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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 2003)
Page A 4 (Tljf ^Jnrtlanb (ßbsertter Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views o f The Portland Observer O pinion lhe P o rtla n d O b s e rv e r U S PS 9 5 9 - 8 8 0 Established 1970 4 7 4 7 N E M a rtin L u th e r K ing, Jr. B lv d ., P o rtla n d , OR 9 7 2 1 1 E d i t o r - i n - C h i e f , P u b l i s h e r C harles H. W ashington E D I T O R M ichael Leighton D IS T R IB U T IO N M i N R G E R M ark W ashington C m r in D ir e c P aul N eufeidt O f f ic e 1 n r M c t o r The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manu scripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned it accompanied by a self addressed envelope. All created design display ads become the sole property of the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage without the written consent of the general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition o f such ad. © 1996 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. The Portland Observer-Oregon’s Oldest Multicultural Publication- -is a member o f the National Newspaper Association-Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New York, NY, and The West Coast Black Publishers Association • Serving Portland and Vancouver. P ostmaster : SendaddresschangestoPoitlandObsenerPOBox 3 1 3 7 , Portland, OR9 7 2 0 8 Periodical Postage paid In Portland, OR e r Subscriptions are $ 6 0 .0 0 per year K athy L in d er R e p o r t e 5 0 3 -2 8 8 -0 0 3 3 Jaym ee R. Cuti FAX 5 0 3 - 2 8 8 - 0 0 1 5 ads@portlandobserver.com • classlfieds@porbandobserver.com Advertise with diversity in (The • news@portlandobsmer.com • subschpbon@portlandobserver.com r ^Jodiani» (Observer call 503.288.0033 or email: ads@portland observer.com Practice puts too many in horrific cycle of debt bv J ulian B ond C o n g ra tu la tio n s to N ew Y ork State A tto r ney G eneral Eliot Spitzer for taking a stand on sub-prim e lending. Preda tory lending is an evil, deceptive T he P ortland O b s e rv e r’s d istrib u tio n o f n e a rly 4 0 ,0 0 0 p ap ers encom passes a w ide cross-section o f residential and state readership, as well as a large percentage o f the local business com m unity. B eco m e a p a r t o f o u r c o m m u n ity . R e a d th e P o r tla n d O b s e r v e r N ew s. Make check payable to the Portland Observer News or pay by Visa or Master Cant 2 Years $100.00 Online subscriptions are also available at subscnptit)rwapirtLinikihstTv iTc<»Ti Renewal $60.00 N am e__ __ A d d r e s s ___ C ity ___________ State P hone Fax Reps. C harles B. Range, D-N. Y. and B enjam in L. Cardin, D-Md., are calling on the Bush A dm inistration and C ongress to take action to tight p overty in light o f new C ensus B ureau data released Friday. T he report show ed that the m e dian income level for American fami- lies dropped for the second year in a row last year, declining by $500 to $42,409. C ensus figures also indicate that the percentage o f A m ericans living in poverty increased from 11.3 per cent in 2000 to 12.1 percent in 2002. T he total num ber o f poor A m eri can s has grow n by 3 mil lion during the period. Rep. R angel, w ho is the leading D em ocrat on the C om m ittee on W ays and M eans said, “ Incom e is dow n and poverty is up for A m eri can families. The Bush A dm inistra tion seem s m ore interested in spend ing tens o f billions o f dollars to w age w ar in Iraq than in doing any thing to com bat poverty right here in America. W e need a national strat egy to boost em ploym ent and re duce poverty and w e are not g et ting it from this adm inistration.” Rep. C ardin, said “T he C ensus num bers confirm w hat m any o f us have already seen in our com m uni tie s - in c re a s in g h a rd s h ip fo r A m erica’s families. M iddle incom e fam ilies have to live on less, w hile poorer A m ericans are falling even deeper into poverty.” “ U nder President C linton, pov erty declined for seven years in a row. N ow w e see poverty rising again. The fam ilies affected by this trend have yet to see the helping practice aimed primari ly at people o f color. S ub-prim e lenders prey on A frican-Am eri cans, the elderly and fem ale heads o f house holds, charging astro nom ically high rates o f interest and im posing excessive fees and pen alties. T his p ractice traps m illions o f individuals in a horrific cycle o f debt-slavery. T he N A A C P p a sse d re s o lu tio n s a g a in st p re d a to ry len d in g in 2000 and 2 0 0 2 , and has even g o n e so fa r as to fo rb id its u n its from a c c e p tin g d o n a tio n s from p redatory lenders. I tis tim e f o r a ll v ic tim s o f this p ra c tic e an d fo r th o se w ho are tru ly co n c e rn e d about eco n o m ic em p o w erm en t to d em an d acc e ss to re a so n a b le an d h u m an e le n d in g p ra c tic e s fo r all A m ericans. I hope that o th er states w ill fol hand prom ised by so-called c o m p a ss io n a te c o n se rv a tism . T h ey need less talk and m ore action. An easy first step w ould be to provide tax re lie f to the 6.5 m illion low -in com e fam ilies excluded from the last tax bill,” C ardin said. “ W e need to m ake fighting pov erty in A m erica a priority before it becom es even w orse. If w e can afford to occupy nations a h a lf a w orld aw ay and pay billions to re build there, how can w e ignore the suffering o fw orking fam ilies in our ow n land? If w e can afford to keep hundreds o f billions in tax cuts for those w ho make more than $200,000 a year, then how can w e turn a blind eye to those people w ho w ork hard but still can not keep their fam ilies from sliding deeper into poverty?” R angel added. Z ip C ode Com pany Name G ift subscriptions are also available for h a lf price w ith your renew al. The Portland Observer • P.O.Box 3137 • Portland, OR 9 7 2 08 5 0 3 .2 8 8 .0 0 3 3 • Fax 5 0 3 .2 8 8 .0 0 1 5 * portlandobserver.com Use your Card For a chance to... low N ew Y o rk 's lead and pay m ore attention to econom ic d iscrim in a tion in the form o f unfair, irrespon sible lending practices. T his is also an opportune tim e for financial in stitutions and responsible lenders to w ake up and address the legiti m ate credit needs o f low incom e people. Julian Bond, C hairm an o f the B o a rd o f D irectors o fth e N ational A ssociation f o r the A d vancem ent o f C olored P eople Please send y o u r ed to ria l m a te ria l better t0 the (Scditer Jlo rtla n h GDhscrucr The Portland Observer is Oregon s Oldest and Largest Multi-Cultural Newspaper. 1 Year $60.00 Less Talk and More Action Needed to Combat Poverty Predatory Lenders Prey on People of Color If It’s New or Informative, You Probably Saw It In October OI, 2003 to newsier p o rtlan d o b sen er.com To Portland with Love Public Power E d ito r ’s note: M eaux Craig, a fo r m e r P ortland resident, su rvived the terrorist attacks o f the W ord Trade C enter tow ers in N ew York. H is horrific a n d heart w renching story was sh a red with readers o f The P ortland O bserver a t the time. Now, on the tw o y e a r anniversary o f that d readful dav, his m other, D ee C raig-A rnold o f northeast Portland, re ceived the fo llo w in g open letter to the com m unity: Y our love, concern and support have been greatly appre ciated. D uring the darkest hours o f m y life, I’ve felt the strength that w as m uch needed. Y our unlim ited em pathy has transform ed m e into a pillar o f strength I’ve never thought possible (w e ail have hidden stam ina that m ust be nurtured). It is m y w ish that everyone in this w orld experiences the pow er o f love. The m otto I learned at H ow ard U niversity is that “ Luck is w hen preparation m eets opportunity.” I guess w ith the likes o f The C ity o f R oses, I’ve been the luckiest! A s then a person o f despair, uncertainty and excruciating m ental and physical pain, now tw o years later I feel alm ost w hole again. O regon, lock up the love w ithin your hearts and d o n ’t lose the key. A lthough m y heart belongs to B rooklyn, W ashing ton, D .C .an d Portland equally, I think when it com es to love; you all w on m y heart hands dow n. P. S. - Please continue to open your hearts to those in need. M eau x C raig Proposal Troubling T he N orth/N ortheast B usiness A ssocia tion B oard o f D irectors has unanim ously voted to oppose the proposal to form a p e o p le ’s u tility d is tric t in M u ltn o m ah C ounty. A P U D w ill ad d an a d d itio n a l b u rd en and u n c e rta in ty to o u r a lre a d y tro u b le d eco n o m y . C o n d em n in g e x istin g p o w e r fa- c ilitie s in M u ltn o m ah C o u n ty w o u ld be a le n g th y and d isru p tiv e p ro c e s s, c o stin g m o re th an $1 b illio n . F u rth e rm o re , i t ’s u n k n o w n h o w c o s tly o r c o m p lic a te d tra n sitio n in g from e sta b lish e d re lia b le serv ers to a P U D w o u ld be. A nd th ere is no certain ty in w here a PU D w ould receiv e its p o w e r an d at w h at cost. O verall, o u r b e lie f is that the form ation o f the M ultnom ah C ounty PU D puts residents and businesses at risk o f higher rates and disruption in services. E dw ina Wasson, N orth /N orth east B u si n ess A ssociation p resid en t Win One of Over 350 Prizes! I $ < 11 W A V o NO PURCHASE NEC E SSA R Y CERTAIN R E STR IC TIO N S APPLY W IN N E R S SE LEC TED FROM ELIGIBLE ENTRANTS AMONG ALL SAFEWAY COMPANIES STORES SEE CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR RULES AND DETAILS* a Attention SENIORS Safeway Senior Shuttle Service! Introducing « great new service for out neighborhood senior citizens. 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Card price: $1.66 ea Visit Safeways Web site at SAVE up to $5.19 on 3 PRICES EFHCTIVt 0CTO8EA 2003 Sun Mon Tue Wed 1 5 -SJ Thu, [ Fn 2 Set [ 3 I 4 i « am « fct 0« 6» to Aw m»r Wn « e m ro «XO «n ■» «■ <n un en » «e, ' 10-lb. Bag Russet Potatoes Tasty baked, mashed or fried. SAVE up to $2.02 3.4 Safeway Club Price Now the savings are in the Card! ALL LIMITS ARE PER HOUSEHOLD PER DAR
