dl m I tr C
record for
I c
o
p r icipa Ion
By TERRY KELLY
D orr - Hope of Black contractors for
their h re of the propo ed VA ho pit I
construction project dropping as f t the
thermome ter out ide.
And faced with the di mal trac record of the
apparent low bidder, Bate on-Dailey, the goal
of 20% Black participation on the $230,000
million project seems as unlikely as the
reappearance of summer's warmth .
Virgil Cobb, president of the National
As ociation of African American Businesses
(NAAAB) said his group a ent a letter
November 7, to Veter n Admini tr tion
Secretary Edward J. D rwi ki reque tin
meeting. AAAB hop to pre their upon
the VA and will ubmit pI nth y y wor ed
o well in Chicago that goals for minori ty
particip tion were exceeded.
NAAAB i I 0 looking to Congre m n
John Conyers to use the power he po es e as
Chairman of the Government Oper tion
Committee. bb said NAAAB expect
nyers to halt construction on the VA ho pita!
if a viable plan to guarantee and moni tor Small
and Disadvantaged Bu ine e (SDB)
particip tion is not in pl ceo
" e are not prep d to comm nt (on halting
th project)," id Conyers' aid on.
"We prep red to any ource we can to
sure full participation."
According to VA (a t beet, l.W. Bat on,
th primary contractor who i in parternship with
Southfield based R.E. Dailey in bidding on the
hospital, has a poor trac record for involving
Black contra tor on even other VA
construction projects.
Listed are five VA projec completed by
V; JO ,P e B-
Free America Inc' Youth Development nd upport ervlces and Drug
Pre entlon P ram turday, October 26, formed i first dvisory
b rd. The bo rd members, �h1ch re tit SO percent youth, re
(l-r, front ro ): recordln ecretary Sh nnon C rter, founder and
e ecuti e director Robert L. Bro n, Jr., and chairperson Dorthy Moore.
(l-r, back ro): ean Perkins, eo-ehalrperson, Kenyon Kennedy,
Maurice Smith, T ann Perkins and David Aldridge. Not bown
Sh ron A. Oliver, Beverly Toth and tepbanle Whitey. (pboto by N. Scott)
r----------- -- ':
political' in
nqler buy
c
The Democrat ' plan would
relieve Michigan residents of chool
tax on the first $15,000 of tate
equalized value of their primary
residences or on 50 percent of their
total SEV, whichever i le . It
would be paid for by elimination the
capital acquisition deduction for the
Single Busine Tax.
promoting a property tax relief
propo al. It' not the right time to do
it when you're in the middle of a
reces ion."
Supporters tout the plan aving
$2.26 billion annually for Michigan
taxpayers.
"I believe the governor cut
programs to try to ecure money by
the end of this year for hi property
tax proposal," Dodak, D-MQntro e,
said, "It's ridiculous. If you don't
have any money you shouldn't be
By NANCY DONNELLY
C.pIt!l NWI. S.rvlc.
LANSING- When Gov. John
Engler cut $110 million from the
1991-92 fiscal budget, he was
making a political move by attempt­
ing to assure money for this property
tax cut propo al, says House Speaker
Lewis Dodak.
The governor's "cap nd .cut"
proposal will join a Democratic­
sponsored propo a1 on the Novem­
ber 1992 ballot.
Engler' plan would increase
property tax assessments on all clas­
s� of property t03 percent or the rate
of inflation, whichever i less. It ex­
cludes state equalized valuation ad­
ditions for new construction, and
would phase in a 3D-percent school
millage reduction over five years.
awmaker eye
ralny day fund
HOUSE MINORITY leader
Paul Hillegonds, R-Holland, says
Dodak i blowing smoke.
"The Speaker knows better
that:' Hillegonds said.
"(Engler) i relyin on revenue
fi ure for the upcoming year that
required th vetoes."
EN LE P E . cretary
John Truscott says the governor'
See NSURANCE, A-4
By JODI C. KLEIN
Contr ry to Engler' position,
many others contend that this money
i needed to help those wb e up­
port has been cut.
LANSING-It may be raining, but
is it pouring hard enough for state
government -to dive into the rainy
day fund?
As result of Gov. John Engler's
recent budget cuts, many legislators,
concerned about the general assis­
tance cuts, are trying to come up with
upplemental unds.
The rainy day·fund-officially
called Budget Stabilization Fund­
consists of about $183 million is to
be used only in a time of crisis.
"The rainy day fund is used for
crisis and it is pouring cats and dogs
in Michigan," said Stephen Serkaian,
the House Speaker's press secretary.
Detroit entrepreneur
credits 'goals' for success
"I WOULD LIKE to ee a $100
million plus going toward this initia­
tive," said Rep. Joseph F. Young Jr.,
D-Detroit. "What better purpose
By RON SEIGEL
Corr •• pond.nt
DBTROIT - The Welfare Rights
Organization (WRO) stated that
poor people facing homelessness,
because of severe budget cuts
created by Michigan Governor John
Engler and the failure of the City of
Detroit to open up public housing,
will protest conditions by staying in
tents in front of the Jeffries Projects,
Monday, November 11 tho
Maureen Taylor, a WRO official,
said that business leaders, including
officials of New Detroit Inc. and the
Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of
prominent banks would court arrest
by occupying certain floors of Jef­
fries, in an act of civil disobedience
to protest conditions.
Officials in the office of Detroit
Mayor Coleman A. Young were not
available for comment.
The protest will begin Monday
morning Novembe 11 at 9 a.m. in
the Cass United Methodist Church,
3901 Cass at the comer of Selden,
where people will congregate and
then march to Jeffries.
See RAINY DAY, A-4
By NATHANIEL SCOTT
Staff Writer
DETROIT-Moses J. Shep­
herd, 26, a Detroit entrepreneur,
estim that his net worth is "$1.5
million."
Shepherd owns MJS Music and
MJS Enterprise. He wholesales and
retails cassettes, CD • ace ies
and music videos and retails sports
wear.
Presently! there are two MJS
Music locations: 588 Auburn Road
in Pontiac, (313)335-6160 and at
15401 Gnmd River, (3,13)273-5544.
He plans to open anoth -: loe tion
at 27422 Michigan Avenue thi
November.
Shepherd said he started his
busine two-and-a-half years ago
with "$700 pay check."
At the time, he had worked his
way up from cashier to district
manager of eight AMACO G
Stations. he said. "I h d an idea to
sell cassette tapes out of gas sta-
FOR MANY ex-recipients their
hungry and homeless winter will be
a crisis, but Engler and his staff
aren't buying this projection.
"To restore that portion of the GA
would not be viewed as an emergen-
• cy situation," said Bill Kerans,
deputy director of the Department of
Management and Budget.
Last year's budget took $230 mil­
lion from the rainy day fund an
Engler's press secretary says the
, remainder of the fund cannot be
touched.
"If w ' take any more from the
rainy da fund, it would seriously
jeopardize the state's credit rating,"
said John Truscott. "We have spent
the rainy day fund as far as the law
will let us."
MOSES J. Shepherd
tions (initially) in January of '89
and gre from there. II
Through management and re­
investment, he aved and opened
•
ee MOSES, P A-6
TENT, A-4
"I
don't think the decision will be
overturned. 'Ibe money should
go towards building good cur­
riculum for all boys and girl ."
Y L. : "I don't
think o. I don't-think they
bould spend that kind of money
(fighting a court order)."
."
...
