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News Observer Bakersfield
Volume 46 Number 46
Serving Kern County for Over 46 Years
Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California
The World Mourns A True Icon and Freedom Fighter By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent Somewhere it’s raining. Somewhere the heavens have opened up, reflecting the tears that are falling across the globe as news of the death of civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) spreads. The legislator, freedom fighter and justice warrior, who was famously beaten, bloodied and arrested in Selma, Alabama — and in other cities across the Jim Crow South — during the struggle for civil rights and racial equality, was 80. His death came just hours after another the passing of another civil rights icon, Rev. C.T. Vivian, who was 95. National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO, and comrade in arms with both Rev. Vivian and Lewis, expressed the devastation he and the world feel at the loss of the two revered giants. Chavis, like Vivian and Lewis, worked with and was a disciple of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He said the world would miss Lewis’s “good trouble,” quoting Lewis’s famous call to arms. “The Honorable John Lewis was a longtime master freedom fighter who set the eternal example of how and why we all should fight for the freedom and equality of all humanity,” Chavis remarked. “May Lewis now have his rest in peace. As for those of us who worked with him and [those] who marched with him, we must keep fighting for freedom and equality with renewed vigor, courage and energy. Black Lives Matter.” During the NNPA’s 2020 Virtual Annual Convention earlier this month, attendees were treated to a free screening of the documentary, John Lewis: Good Trouble, provided by the Census Bureau. Lewis was also a strong advocate for Census registration. As he’d done earlier to honor Rev. Vivian, former president Barack Obama expressed his sorrow. “John Lewis – one of the original Freedom Riders, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, the youngest speaker at the March on Washington, leader of the march from Selma to Montgomery, Member of Congress representing the people of Georgia for 33 years – not only assumed that responsibility, he made it his life’s work,” Obama observed. “He loved this country so much that he risked his life and his blood so that it might live up to its promise. And through the decades, he not only gave all of himself to the cause of freedom and justice but inspired generations that followed to try to live up to his example.” The former president recalled his last meeting with Lewis. “It’s fitting that the last time John and I shared a public forum was at a virtual town hall with a gathering of young activists who were helping to lead this summer’s demonstrations in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Afterward, I spoke to him privately. “He could not have been prouder of their efforts – of a new generation standing up for freedom and equality, a new generation intent on voting and protecting the right to vote, a new generation running for political office,”
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Girl Falls in Kern River, Drowns
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) – A teenage girl who fell into Southern California’s Kern River did not survive, authorities said. The 14-year-old tumbled into the rushing water and was swept away Saturday afternoon near Hart Park just north of Bakersfield, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office said. A search and rescue team with help from a helicopter crew located the girl a short time later. Rescuers performed CPR and rushed the teen to a hospital, where she was declared dead, KBAK-TV reported. She was not immediately identified.
8 Dodgers Focused on Racial Injustice
John Lewis 1940-2020 Lewis announced late last year that he had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. However, stalwart in his resolve to fight until the end, he refused to quit the struggle. “I have been in some kind of fight — for freedom, equality, basic human rights — for nearly my entire life,” he said, “I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now.” (Photo: Lorie Shaull / Wikimedia Commons)
Obama recounted. “I told him that all those young people – of every race, from every background and gender and sexual orientation – they were his children. They had learned from his example, even if they didn’t know it. They had understood through him what American citizenship requires, even if they had heard of his courage only through history books.” Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), who served more than three decades on Congress with Lewis, declared Lewis’ death as one of the saddest days in American history. “He dedicated his entire life to what became his signature mantra, making ‘good trouble.’ Despite being one of the youngest leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, John Lewis galvanized and inspired hundreds of his peers to join in the fight for equal rights,” Waters said. “Very few people could have been harassed, arrested more than 40 times, beaten within inches of their lives, and
still espouse Dr. King and Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings of nonviolence, peace, and love. However, these principles were core philosophies to John Lewis, and our nation is forever indebted to him for his humble sacrifices,” the congresswoman stated. Lewis routinely credited King and Rosa Parks for inspiring his activism, which he famously called “good trouble, necessary trouble.” He also referred to his participation in the civil rights movement as a “holy crusade.” Lewis joined a Freedom Ride in 1961, organized by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He suffered one of many beatings at the hands of authorities when he and other CORE members attempted to enter a whites-only waiting room at a bus station in Rock Hill, South Carolina. “If there was anything I learned on that long, bloody Continued on page A2
California Blacks Split Over Vote That Could Raise Property Taxes Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media Proposition 15, the “Tax on Commercial and Industrial Properties for Education and Local Government Funding Initiative,” is on the Nov. 3 ballot in California. If Californians vote yes on “Split Roll” -- shorthand for the proposition’s title -- the state will come up with a new taxation formula. The constitutional amendment would require counties to levy higher real estate taxes on businesses and industrial buildings than it does on residential homes. The initiative has caused proponents and opponents in the Black community to draw battle lines. Each side has dug in, pointing to the benefits or the dangers of Prop 15 in opposing efforts to win the hearts, minds and votes of African Americans and other Californians. If passed, Prop 15 would overturn Prop 13, a provision that has for 42 years now placed a hard limit on how much tax can be assessed on any property in the state. “The property tax hike on the November ballot will hurt minority communities -- causing more gentrification, killing jobs, and increasing the cost of living for working families. We are proud to stand in opposition to the largest property tax increase in state history,” said Alice Huffman, President of the California-Hawaii Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). “Despite the grand illusion presented by the initiative’s proponents, no protections exist to ensure a dime of these tax dollars is actually spent on helping lift our communities out of poverty,” Huffman continued. San Francisco Mayor London Breed, the first Black female and second African American elected to the position, supports Prop 15, which would fund local governments in the state as well as provide more cash for public schools and community colleges. “When I look at our dire budget deficits over the next couple of years, and then I see these revenue estimates showing how much we can invest in our community without having to raise any taxes on residents, it makes it more important for me to give my full support on this initiative,” Breed said. The California Legislative Analyst Office estimates that, upon full implementation, the ballot initiative would generate between $8 billion and $12.5 billion in revenue per year. Of that projected revenue, 40 % would be allocated to schools. The other 60 % would fund local government. At the state level, some of the Black policymakers who support Prop 15 are Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), and State Superintendent of Education Tony Thurmond. A few prominent African American opponents of
Free!
the initiative are Huffman; former state Assemblymember Gwen Moore; former state Senator Roderick Wright; former state Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, who was also a former mayor of San Francisco; and the Rev. Amos C. Brown, President of the San Francisco branch of the NAACP. The politicians, former and current, have picked their sides. But the power to decide whether or not commercial and industrial properties should be shielded like residential properties are by Prop 13 lies in the hands of California’s voters. In 1978, voters in the state approved Prop 13, which required that residential, commercial and industrial properties be taxed based on their purchase price. Under that constitutional amendment, taxes are limited to no more than 1 % of the purchase price (at the time of purchase), with an annual adjustment equal to the rate of inflation or 2%, whichever is lower. In California, market values tend to increase faster than 2 % per year, meaning the taxable value of commercial and industrial properties is often lower than the market value, according to the state Legislative Analyst’s Office. The change from the purchase price to market value would be phased-in beginning in the fiscal year 20222023. Properties, such as retail centers, whose occupants are 50 percent or more small businesses would be taxed based on market value beginning in the fiscal year 20252026 (or at a later date that the legislature decides). The ballot initiative would make an exception for properties whose business owners have $3 million or less in holdings within California. These properties would continue to be taxed based on their purchase price. The ballot initiative would also exempt a small business’s tangible personal property from taxes — that’s material assets like furniture, fixtures, tools and signs. For larger businesses, there would also be an exemption for tangible personal property up to a value of $500,000. Former state Assemblymember Gwen Moore told California Black Media that Prop 15 is a “bad idea,” and that African American proprietorship will falter under the “tax burden” it imposes. Moore is currently the founder and Chief Executive Officer of GeM Communications Group, a Los Angeles-based firm that works with clients to develop and implement public affairs, legislative strategies, and community outreach programs. “Black-owned companies will be some of the hardest hit by eliminating Prop 13 protections for small businesses and entrepreneurs, Moore said. “They are certain to face higher rents and skyrocketing property taxes that many cannot afford. At a time when we should be supporting small businesses, this massive property tax increase is a bad idea.”
(Photo Credit: Shutterstock photo)
Rex Hime, President of the California Business Properties Association, also stated his resistance to Prop15, saying, “California already has the worst climate for business and job creation in the country. A split roll property tax will just increase pressure on many businesses that are already finding it hard to make ends meet.” On the contrary, proponents contend that top corporations in the state benefit unfairly from Prop 13 and that Prop 15 would force them to pay taxes that correspond with the market value of their properties. “We’re asking for companies like Disneyland or Universal Studios that make huge amounts of money to pay property taxes based on fair market value -- the same thing that homeowners and, frankly, most businesses have to do,” said Josh Pechthalt, President of the California Federation of Teachers. Prop 15 could not only affect small Black businesses in the state that mainly rely on renting or leasing, opponents argue. There could be a spike in home prices, too, according to building industry insiders. Developers across the state, including the California Building Industry Association (CBIA), recently announced their opposition to Prop 15. CBIA says that Prop 15 will reduce the supply of housing for Californians, especially the state’s most needy, and lead to higher rents and home prices. “California is experiencing a housing affordability crisis. Millions of families are recently unemployed and at risk of being homeless. Proposition 15 makes the current crisis worse by discouraging new home construction at the worst possible time,” said Dan Dunmoyer, president and CEO of CBIA. “If California wants to resolve the state’s housing affordability crisis, the first step must be to reject Prop 15.”
LOS ANGELES (AP) – NL MVP Cody Bellinger and Clayton Kershaw, along with eight Los Angeles Dodgers teammates, are speaking out about racial injustice in a video message. Walker Buehler, Kike Hernandez, Gavin Lux, Joc Pederson, AJ Pollock, Ross Stripling, Justin Turner and Alex Wood are joining Bellinger and Kershaw in matching funds raised from special edition “In This Together’’ T-shirts. The money will benefit the California Funders for Boys & Men of Color Southern California’s Our Kids, Our Future Fund. “For centuries, the Black community has lived in a different America. Instead of addressing racism, inequality, and injustice, many of us simply look away,’’ Kershaw says in the brief video released Thursday. “Silence is no longer an option. I’m fighting for my teammates, their families, and their communities.’’ Earlier this week, Kershaw, Pederson, Stripling and Turner joined leaders of the Brotherhood Crusade, Children’s Defense Fund of California, Brothers, Sons, Selves Coalition and the Community Coalition _ four of 13 organizations in the CFBMOC. The groups shared the history of racial and social inequities in Los Angeles and how their respective organizations have been working to achieve systemic change. The players discussed how they want to use their high profiles and resources to support the various groups. “Clayton and some other guys spearheaded this,’’ manager Dave Roberts said. “They’ve been shaken and so for them to not only talk the talk but walk the walk and lead by their actions, it’s very commendable.’’ The team said other Dodgers players are invited to join in at any point. The T-shirts, which cost $32, are available for purchase at the team’s website.
Roger Stone Calls Black Radio Host ‘Negro’ in Interview
By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN Associated Press Roger Stone, a political operative whose 40-month prison sentence was commuted this month by President Donald Trump, his longtime friend, called a Los Angelesbased Black radio host a “Negro’’ on the air during a contentious interview. The exchange occurred on Saturday’s Mo’Kelly Show, whose host – Morris O’Kelly – grilled Stone on his conviction for lying to Congress, tampering with witnesses and obstructing the House investigation into whether Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election. O’Kelly on his program’s website said “Stone could have reached for any pejorative, but unfortunately went there,’’ adding that “Stone offered an unfiltered, unvarnished one-sentence expression of how he saw the journalist interviewing him.’’ O’Kelly characterized “Negro’’ as the “low-calorie version of the N-Word.’’ Stone’s attorney on Sunday said he was unaware of the broadcast and had no immediate comment. Stone was sentenced to 40 months in prison, but Trump commuted that sentence on July 10 _ just days before Stone was to report for detention. As O’Kelly asserted that Stone’s commutation was because of his friendship with Trump, Stone’s voice goes faint but can be heard uttering that he was “arguing with this Negro.’’ O’Kelly then asks Stone to repeat the comment, but Stone goes momentarily silent. At one time, “Negro’’ was common in the American vernacular to describe African Americans. By the late 1960s, however, the word was scorned by activists in favor of such descriptors as “Black.’’ These days, the antiquated word is widely viewed as derogatory in most uses. The first part of Stone’s statement was not entirely audible, but the radio program transcribed the complete sentence as, “I can’t believe I’m arguing with this Negro.’’ O’Kelly persisted on having Stone respond. “I’m sorry you’re arguing with whom? I thought we were just having a spirited conversation. What happened?” O’Kelly said. “You said something about ‘Negro.’” Stone said he had not. “You’re out of your mind,’’ he said. The interview then continued. In a statement, Stone defended himself by saying that anyone familiar with him “knows I despise racism!’’ “Mr. O’Kelly needs a good peroxide cleaning of the wax in his ears because at no time did I call him a negro,’’ Stone said, using lowercase for the word. “That said, Mr. O’Kelly needs to spend a little more time studying black history and institutions. The word negro is far from a slur.’’ He cited the United Negro College Fund and the historical use of the word. In his statement, Stone noted that some of the program’s audio was garbled and alleged that there was cross-talk from another radio show and that his sound was cut off. During the program, Stone said the president acted out of compassion and that the jury that weighed his case was tainted. “I did not get a fair trial,’’ Stone said. “My life was in imminent danger,’’ Stone said, saying he was at risk of being infected by the coronavirus in prison. “I think the president did this as an act of compassion. He did it as an act of mercy.’’