Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / July 6, 1978, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
α Walton Shi )ws Courage, Statesmanship ay Hoyle H. W iartin Sr. Post Editorii i\ Writer Mecklenburg Cc »unty Commis sioner Bob Walton exemplified raw courage and politic al statesmanship last Thursday wh< ;n he decided to change his vote on the amount of the increase in the set tool budget. Specifically, Wi Jton showed cou rage in a willingi ess to admit that he didn't fully ui jderstand what he was voting for in ι agreeing to support cutting in half a f 4-million increase in the school bud ,g«;t. Furthermore, Walton reported Uy said the budget cuts problem wj is paused in part by promises tha t (commissioners, including hims elf, made about the schools during the political camp aigns. More significantly, Walton's action set the stage for decisions by the Commission that eased the conflict with the School Board. This was an act of statesmanship that may have averted court action and damage to the image of the school system. The end result of these develop ments was a $144.7 million county budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, a $41.5 million local school budget share and a tax rate at 79^ cents per $100 valuation, a half penny below last year's rate. The Post salutes Commissioner Walton for his preception, unselfish ness and devotion to dutv. Foetic Justice For Dr, Jones VII U1C IlUl I Ugnt ol f August 18, 1976, an important i item inot on the Char lotte-Meckl enburg; School Board agenda and without prior warning to anyone resi nted in a 6 to 1 vote to fire then schoo' ι superintendent Dr. Rol land Jon'd? s before television came ras and tl· ie general public. Sine:e * that inhuman event nearly two yeai rs ago, Jon,es has reportedly sought numerous jobs and, upon be mg repeatedly passed over for o' cher candidates, became under stand; ably discouraged. He said earlif »r this week, "there were disa ppoii atments, and I had to fight depi .-ession." That statement was made two da? /s after Jones had signed a $50,000 per year three-year contract to head the Baldwin Union Free School District, Long Island, New York. Ironically, Jones signed his contract with the Baldwin School District the same day he received his final check from his two-year, $40,000 annual contract with the local school system. Since Jones was fired from his $40,000 a year job as head of the 109-school Charlotte-Mecklenburg system and experienced considera bly difficulty in finding a new job, it appears to us that poetic justice has prevailed with Jones getting a posi tion paying 25 percent more and 90 percent less in school system size and responsibility. Good luck Dr. .Tnnoc wîfVi fhû DaMtintt Progress 'Or Disappointment? ttecent studies indicate that black Americans' annual income now ex ceeds $70 billion annually. Further more, nearly 4,000 of the nation's 525,000 elected officials are blacks including 17 congressional represen tatives. While this number repre sents less than one percent of the nation's elected office holders, black voters nevertheless were a - *1 Λ i-"-W Harris in the Mayor's Chair. In addition, there is a black man on the U.S. Supreme Court and many on lower court benches, another in the President's Cabinet, another is our U.N. ambassador and there are other blacks in similar positions. There are also a number of blacks on corporate boards. In spite of these apparent signs of progress, over 25 percentof all black families still live below the govern ment defined poverty level (5,815 for an urban family of 4), unemploy ment among black teenagers re mains at 42 percent and for all blacks its 14 percent or more than twice that of whites. Minority owned businesses too face nearly insur mountable problems in thier attempts to participate in the free enterprise system. m puiung Jimmy Carte? ι House, Jim Hpnt in the ' Mansion and Kenneth ι nus, 13 years after the civil right and equal opportunity efforts of the mid-1960s blacks are asking the question, has it been progress or disappointment? There has been some progress upward for the professional or college trained black but little for the less educated and these repre sent the majority of the black Community. X^.The 'fcoifective views of tfagr nation's black leadership that aims toward progress calls for a renewal commitment to educational values and discipline, especially for black youth, and more reliance on black self-help endeavors than on govern ment programs. In this regard, we believe the possible birth of Urban League chapter in Charlotte, tjhe low scores of blacks on competency tests, and the local black unemployment level should be enough to remind us that progress for blacks can occurr if we heed the problems we face as a people and prepare to push open the doors to prosperity and opportunity. This means for many of us changing our attitudes, disciplining our bodies and training our minds for living in an environment of economic, social and political progress. BLAMING THE POLICE FOR THE ILL-TREATMENT OF BLACK JUVENILES DOESN'T STOP STOP THF.M FROM KILLING OLD MEN AND WOMEN. SITTING AROUND DOING NOTHING WONT HELP EITIŒR— FACTS THAT ARE NOT I fVANKLY FACED HAVE A , HASTY HABIT OF STABBINCL I# IN THE BACK. /v U* HAHOLO BOWOCM / ^ J*-T. Χ t Blacks9 Destiny In Own Hand Focusing On The Other Economy By Bayard Rus tin Anyone concerned with the economic squeeze on workers and poor people should read G us Tyler's penetrating new study entitled The Other Economy: America's Work ing Poor. Appearing in a recent issue of a small - but spirited - magazine known as The New Leader, the study lays bare the poverty, depri vation, and glaring inequali ties that co-exist with afflu ence and wealth. Tyler's study effectively challenges two dangerous political trends that seem to be sweeping America. The first - which is especially popular among some intel lectuals and politicians — is a curious and premature cele bration of universal or near universal "affluence." Aceordiiig to the proponents of Uiû^socitf my*, we need only "mopupR the remaining vestiges of poverty by either motivating or quietly aband oning those who cling so stub bornly to the nefarious "wel fare ethic." America, we are confidently told, has achieved plenty in our own time. This smug complacency has given birth to a second dis turbing trend - the ever popu lar idea that social problems are best solved by the nimble fingers of the market's "invi sible hand." Neo-conserva tives and business figures solemnly lecture us about the limits of government, and the great untapped potential of an expanding private sector (i.e. profit-motivated enterprise) as it displaces a parasitical, inflation-producing, and morally corrupt public sector. For conservatives then, afflu ence is best preserved and expanded by a gradual "withering away of the state" and the gradual elimination of "unnecessary" social services for the poor and non-affluent. Tyler shows these myths for what they are - simple myths. All is not so rosy, according to the study, and the root causes of our social problems won't be found in bloated federal budgets, fat workers1 welfare chislers, or a tax system which unfairly penalizes busi ness activity. Quite the con trary, many of our moet seri ous social problems have deep roots in the very economic system which conservatives claim has been efficient, so egalitarian, and so victimized by government "interfer ence." By illustrating the endemic and almost radical inequality that characterizes the Ameri can economic system;' T*Jer£ reminds us that th&jaaiieaHB:' so serious, and—«or~twoad based, that it requires a social solution, not a "trickle-down" strategy. By a social solution, I mean far-reaching efforts directed toward the trans formation of our economy from a system based exclusi vely on private profit to a system far more responsive to social needs. A social solution, of course, presupposes the existence of a strong political coalition - inlcuding black people -- capable of mobilizing mass support for fundamental change in the American economic system. But in light of recent political events (i.e. Proposition 13 in California, the defeat of Senator Case, etc.), I fear we will face increasing difficulties in pro tecting and enlarging the pro gressive coalition, a coalition which is, ironically, loeing the votes of many Americans who live and work in Tyler's "Other Economy." Here is the central paradox arising from Tyler's study: because of apathy, internal division, and simple confus ion, the political power "The Other Economy" is either under-utilized or unwittingly aligned with forces committed to the continued subjugation of "The Other Economy." In a very real sense, "The Other Economy" is its own jailer and prosecutor But it also has the potentials for becom ing its own liberator. As I see it, those of us concerned with the problems of "The Other Economy" must once again become the inteUectual enEàuïfVo'n, we have virtually abandoned the field to the slick "anti-tax" hucksters who contend that every decent social welfare program of the last twenty years has somehow been a disaster for the economy. And the fact that so many in "The Other Economy" eagerly buy these new economic fallacies is, In large measure, our own fault. If we are to succeed in reversing the conservative trend, a trend which will perpetuate and aggravate the problems of bktck. workers in "The Other Economy," we must vigorously confront the essentially regressive policies of the so-called New Right. We must unmask the blatant injustices of the present tax system, and advocate mean ingful reform. • By Vernon Ε. Jordan Jr TO BE EQUAL Tuition Credit Threatens Schools The drive for a tax credit to offset tuition costs has gathered momentum with the passage of a version of the plan by the House of Representa tives. Many people think the Senate will follow suit. Fortunately, President Carter has promised to veto such ill-advised legislation. But that doesn't end the threat. Congress still might override the veto. Or, if it doesn't, the issue is bound to surface again next year. Superficially, the tax credit is appealing to many middle income families. In reality though, it's a form of shell game that won't materially aid middle class taxpayers, will probably drive up education costs, and seriously threatens the system of public schools. The House bill would allow taxpayers to deduct $100 from the federal taxes they owe for ea^x college student in the family and $50 for eve™ private school pupil. The credit will then grow yearly until it hits $250 and $100 respectively in 1980. That would amount to a whopping $1.2 billion federal subsidy. The Senate is considering a bill that would be even more generous - costing four or five times as much as the House measure. But such savings to taxpayers are likely to dissolve since private schools and colleges are bound to raise tuition fees. Beyond that, this so-called attempt as equity for taxpayers means that the bulk of tax money will be returned to affluent families most able to pay high tuition fees. And for all the concern about the hard pressed taxpayer, families whose children are not in private schools .will wind up paying higher taxes to fund the tax credit for other families — even though they may be earning less. Some versions of the tuition tax credit dodge peg the credit to a percentage of the tuition payments. That means affluent families whose children attend high tuition schools get back more than families whose kids are in lower-cost colleges. So while the plan is presented as an effort to bail out financially-pinched middle class fami lies, the real beneficiaries are the affluent. ■ half-billion dollar welfar^ i,·/.i >¥»l'inoder*te'income.famflietfT1 ^WBtiroinyWnBfféri publié Schools and taxed at low rates, will wind up with almost nothing from the tuition tax credit although they're the ones who need help most. The real threat in the House bill comes from its inclusion of private elementary and secondary school students in the tax credit. That re presents a grave threat to the public schools -- it's virtually an invitation to parents to desert those schools thanks to federal subsidies. Many public school systems are strapped for funds and voters have been wary about voting school bond issues. If federal subsidies accele rate the movement of middle class children into private schools, voters would be even less likely to support public education. And once a tuition tax credit passes - at whatever level it is set - it's very likely to be increased. So the tax credit provides incentives to desert public schools at the very time when those public schools need more aid to improve their services. as ι see i c Bakke Wing:Affiriiialive Action Wobbles THE CHARLOTTE POST "THE PEOPLES NEWSPAPER" Established 1918 Published Ε ν ei y Thursday By The Charlotte Poet Publishing Co., Inc. 1524 West Blvd.-Charlotte, N.C. 28208 Telephones (704) 376-0496, 376-0497 Circulation, 9,915 60 YEARS OF1 CONTINUOUS SERVICE Bill Johnson Bernard Reeves ... Hoyle H. Martin Sr Julius Watson Albert Campbell.... Editor-Publisher General Manager Executive Editor Circulation Director Advertising Director Second Class Postage No. 965500 Paid At Charlotte, N.C. under the Act of March 3,1878 Member National Newspaper Publishers Association North Carolina Black Publishers Association I Deadline for all news copy and photos is 5 p.m. Monday. All photos and copy submitted becomes the properly of thê POST, and will not be returned. National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. 4§ W. 5th Suite 1403 2400 S. Michigan Ave. New York, N Y. 10038 Chicago, 111. 60616 (SIS) 489-1220 Calumet 5-0200 By Gerald Johnson The Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision delcared that the Medical School of the Univer sity of California at Davis was guilty of reverse discrimina tion and that the university must admit Allan Bakke, the plaintiff of the case. The opinions regarding the Supreme Court decision were varied and mixed. Most Black people took offense to the decision and most white's applauded the result. But before you completely formulate your biased opinion, let me give you some unbiased facts about the case. The University of California at Davis Medical School main tained two procedures for ad mitting students; one for white students, one for blacks students. The rigidity of the program was structured to admit 16 black students come from hell or high water. The law state· that no per son can be denied admissions to a university because of race, color, creed, or national origin. The UCD Medical School denied admissions to Allan Bakke based on race. This was proven when the schoolc ouldn't show any other reason for denying Bakke admission Consequently Bakke won. The effect that will result from the Bakke case is some what obscure. But it can be said that affirmative action was not on trial. By this, I mean that the courts ruling was directed towards a speci fic case: Bakke and the UCD Medical School. The higher court went so far as saying that race could be a factor in determing admissions. Later on in the week they refused to hear similar reverse discrimi nation cases. This to me means that the higher court is keeping a watchful eye on how affirmative action I· being administered. Hence, the Bakke case should not affect the affirmative action pro grams. However, because of the general terms of the courts ruling there is a lot of room for interpretation. What is going to happen is those institutions and industries that are firmly committed to affirmative action by conscience and not by law will continue to strive aggressively and positively toward equality. Those that are committed to the law and the law alone will use this opportunity to test the rigidy of the law. Thus the afflrma tive action programs will feel """^GersïdJoKeô^^^ a ripple of aorta and pouibly will wobble a little, but 1 think It will maintain a sound foot ing over the years to come. There are aeveral pointa of intereeftfuiflMMiftf the deci sion on Bakke. One point la that the courts rendered quo tas aa unconstitutional. I firmly agree with thia point. To rigidly atick t« a set num ber la discriminatory ai well aa atupid Even though It might aeem that It helps blacka It really hlndera blacks. If more than the aet number of blacka were quali fied to fill the poeitlona then the aet number la discrimina ' tory. If there are fewer Qualified blacks then it becomes a burden to actually recruit the set number. If the set number is recruited at all coat then quotas become dis criminatory against white people. To aggreasively re cruit qualified minorities and women does not mean bring ing in a set number but rather making concerted efforts to recruit minorities and women. Secondly, the court said that race cannot be the only consi dération, but it could be used as one of many factors in considering candidates. Be fore this ruling it was uncon stitutional to uee race at all. This will give admission offices a little more flexibility in recruiting minorities. ERA Advocate Even though 1 am an era advocate I muet sey that those individuals spouting off about equal work deeervee equal pay are a little off base. To demonstrste the irrstlon al «•«■wi'Minftf are drawn from this assumption, let's take an absurd example. Suppose you wanted your lawn cut. A boy of 12 years offers to do it for 96, while sn adult with a lawn service chargea $15. The lawn là a fixed entity and basically both people will have to do basically the same work to get the lob done. However, theFi exist a disparity in price. There are several points that can be logically conclud ed from this point: 1) the boy is working for spending money and his needs for money aren't as severe as the adult's. 2) If the boy charged. $15 he wouldn't gat the job. Conse quently, work, like any other commodity Is based on supply and demand. Using this example as a basis about work In general, It is easy to demonstrate that an employer pays according to need and supply. This economical fact has led to what happens to be discri mination against women. But women are newcomers to the job market. Being newcomers women accept employment at a lower paying scale. More over, siooe moet employed women are working to supple ment another income the aggressiveness toward mone tary achievement, isn't as acute as It la for males. Here' again is reason for women to actually accept a job at a lower rate of pay. These are just a few reasons why women average leas than man on the salary scale. As time passes the salary gap between men and women employees will disappear. However, women must real lie that the tame work does not receive the same pamm Look at Barbara Walters &W Harry Reasoner. The Jobs are identical but Walter's salary is more than doubles Reason er's. What else can I say. Streets To Qoee For Improvement· Beginning Friday, July 7, three streets in the Fourth Ward area will be closed to construct drainage improve menu. Streets being closed are Poplar Street between Seventh and Eighth Streets, Pin· Street between Seventh and Eighth Streets and Eighth Street between Poplar and Church Streets.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 6, 1978, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75