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¿Tin' Page A4 Best Way to Use Tax Rebate? cnpnd s p e iiu I c q \/A SdVC „4- 11 ill d ll it 11 May 7, 2008 Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views o f the Portland Observer. We welcome reader essays, photos and story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com. O pinion L 7 U II ^ìnrtlauò ©bseruer NS /Aop.e o f5 QOSTice' nVMsTRMREB ables you to make a major purchase -lik eah o u seo ran ew car-w ith o u l ZO8 ■ p o ó ,iv e 6É&Ì HPNÎHS- if going into debt. And it can soften 11______[he blow of economic downtimes BY D e NKKN I). like a layoff or medical emergency. S tewart Why are so many of i One hundred thirty financially ill-prepared? million Americans soon In part, it's because ol will begin receiving tax our public education sys rebates in the mail, tern. In school, few chil thanks to the economic dren are taught the basic stimulus package that financial skills needed to recently made it through make long-term savings Congress. Individuals decisions. making less than $75 .(XX) But parents are also to blame should expect $6<X). Families with incomes under $150,000 will get lot of children do not develop sound money management skills. In order $ 1,200, plus $3(X) per chi Id. What’s the best way to spend to prevent this from happening that money? Don't spend it at all — parents should begin by teaching their children the difference be save it. If you've already stored away tween "needs” and "wants." They some cash, adding a few hundred should also encourage their chil more dollars means an even greater dren to save their money, rather return on your interest rate. And if than spend it. Try opening a high-yield sav you don't yet have a financial safety net, you'll have a quick-and-easy ings account for your children and encourage them to deposit a por way to start one. This tax rebate comes at a great tion of their allowance on a regular AprÉRMIàCAPRtASE SNÍÍUHO6ND IH SIGHT, I KNOW WHAT ”\ o Vû#** kV '- X a 'N s* 4' I SNOUVP susses ! raws' SïENÇÂNGÆSS TfflH tv Æ p o u c e , w e s t wiu-po . sj+Mvf) At the end o f the day, getting Ballot Access Setback ahead financially is quite While we are Erecting simple — it means spending d is a p p o in te d w ith the S u barriers simply less and saving more. preme Court’s 6- ■ 3 decision to up undemocratic hold Indiana’s time forblack America. Despite tre basis. In doing so, your children mendous gains in income and edu cation over the last few decades, our community still isn't saving nearly as much as it should. Look at retirement. Less than halfofall black work ers have saved for their golden years, according to the U.S. Trea sury Department. Only about a quarter of us have even tried to figure out how much money we'll need to retire. Those numbers are all the more depressing in light of the fact that Americans are increasingly on their own when it comes to saving for retirement. O f course, savings aren't just for your golden years. A nest egg en- w ill be able to see their money grow by J ohn P ayton Without doubt, thousands of which will enable them to develop a "positive" savings attitude and otherw ise elig ib le A frican will allow them to continue on the American and other minority path to financial wealth for the rest voters who would have wanted of their lives. to participate in what is perhaps Public officials and private citi the most historic election in our zens alike need to ramp up theii lifetime, will not be able to vote efforts to teach kids the value of under mandatory, voter ID re savings. quirements. At the end of the day, getting ahead financially is quite simple - it means spending less and saving more. The upcoming tax rebate pro vides a perfect opportunity to get started. Voter ID law, thisisnottheend of the road in our fight to ensure that the right to vote remains open to all. The right to vote is funda mental and erecting barriers to the free exercise of that right is simply undemocratic. As importantly, too few have focused on the impact that this law has on eligible but unreg istered individuals, many of whom exist on the margins of our society without the kind of identification required under this law. The court held that the chal lengers to Indiana’s law' had not developed an adequate record showing that the law would burden Indiana voters. To the extent that the court's ruling turns on the inadequacy of the record that was devel oped in this particular ease, future challenges to manda tory voter ID laws will likely focus on helping to put a face fCf'NK'é’» to those voters who are im pacted by these restrictive re quirements. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund will con tinue to carefully monitor the ways in which voter identifica tion requirements and other re strictive barriers will both limit access and have a chilling ef fect on those seeking to exer cise their right to vote during the 2008 election cycle. John Payton is president and director-counsel o f the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and one of the nation's leading civil rights attorneys. Young, Gifted and Nothing to Do Deneen Stewart is an attorney with ING Direct, the nation's larg est direct hank. OREGON ASSOCIATION OF MINORITY ENTREPRENEURS (OAME) CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW May 8th, 2008 10:00am - 3:00pm OR Convention Center Register Early to Assure Your Company Will Be Included! Do not miss this fantastic opportunity to reserve exhibit spaces in the 20TH Annual Conference and Luncheon and Trade Show at the Oregon Convention Center. The OAME Trade Show is designed for purchasers/buyers from the Public and Private agencies to network with minority, women and small businesses. It is also an opportunity for minority, women and emerging small businesses to showcase their products and services and to network. Register now!!! Take advantage of this great opportunity to promote your business and increase you're buying and selling options. To reserve a booth or to purchase a luncheon ticket call the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, (503) 249- 7744 or visit our website www. oame. org ff,’f |jo r tla n b (O bscxM ivEstablished 1 9 7 0 USPS 959-680 ________________________________ 4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97211 Bring back summer jobs by M arc M o r ia i . For more than 30 years, beginning in the 1960s, the Fed eral Governm ent saw the enormous benefit of providing summerjobs to mil lions of disadvantaged youth across America. But since 2000, the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program has lost its direct funding. With the economy reeling, un employment soaring and the summer heat approaching, there is an urgent need to bring back summer jobs for youth. We know that a summer job experience not only puts much- needed money into the pockets of poor kids and sometimes into the budgets of their families, it also provides opportunities to gain valuable new skills, and can he a pathway to higher edu cation and ultimately to tax pay- ingeitizenship. Investing in summerjobs for our youth returns tremendous dividends in reduced wel fare dependency, fewer crimes, less incarceration and greater workforce productivity. For some youth, it can be a life sav ing alternative to the world of gangs and drugs. lition of youth serving organiza tions, churches, city and county political associations, the Na tional League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, all calling for the Congress to pro vide emergency supplemental appropriations for summerjobs. And over the last two years, we've called for restoring the Summer Youth Jobs Program as a separate program under the Workforce Investment Act to be funded with new monies. For years "The Opportunity to Earn" has been one of the four components of the National Urban League's Opportunity Compact. We believe that the federal government should act now to provide jobs to disadvantaged youth who want to work, who need to work and who are seek commitment to $2 billion. The National Urban League ing alternatives to idleness and has a historic commitment to the dangers of the summer securing summer jobs for low- streets. Marc Moriai is president income youth and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to and chief executive officer of earn. In 2000, we joined a coa the National Urban League lus" as part of the bipartisan economic stimulus package. Currently, both the House and the Senate have introduced bills that call for an immediate $1 billion dollar commitment for youth summer jobs this year. While I support theirefforts, the current state of our economy makes it clear that $1 billion is not enough. I implore them and the Congress to increase that Act now to provide jobs to disadvantaged youth who want to work, who need to work and who are seeking alternatives to idleness and the dangers o f the summer streets. Earlier this year, in separate letters to Senate M ajority Leader Harry Reid, and House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, I made, on behalf of the National Urban League, a strong ease for in cluding a "summerjobs stimu- Finrim-is-Cini c l’i hi isio ii: Charles H. Washington Entroa:M ichael L e ighIon Disown tion M i s m i : M ark W ashington Cutsrivf. Dmi.otir: P aul N e u fe ld t Ammrisisc: K athy l.in d ee Or m i MsNM.m: Sharon Sperry RrroKTfit: R aym ond R end lem án Yes, I want to support the Joyce Washington Scholarship Fund! Enclosed is my gift of $ __________ Please contact me about my pledge of $ __________ Please bill my credit card in the amount of $ __________ I he Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions Manuscripts and photographs should he clearly labeled and w ill he returned i f accompanied by a self addressed envelope. A ll created design display ads become the sole property o f the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage without the written consent of the general manager, unless the client has pure based the composition o f such ad. Í ) 200X 1H1 P O R TLA N D OBSERVER A l l RIG HTS Rl SERVI I) Rl P R O D I'('1 ION IN W HOI.fc OR IN PART W IT H O I I PERMISSIO N IS P R O H IB IT E D The Portland Observer Oregon’ s Oldest M ulticu ltural Publication is a member o f the National Newspaper Association- l-oundcd in IKH5. and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers. Inc New York, N Y . and The West Coast Black Publishers Association Visa Exp date My employer will match my gift______________________ Phone Name______________________ _______________ Address________________________ ____ _______ City_________________________State P O B ox3137, Portland. 0 R 9 7 2 0 8 » American Express Card Number___________________________ P ostmastw : Send address changes to Portland Observer, CALI. 503-288-0033 nensQiwrtlandvbserver.iom MasterCard FAX 503-288-0015 Email _ CVV J°yee Washington Scholarship k und JWSF « 2p_ MAIL THIS FORM WITH PAYMENT TO: PO Box 3993 Portland Oregon 97208 Phone (503) 288-0033 L