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LOCAL ACORN BRANCHES LIKELY NOT AFFECTED BY UPROAR

By Erin France/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 12:07 AM CDT

The national debate over ACORN will not affect the local branch, say organization officials and members.

Videos showing conservative activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute recently played on national television as the two entered several offices of ACORN — which stands for Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now — and allegedly were given information on to how complete illegal activities.

Last week, Congress voted to cut funding for ACORN.

Pine Bluff resident Maxine Nelson, the state chair of Arkansas ACORN, said the federal funding is not a big part of their budget.

“I don’t think that the entire organization should be penalized,” she said. “We have to have fundraisers or whatever we have to do to keep going.”

The budget for Arkansas ACORN is about $300,000-$500,000 in any given year, said Neil Sealy, Arkansas ACORN’s head organizer.

For the Pine Bluff office, he estimated the cost at about $75,000-$80,000.

“I’m just doing that off the top of my head,” Sealy added.

Nelson said she hated to hear of the national debate raging over federal funding for the organization.

“One bad apple really shouldn’t spoil everything,” she said.

Nelson said she has questions about the video tapes released to the public.

“To me, it just doesn’t make sense,” Nelson said. “I just can’t see a staff person being that ridiculous.”

Sealy said he’s seen friendly Web traffic pick up in the last few weeks and that more people have called in with testimonials.

“People see through it,” he said. “We’re the same ACORN and people in the neighborhoods know us.”

First Ward Alderman Irene Holcomb, an ACORN member, said she did not think the national debate on the future of ACORN would affect the local branch too much.

“Our primary funding comes through membership dues and fundraisers,” she said.

On a national average, ACORN is estimated to only receive 10 percent of its funding from the federal government.

“It’s very unfortunate that the things, well the alleged things, have happened,” Holcomb said. “ACORN has been a beacon of light and representation for poor people regardless of race, creed or color.”

Holcomb said the Arkansas branches are far removed from the scandals in other cities.

“It’s not a black organization. It’s not a white organization. It’s an organization for poor people,” she said. “Poor people need a voice because poor people cannot go into board rooms and negotiate — and in America money is power.”

ACORN started in Arkansas in 1970 with the mission to help the poor.

The national office has announced there will be no new intake for service programs and that an independent auditor will review systems and processes called into question by the videos.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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