Portland Advocate_1981-06

PageS Effects of Each Decennial Census: Reapportionment by James Hi II The OregQn COnstitution requires the Oregon Legislature to reaprx:>rtion poli– tical districts after each decennial census (every ten years per the census) . On May 8, 1981, the Oregon House of Re– presentatives by a vote of 53 to 5, passed House Bill (HB) 2001 which allows for a Black JX>pulation of 44% in the new District #18. The Oregon COnstitution further re– quires that both the House and Senate ·concur on an identical plan before July 1, 1981, or the decision to redistrict will be zmde by the Oregon Secretary of State. Oregon has a history of not meet– ing the constitutional deadline. The courts have ruled that all constitutional district plans must be designed in a rmnner to ensure the JX>p– ulation is composed of "communities of interest . '' M:>reover, each district must IOOet mandated federal guidelines -"one man, one vote" principles-which was esta– blished by the Mississippi Freedom ~ ocratic party and the Voting Rights Acts currently being debated and re-evaluated by COngress. On the other side of the aisle, in the Senate, Sen. Bill McCOy's (D-Port- land) ineptness was devastatingly ~ barrassing. McCOy, the only Black state senator, oprx:>sed HB 2001 because the new District would be Black, he said, and thereby become "segregated." On June 4, 1981, the Senate Goverrurent Operations Comnittee accepted McCOy's advice 9- 2, voting to reduce the Black JX>pulation in District #18 by 5%. McCOy's actions are not difficult to understand given that he was found to be one of the least effective legisla– tors in Salem. Just consider · the following: A) He fought against the establishment of an Oregon COrrmission on Black Affairs; B) his supJX>rt for statewide recognition of Dr. King's birthday was weak; C) he went against corporate divestiture in South Afrika; D) backed away fran introducing a bill related to the extension of the Voting Rights Acts; E) gave no input on the state's racial harrassment bill; and, F) allowed the use of his name on only one affirmative action bill. Due to McCoy's actions, which con– tradict the expressed desires of the majority in the Black community, a joint House and Senate COnference com– mittee will have to resolve differences over HB 2001, History may repeat itself and reap– portionment will not be decided by the state legislators by July l, 1981, ~ required. And possible court challenge seems a fore~ne conclusion because any elector in the state is empowered to challenge the plans. The final date for state reapportionment whether by the legislators or the Secretary of State (who decides if they can't) is Nov. 1, 1981. In essence , the coonrunity must orga– nize, conduct sessions whereby Black folks can. decide who and under what conditions they will become a ''New District." We now have the chance to put into practice the contention of the community that it is in our interest to speak with one voice as our congres~ sional delegation advocate our local, national and international concerns in Washington, D. C. We now need people to lobby the Or– egon senate, prepare t:est:JJIDny ana ms– cuss the issues with the various inte– rest groups in our coonrunity. If we utilize a process whereby all concerns are heard in an open forum, with the prevailing c0ncerns supported by all, then our community will be empowered and politically viable. At the April 30, 1981 meeting of the House Elections and Reapportionment hearings at King Neighborhood Facility, the constant and clear voice of our commmity was simple: We will conduct our own political affairs. But today there is an absence of the kind of leadership in Salem to repre– sent our interests. '!here is no Black legislative leadership to focus state– wide attention to the lack of employ- IIEnt opportunities in both public and private sectors in our community. Those Blacks who do have jobs are subjected to the worst jobs without any authority to make decisions. This is another as– pect of the lack of political power here. Another example is of a Black candi– date fran this carmunity who, under the Republican Party banner, campaigned as a Republican first, a businessm.n se– cond, and a B1.ack man further down the continuum of ''who am I and who am I to serve. '' This misguided allegiance flies in the face of the political Ilm{im; "In politics you have no permanent allies and no permanent enemies.'' (COntinued on page 9) BUF pickets in front of heme of Senator Bill !&:Coy , D-Portland. !kCby opposed a reapportionment plan approved by t}le House, saying House Dis– trict 18 sllould not be a "segregated" one. '!be Senate accepted ~{cCoy's proposal, which is antitlletic to Black political tho~t. HaNever, a joint Halse and Senate Conference O:mni.ttee voted unarunDusly to aoopt tile "new" House District plan }laving a 44% Black population. All pootos courtesy of Richard J. Brown