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REMINDER FOR STUDENTS: Today is the last day to cancel a 16-week course.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL. 102, NO. 102
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
(USPS 650-640)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1993
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
NEWS:864-4810
CHILDREN ON THE LINE FOR GOD
They carry anti-homosexual picket signs every week. They endure their schoolmates' wrath. They are the children of Westboro Baptist Church.
Above,
Brekahk
Phelps-
Roper, 5,
and her
mother,
Shirley,
sing at a
Westboro
Baptist
Service. All
services at
the Topeka
church begin
with a
selection
of songs.
At right.
Zacharias
Phelps-
Roper, 2,
plays with a
doll at Gage
Park in Tope-
ka as his
brother
Joshua, 8,
holds a
picket sign.
By Will Lewis Kansan staff writer
he 14-year-old sat down slowly in the pew, his hair carefully combed, his green, collared shirt tucked neatly into his beige pants.
The church: Westboro Baptist in Topeka.
The congregation, led by the 63-year-old Rev. Fred Phelps, has been at the forefront of anti-homosexual picketing for 88 consecutive weeks.
The eighth-grader bowed his head as another church member led the congregation in prayer.
We thank thee for those by whom trials came, these evil amongst us, these troubles.
We thank thee for this past week, during which we have had many trials.
It would be better for that man if he not be born.
And we also know and give thanks for the woe unto that man by whom these trials come.
We thank you for them,for we know without them we should not see the kingdom of God.
"Amen," said Sam Phelps-Roper as he raised his head.
Sam, the son of one of Phelps' daughters, glanced to his left at his younger brother as the Rev. Phelps walked to the pulpit. The sermon would focus mostly on homosexuality and would be old news to Sam, but he liked hearing it anyway.
He said that he knew persecution came with what he believed but that he, along with the other children in the church, did not care.
The Rev. Phelps says Westborp Baptist has a 100-member congregation, 23 of whom are his relatives. The church is part of the conservative Primitive Baptist branch of the denomination. But all Baptist churches are autonomous.
About one-fourth of the Westboro Baptist congregation are children who say that each day they face bullies and obscene taunts at school. Like Sam, they say they believe what Phelps and their parents tell them. They say they are doing fine. But others outside the church are not so sure.
Storycontinued, Page 5.
Legislature might deny KU funding
Fire codes require improvements to Allen Field House, Dyche Hall
By Ben Grove Kansan staff writer
The two requests, totaling $2.7 million, were not recommended by the Senate Joint Committee on State Building Construction last week. State Sen. Ben Vidricksen, R-Salina, a member of the committee, said the requests were not part of Gov. Joan Finney's budget proposal released last month. His acceptance accepted her proposal.
The prognosis is not good for two KU requests for money to bring Allen Field House and Dyche Hall into accordance with state fire codes.
"If we funded all the projects that were requested, we'd be about $300 million short." Vidricken said.
However, Vidricken said the two buildings' improvements were "extremely important," especially if the state fire marshal's office said it would close the buildings if they did not meet the requirements.
Ross Boelling, chief of fire prevention at the state fire marshal's office, said that the buildings would not be closed if the Legislature did not approve the University's requests but that his concerns would be prolonged.
"It's not our intent to let this go on indefinitely," Boelling said.
The University's requests have been forwarded to a Senate Ways and Means subcommittee and are scheduled for review next week. But State Sen. Gus Bogina, R-Shawnee and head of the subcommittee, said requests that did not pass Vidricksen's committee rarely passed his.
The University has requested $1.9 million for field house improvements that include construction fire exit stairwells on three corners of the building and an overhead walkway linking the field house and the parking garage. The request was developed after a 1991 state fire marshal's evaluation revealed that the field house's upper balcony seated more people than could safely exit the building in an emergency.
Allen Wiechert, director of facilities planning, said the University had already corrected many of the problems mentioned in the evaluation. He said the University had installed more exit lights and was designing sprinkler and fire alarm systems for installation within six months.
The University did not submit its request for $790,000 to build a specimen storage addition to Dyche Hall's Museum of Natural History until last month, after the governor released her budget. The $790,000 would match a federal grant from the National Science Foundation.
The museum needs a separate storage area for the specimens because thousands of them are stored in a flammable 70 percent ethanol solution.
Lawrence fire chief Jim McSwain investigated the collection in 1991 and said the current storage areas were especially dangerous because the specimens were stored in glass bottles and were together in large quantities.
Philip Humphrey, the museum's director, said he was worried the museum would lose the grant if the Legislature did not match it this session.
"There is some concern on my part that if the state does not find funds for allocation to this project, the National Science Foundation match might be lost," Humphrey said, "I'm optimistic that the Legislature and the governor will recognize the importance of this issue."
Vidricksen and Bogina said that the Dyche Hall request had a chance of being approved if the University could possibly lose the grant.
"We are very cognizant of making use of other funds that are available," Bogina said.
News of the Weird proves that reality can be more entertaining than fiction. Read about the high school biology teacher who ate live mice, or the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's plan to fight crime in the United States by thinking happy thoughts.
See News of the Weird, Page 8.
Baby sitters, domestic workers taxing for employers
Editor's note: Because the activity in this story is illegal, two sources asked that their full names not be used.
Wendy, KU senior, receives $50 a month and room and board for watching 9-year-old Allison before and after school each weekday.
By Terrilyn McCormick Kansan staff writer
She said that she saw her employer almost like a relative and that her paycheck was more like an allowance than income.
But because her employer does not withhold Social Security from her paycheck, Uncle Sam says Wendy and her employer are breaking the law.
She makes $150 in a three-month period,
exceeding an IRS limit. A person who makes
more than $50 in a three-month period is
required to file for Social Security.
Like many who care for children, mow lawns or clean houses regularly on a cash only basis. Wendy is guilty of not filing for
taxes.
Not filing taxes for child care remained behind the closed doors of the home until President Clinton nominated Zoe Bard and Kimba Wood for attorney general. Both women withdrew from the affirmation process after it became apparent they had hired illegal aliens for child care. After their withdrawals, Donald Brown, Secretary of Commerce, acknowledged that he had failed to pay taxes for a maid.
Domestic-care tax fraud is probably the most common of all forms, said Garth Terlizzi, former IRS agent and tax consultant.
"Businesses are set up knowing that they must comply with tax laws, but most households aren't run like a business." Terrizira is accused of running a house is the highest area of procompliance."
Dean Reynoldson, the IRS's director of tax fraud at its office in Kansas City, Mo., said that most people were unaware that they needed to file for domestic employees.
paying for day care would benefit by filing Social Security tax.
Norm Franker, manager of the Lawrence Social Security office, said that employers
"Folks not paying Social Security for their child care are not going to get the tax credit," he said.
"We're not serious about paying the Social Security," he said. "She takes care of our daughter before and after school, and she gets room and board."
The chances of Mike actually being prosecuted for not filing Social Security are slim. Terlizzi said. "The IRS doesn't have the manpower or the resources to go after this type of activity," he said.
Wendy's employer, Mike, said that he was aware of the law but that he had no intentions of paying the 7.6 percent Social Security tax and taking the 7.6 percent deduction from Wendy's paycheck.
Students not filing for Social Security have few legal dangers, said Sandra McKenzie, professor of law. "On the student side, they are not likely to get into any trouble, but they should really start to get on the rolls for Social Security," McKenzie said.
The system .
Anyone working for the same employer and earning at least $50 over a 3-month period must file for Social Security.
Employers must pay 7.6 percent of gross pay and deduct that amount from their employees' paychecks.
**Penalty for noncompliance:** Employer must pay Social Security the amount owed 1 percent penalty for not filing.
Dave Campbell / KANSAI
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