The Battalion Friday, May 5,1989 Page 5 itSenate passes bill it hoping to decrease read chool dropout rate AUSTIN (AP) — Senators voted hursday to lighten up on a school attendance law that some said was adding to the dropout problem. They also approved a bill to increase benefits for retired teachers. The Senate, however, rejected a Ijeasure to attract industries to Bnaller communities, with the main u | ) complaint that the proposal fostered . : ftcrecy in government. File l Sen . Haley, an architect of 1984 school reform legislation, said JPjMgisiation had addressed attendance “/B a “negative fashion” by disallow ing credit for a class if a student had more than live unexcused absences >atiei id Pe; ilainj ie dii imira, imerJ leed.l laror ic. & for il in a semester. I A Haley bill that cleared the Sen ate on voice vote Thursday would amend the law to require that a stu dent attend class for 80 days in an 8f& alas'; caiisi® “If the economic pie was divided evenly and more people were able to participate in the economic mains tream, many of the other issues we’re are concerned about would ° K f\ ! m ply vanish,” Gill told the Senate ^ Republican Conference’s task force on Hispanic affairs. |’i Gill said some would argue that the “opportunity for economic equality is there for everyone to grasp.” But, he said, “the reality is that when you look at unemployment or y low-paying jobs, most of the impact 1 is felt by minorities, including a sub- SPB- nd til stantial number of Hispanics. To date, we simply have not done enough.” Eliminating economic inequality is vital to maintaining a strong Amer ica, Gill said. “That’s economic freedom, and it’s fundamental to our health and our country’s health,” he told His panic leaders from around the coun try, who gathered for a spring meet ing on the Hispanic work force. Gill said J.C. Penney has been committed to minority economic de velopment for years, establishing a Hispanic marketing coordinator in 1982 and publishing the first Span ish language guide in retailing — a guide to the J.C. Pennev catalog —in 1979. The company deals with more than 1,500 minority firms and the number increases yearly, he said. In 1987, he said the company con tributed $1 million to the National Minority Supplier Development Council’s business consortium fund, which provides working capital loans to minority owned businesses. \i iieU ik Gulf Coast United Way announces funding cuts HOUSTON (AP) — Problems at the city’s largest homeless shelter for men continue to mount with the United Way of the T exas Gulf Coast announcing it plans to cut funding and place the Star of Hope on pro bation. I Lasker Meyer, chairman of the United Way board of trustees, said Wednesday the probation, effective immediately, represents a final Warning phase that continued United Way funding is in jeopardy. jThe agencv said it was slashing funding by $ 131,000. | “The United Wav and the Star of Hope did agree to implement a plan to improve operations at the men’s shelter, but continuing concerns re garding overall management of the agency’s entire operations, evi- ienced by its loss of certification of food stamp redemption, have led to a crisis in community confidence,” Meyer said. | Federal authorities Tuesday canceled the mission’s authority to accept and use food stamps saying the mission was not properly li censed and was accepting stamps as tent for upgraded beds in violation of federal policy. I Star of Hope President Don John- sbn said United Way officials noti ced him of their decisions. ■ “Thev, as a funding agency, have tj> do what they feel is appropriate. ” Johnson said. “We regret the position being taken by the United Way, especially at a time when the problems faced by our city’s homeless are increasing, not decreasing,” he said in a pre pared statement. Johnson denied the mission had violated federal food stamp policy, although he did say some men who signed over their monthly food stamp allotments of $90 each were provided with upgraded beds that normally rent for S3 per night each. These men received the free meals provided to all transients, rather than the upgraded meals that sell for SI.50 each, Johnson said. Meyer said putting an agency on probation is a seldom-used step taken “after other corrective mea sures have been ineffective and after there has been a written warning enumerating the United Way’s con cerns and expectations.” A management and operations re view of the Star of Hope, expected to take from four to six weeks, will determine the length and terms of probation, he said. The study will lead to recommen dations on how to correct problems. Meyer said. 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