ls , t o d a y ’s b lo w - d r ie d p o li-
t i c > n s a c h ie v e th e s a m e re s u lts
w h e n th e y p ro p o s e b u d g e ts th a t
p e r m it s a v a g e in e q u a litie s in p u b ­
lic e d u c a tio n q u a lity to p e rs is t.
In 1 9 9 7 , n e a r ly 4 2 % o f e lig ib le
s tu d e n ts in th e S ta te o f N e w Y o rk
e it h e r f a ile d o r d id n o t ta k e th e
N e w Y o rk S ta te R e g e n t’s E n g lis h