ustxtxb_obs_1979_08_10_50_00019-00000_000.pdf

Consumer complaint Attorney General Mark White has announced that “because of budget reductions” his consumer protection and antitrust division will no longer handle informal consumer complaints. Consumers with a grievance will henceforth be referred to the Better Business Bureauwhich, says White, has run “a highly effective complaint mediation service for many years.” White says the cutback in service was necessary because federal grant money to pay for complaint handling is no longer available and because transfers of funds within the AG’s office to pay for the service are “no longer viable.” Through some complicated arithmetic, the AG estimates that Texas taxpayers will save $74,000 a year by letting the BBB take over the job. Consumer advocates are skeptical. Jim Boyle, head of the Texas Consumer Association, says a study funded by the Carnegie Corporation found that the business-run BBB complaint process suffered from “conflicts of interest” and poor follow-up. Boyle hopes that a “little outcry from the folks” might persuade White to reconsider his priorities. Former AG John Hill, who placed great emphasis on investigating consumer complaints during his tenure, described White’s move as a “real step backward.” Christopher Brown The Winn-Dixie way J. E. Davis, the chairman of the board of giant grocery chain Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., shared some interesting thoughts on the economics of food retailing in a recent issue of WinnDixie Times. Here’s just one of them: “We cannot run good stores when unemployment by government standards is below 5%if this is so in your business, it should be communicated to your Congressman, so they won’t tend to overstimulate the economy. Productivity even for you and me is better when two or three people are waiting at the door for our jobs.” Winn-Dixie just happens to be one of only two firms now subject to nationwide consumer boycotts called by the According to a resolution in support of the boycott adopted by the Texas AFL-CIO at its July convention, “there has been no more flagrant, relentless and vicious violator of national labor law and employee rights [in the food and beverage industry] than Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., and their two wholly owned subsidiariesFoodway, Inc., and Buddies.” se xei `u! i s nv SUNDAY Viva, the casually elegant cafe in THE VILLAGE garden: 2700 W. Anderson Ln. low-key, patient, attentive to your situation member firm with RELO complimentary nationwide home locatorsmember brokers in all major cities ED BENNETT 10102 N. Lamar, Austin 78753 JBGcodwin Company _ _ WORLD LEADER IN RELOCATION II/ Wilifika Restaurant & Bar 3010 Guadalupe Austin, Texas Simply the best record shop in the state of Texastry us first for hard-to-find, local and regional records, lowest prices 504 west 24th austln, texas 472-9459 DON’T BOTHER TO CALL . . . late dining service until midnight for plotters and schemers and the best Gumbo in town ENGLISH’S I iy ‘wick Austin’s only open-air dance floor is now open every day and night for live music and homestyle meals. Come enjoy our laid-back tropical garden atmosphere. Fine wines & beers 405 West Second Street 477-0461 ,Jf; .1 WOODY HILLS Food for People, Not for Profit A VEGETARIAN FOOD CO-OP 519’ S, 1st Austin. Teils THE COMMODORE HOTEL On Capitol Hill Owned and operated by Texans 520 N. Capitol St., NW Washington, D.C. 20001 THE TEXAS OBSERVER 19