Portland News (Portland, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 24, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 12, 1980 Page: 1 of 13
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Uses Tax-Exempt Bond Money
Home Building Program
Gets City OK
' In a special meeting Monday
night, the city council passed a
resolution to authorize the
establishment of a nonprofit
1 Portland Housing Finance
Corporation
At the same time, it gave
approval to Bache and Co., to
prepare a feasibility study to
determine if Portland was a
suitable area in which to
undertake a program of home
construction with tax-exempt
bond money
Urgency for immediate
action in establishing the
housing corporation was
voiced by Jim Newman. Bache
bonding attorney from
Houston and Janice Medlin. a
Portland realtor, who brought
the request for the corporation
to the city council Also,
signing the request were Jo
Barkley and N F Edwards
According to Newman,
Senator Bussell Long. D-La .
recently was instrumental in
passing a resolution which
extends the use of tax-exempt
money for such construction
purposes through 1980
However, Newman noted
that this is meeting with severe
objection from Congressman
Al Ullman of the House ways
and means committee, other
members of Congress, the
White House and U S
Treasury Department
He said that due to this
pressure it is feasible that
when Long returns to
Washington in the near future
from a visit to Louisiana, the
It's To Work At First Christian Bible School
Joe Hobbs (left), son of Mr and Mrs Milton Hobbs, and Jerry Hoskmson. son ol Mr and
Mrs. Alvin Hoskmson. start in on an arts and crafts session during the first day of the First
Christian Church summer Bible school being held this week. (NEWS Photo)
program could be curtailed
The program will make
available low-coot mortgage
money for moderate income
persons for new home con-
struction. or for existing home
rehabilitation
He noted that through
federal and state programs,
such money is available to the
low to moderate income
people "The people in the
middle are the ones who are
being shut out," he explained
Being able to use tax exempt
bonding money makes it
possible to set interest rates on
the construction from 2*4 to
four per cent below those
currently available through
commercial funding Ninety
five per cent loans are
available through the
program
There is no coat to the city in
the program, Newman
explained In fact, he pointed
out city government stands to
gain some money from the
program through the interest
which accrues on about IS per
cent of the total funds which
are invested as security above
the mortgage outlays
The city has no responsibility
in the corporation and no
reliability for the repayment of
any loans which are not made
good by the purchaser The
overall program Is fully
insured through large
insurance firms
The current interest rate on
the open market is about 12 per
cent al the present time Under
the program envisioned for
Portland, interest rates would
be approximately 9'a per cent
It was estimated by Bache
members attending the
meeting and by Newman, that
a guess would be that about 120
million worth of housing could
be made available here
The city council named
themselves as members of the
board of directors for the
l nited Way
An organizational meeting of
the Portland area United Way
advisory committee will he
held at 4 30 p m Tuesday,
June 17, in the board room of
Security State Bank
Boland Wollitz will be
finance corporation, however,
this was to expedite the
incorporation and all or most of
the council members will be
replaced later with others from
See PROGRAM. Page 12
Sets \1 re ting
temporary chairman for the
meeting
Officers will be elected and a
plan of action for the year will
be adopted
Interested citizens are urged
to attend
FOR TLAND
20c
Dedicated To The Best Interests
Of Portland
"Gem Citv Of The Gulf!"
Portland, Tens 78374, Thursday, iune 12, 1980
Volume XV— Fourteen Pages-No 24
NEWS
Fourth Of July
Activities Set
There will be a Gay Nineties bathing suit revue, a pie-
eating contest, a country store, food, races and activities in
the pool.
All of this and more from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Friday, July 4,
at the Community Center
There will be a dedication at 6 p.m of the Portland
Memorial Pavilion at Municipal Park.
Sunet 1 ,ake will be the scene for a fireworks display at
about 8:30 p.m.. sponsored by Portland Jaycees
The display will be followed immediately by a dance
which will last until 11:30 p.m.
Board Studies
District Needs
Five solutions concerning im-
provements to G-P ISD
facilities for the coming five-
year period were presented for
study to the board of trustees
Tuesday night during their
regular session
laMarr explained these solu-
tions as being basic needs for
the district looking at a projec-
tion of the schools here five
years hence
Although there were no
figures given at this meeting,
inference was that the im-
provements at the various
campuses and the possible con-
struction of new schools would
carry a healthy price tag
LaMarr said that in addition
to this, an inflation factor of
about one percent per month
could be assumed. This could
be even higher, but that incor-
porating such a drastic figure
would not be realistic at this
time
All of the solutions dealt with
the increase of teaching sta-
tions at all the schools. In-
cluding W.C. Andrews Elemen-
tary School which was opened
the past school year.
Other work is needed in
multipurpose rooms, play
areas, parking areas,
cafeterias and the reshaping of
grounds to insure protection for
buildings.
Discussed was the possibility
of the construction of a new
_Sjte BOAltl), Page 14
All Evidence In
School District Waits For Tyler Court Decision
Richard Hall, GP ISD
attorney who presented the
district's case before the U S
District Court at Tuler
recently, Tuesday night gave a
history' and the status of the
case.
In the early 1970s, a suit was
filed in the U S District Court
at Tyler seeking court
assistance in the desegregation
of a number of black and white
schools in several East Texas
districts
The United States was a
party to the suit as was the
Texas Education Agency
Eventually, the court
ordered the desegregation of
the particular schools which
were the subject of the lawsuit
and directed that TEA take the
responsibility in insuring that
all Texas schools were
desegregated
Although the law suit
originally related only to
segregation of black and white
children, a number of organ
izations which represent-
ed Mexican-American citizens
subsequently intervened and
the orders directed by the court
to TEA have since been held to
include Mexican Americans as
well as blacks
Mineral Values Dp
Maybe No Tax Hike
San Patricio County tax
payers may not be faced with a
tax increase after all, if ten-
tative predictions at Monday's
Commissioners Court
materialize.
The commissioners, meeting
as the county's board of
equalization prior to their
regular meeting, heard a
representative ot Pritchard
and Abbott, estimate a possible
increase of $43 million in oil,
gas and industrial tax
assessments, which County
Auditor Bay Harris translated
into a possibility that no tax
increase- will be necessary,
even to help pay for the new
county jail under con-
struction.”
In addition to the estimated
Soccer Group Sets Meeting
The United Soccer Associa-
tion (formerly Gregory-
Portland Soccer Association),
will hold an open meeting at
7:30 p.m Thursday, June 19, at
the Community Center
The public is invited to at-
tend.
$43 million estimate by F W
Garnet, of the Pritchard and
Abbott firm, County Tax
Assessor-Collector Davis
Vickers told the commissioners
it looks like there may be
another $3-$5 milion in new real
values to be added to the tax
assessments next year. Last
year's tax role was approx-
imately $339 million.
However, the county dads
were cautious not to make any
definite statement, pointing out
that twice in the last two years,
early predictions and estimates
had fallen short, and the county
was caught in somehwat of a
bind as a result. Gamet also
told the court that tills was a
"very early estimate, and not a
hard figure." He advised that
no steps be taken toward set-
ting a tax rate until a more
definite figure could be
developed.
On hand to meet with the tax
consulting firm, and if
necessary with the equalization
board i commissioners) Mon-
day, were representatives of oil
and gas and other industrial
taxpayers. The board of
equalization will meet at a later
date with other real property
See TAX HIKE, Page 7
First Baj)tist Bible School Is Popular
There are 7»4 youngsters enrolled this week in the summer puppet shows and even sno cones lor the youngsters atten
Bible scholl at First Baptist Church Daily attendance is ding the week long vacation study time (NEWS Photo)
about *J7 students There are games, Bible study, Held trips.
One of the directives from
the court to TEA required the
organization to review
enrollments of various school
districts throughout the state
annually
School districts having one or
more schools at which there
was an enrollment of two-
thirds or more minority
students were to be notified
that a different student
assignment plan should be
adopted to eliminate the
minority concentration
If the school district refused,
TEA was to provide it with a
new student assignment plan
If the school district failed to
adopt the plan, its share of
State Minimum Foundation
Funds was to be denied by TEA
and its accreditation was to be
withheld
Acting under the Tyler
court's order, TEA in 1973
reviewed the enrollment at G-P
schools and notified the district
that Austin Elementary School
had an enrollment of Mexican
American students which
exceeded the court's two- thirds
maximum
It ordered the district to
reassign students between
Gregory and Portland schools
The district refused to do so
on the grounds that the high
Mexican American enrollment
at Austin school did not result
from a violation of
constitutional rights, was not
the result of different
treatment ol Mexican-
Americans on the basis of
ethnic background and that
absent violation of the
Constitution, the Court had no
authority to interfere with a
school district's student
_See DECISION, Page 14
Grand Jury Findings
Indictments on drug charges
topped the work of the San
Patricio County Grand Jury,
which reported its findings Fri-
day
Indictments were returned
against seven men and two
women as the result of recent
investigations by the Drug En-
forcement Administration and
state and county law officers,
Indicted were: Terry Don
Starkey, Aransas Pass, two in-
dictments charging unlawful
delivery of a controlled
substance, methamphetaminc.
The indictments also include
enhancement charges calming
a previous conviction.
Also, Spencer E. Springer,
Haymondville, and a partner
not yet arrested, delivery of
methamphetaminc; Barbara
Undley, lngleside, two charges
delivery of heroin; Terry
Carter, lngleside, delivery of
amphetamine; Thomas W.
Sansom, Aransas Pass, posses-
sion of more than 4 ounces of
marijuana; Charles A. Post
and Pamela Sue Post,
Portland, unlawful possession
of more than 4 ounces of mari-
juana; one man, not yet ar-
rested, charged with delivery
of amphetamine.
Other idictments returned by
the grand Jury included Huben
See GRAND JURY. Page 12
Gregory Baptist
Bible School Starts Monday
First Baptist Church of
Gregory will hold vacation
Bible school from 3 to 5 p.m
Monday through Friday, June
16 through 20
Classes will be available for
ages three through 12 A small
prize will be given to each child
that brings a guest The boy
and girl who brings the most
visitors for the week will be
crowned king and queen
Refreshments will be served
every day and through games,
Bathing Suit
Contestants
Are Sought
Portland Pilot Club will spon-
sor an old-fashioned bathing
suit revue at the July 4th
celebration to be held at the
Community Center
Contestant* of all ages are
needed Swim suits are furnish-
ed
To participate in this com-
munity activity, call Charlotte
Griffin at 643-2241 or 643-3757
music, Bible stories and
handiwork, children will learn
about the love of Jesus, a
spokesman noted
Parents night will be held at
7 p m Sunday, June 22
Pre-registration will begin at
11 a m Saturday. June 14, at
the church Children should
bring a sack lunch for a picnic
on the grounds A puppet show
is planned for entertainment
Children are invited to attend
vacation Bible school and bring
a friend
For additional information
call 643 7221
GREGORY BAPTIST CHURCH
Bible school lor the youngsters
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Leveen, Paul D. Portland News (Portland, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 24, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 12, 1980, newspaper, June 12, 1980; Taft, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth871847/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bell/Whittington Public Library.