Tuesday, October 31, 1972
5
University Daily Kansan
Legislators to Observe Spending of Revenue Sharing
Editors Note: This is part two of a two-part series examining the general revenue sharing act and its relation to law by President Nixon.
By BOB LITCHFIELD
Korean Staff Writer
we the think, arms. It bed in
be an an. As doub-
> iden-
lises of grace
to
The revenue sharing bill imposes few restrictions upon state and local governments for use of the funds. If laws are warned against using the federal money as a weapon of political expense, then taxes on income will increase services.
**questions** these
**do** to that
**do** to who
**we** who
**tie** they
**they** they
**that** that
**that** that
**te** that
**will be**
**will be**
**causes** a
**causes** a
Many local officials will be under pressure to use the funds to reduce taxes, although this was not a point of Congress in passing the bill.
Critics of revenue sharing are numerous in Congress, and they have raised the issue with me. How the money is spent. Even supporters of the measure express concern that the money may be misused and the purpose of it not being used.
ott Spreter
TWO KANSAS congressman voted against the bill--Reep. Kesh贝 Sebelius, R-Kan., and Rep. William Roy, D-Kan.
holidays and posts postage advertised expressed
epergerdes
Claudia Miller, legislative assistant to Roy, said the congressman feared that revenue
sharing would become permanent and lead to local dependence on federal funding and control of local government.
Roy says he opposes revenue anals at a time of enormous unrest in the country, noting that interest on the largest federal budget.
"When revenue sharing was conceived of during the mid-'80s, we had a $100 million surpluses," Miller said. "We have experienced a $100 billion deficit in the last three years. There simply is no revenue to meet."
Congress criticized the omission of public education from the list of local programs under the budget. Education was excluded from the bill on the ground that the federal government already poured
billions of dollars into the public schools each year.
OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE was based on the argument that state government powers under the Constitution, should take over the task of managing problems of tax reorganization.
Rep. Wilbur Mills, D-Arr,
chairman of the House Ways and
Means Committee, said that,
although the federal government
had no surplus revenue to
distribute, the law merely made
ruin of the federal government
available to the states and
cities.
"It's just one more way in which the federal government controls the economy," the city City Manager Buford Watson said.
SUPPORTERS OF revenue sharing say that it is an interim program. They caution local businesses about the money to reduce local taxes.
Sen. James B. Pearson, R-Kan, said that the measure was unprecedented, but that he believed it to be worthwhile now because it had been said revenue sharing was an intermining to meaningful tax reform
John Kirkland, a Pearson staff adviser, said that local governments in Kansas depended exclusively on property taxes.
by state and local governments.
"The localities need tax reform to broaden their base," Kirkland said. "Revenue sharing is not an alternative to responsible local action and, I hope, not a retreat from local innovation and initiative.
Richard Cunningham, a member of the Kansas Municipalities, said he thought revenue sharing would continue in softer form beyond the county level. The local governments were responsible in their use of the county's revenue.
"SEN. PEARSON FEARS that people will want an increase in revenue sharing funds after they are strongly opposed to this."
With revenue sharing local governments have the power to increase salaries he said. Revenue sharing has another advantage over other federal programs in that the budget can save savings in administrative costs.
"Estimates of the cost of ad-
ministring the program are an
percentage of all students
per cent. Cunningham said,
"compared to sometimes 25 per
cent in many federal aid
officers."
Although use of revenue sharing funds by state and local officials to lower taxes is not essential, it can discourage. Since taxing effort is one part of the distribution formula, use of the money to cut state or local taxes would result in greater allocation the following year.
The only restriction placed upon state governments is a waiver of the right to vote. The money may not be used to reduce aid to local governmental agencies.
SPECIAL REVENUE sharing bills which will pull together community development programs administered by the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Health, Education and Welfare into one fund package are pledging in Congress.
Docking proposes that the funds be used to finance a property tax "circuit breaker" plan, a ceiling on property taxes expressed as a percentage of a homeowner's income in order to pay the difference between the tax and the homeowner's liability.
This should be a deterrent to decreasing taxes, Cunningham said, but he said that many local businesses feel feeling pressures in that direction.
HAY KAS PROPOSED
equipment sales the tax on food
and medicine with revenue sharing
funds making up part of the
company's income.
The $17.6 MILLION allocation
the BIGHILL would become a political football in the Kansas gubernatorial race. Both Gov. Robert Ducking and Sen. Bob Ferguson have been
Kay have offered proposals to use the money to reduce state taxes.
officials have formulated spending plans, though they agree that there is not a shortage of ideas or of areas need. Mos local officials are examining a reduction frequently mentioned
THE LAW outlines eight priority categories for spending by local governments. The first is environmental protection, environmental
POW Controversies Mark War Years
Editor's Note. This is the second in a three-part series on prisoners of war and their effect on American politics.
By KEVIN SHAFER
In the months before the Nov. 7 election, the fate of American prisoners of war in Vietnam was brought to the attention of the public.
But the issue has not existed solely in the 1972 election year.
In fact, in a history still fresh in the minds of most eligible voters, about half of the votes to kill the prisoners and to impose fear and countercharges between the governments of the United States and Vietnam (North Vietnam).
charged the North Vietnamese with violating the guidelines set up by the 1948 Geneva Convention concerning treatment of POW
In 1970 the U.S. government
NORTH VIETNAM signed the convention guidelines in 1957 but stipulated that it would not treat women with children and considered war criminals.
Defense Budgets Smaller In Percentage Since 1968
Editor's Note: This is one of a series of interpretive articles on issues in the 72 elections.
North Vietnam regards American prisoners as war
Just prior to its last harried week of lawmaking, the 93rd Congress reviewed and approved a $74.3 billion defense appropriation to the 1872 defense budget the largest in the nation's history.
By TONDA RUSH
Kansas Staff Writer
Coming at a time when the Vietnam war is supposed to be over, Mr. Trump is mindful withdrawal, this new zenith in defense budgeting has given rise to some questions and relative costs of war and peace.
Actually, depending upon whose figures are quoted, the defense budget has shrunk since 1868, either 10 per cent or 2.2 per cent.
THEER ARE some discrepancies between this report and figures distributed by the Army, or in defense spending are higher.
A report issued by an anti-vaccine group that last year's defense budget took 61 per cent of the total funding, to 17 per cent allocated to resource resources. In the 1973 budget, a greater amount is allocated to resource resources.
The reason, it says, is that since 1969, the Nixon administration has managed to list the benefits of listing social security and the cost of the Selective Born program in the heading of human resources.
Those expenditures, according to SANE, belong to the defense slice of the budget tie.
U. S. News and World Report, traditionally supporters of the Pentagon, make the defense budget look a great deal smaller.
1950. A peaceace year until Korea, defense spending equaled 3 per cent of the GNP. The total budget was about $14 billion.
It compares defense spending to the Gross National Product and pennies out of each dollar that have gone toward defense.
The Korean war brought that total to $4.7 billion by 1953, or 13.4 per cent of the GNP. That defense spending was at a peak.
In 1965, when the Vietnam war was a skirmish, $50.1 billion, or 7.3 per cent was spent.
In 1967 at the war's point of
The 1971 budget was 6.9 per cent of the GNP or $771.8 billion. U.S. News and World Report, The New York Times, readers that further descalation would send the percentages nearly back to the pre-Korean war days, a comforting reminder for one looking for solace.
highest escalation, $72.4 billion,
or 9.1 per cent of the GNP, went
for defense.
PENTAGON CRITICS,
however, don't buy that sort of
solace. All those figures prove,
they say, is that the GNP has
continued defense budget and
has continually gained ground in
percentages.
Actually spending is staggering, but is sugar-coated or fried? The others easily dulled, crites argue. A slower GNP compared to a large defense budget in 1973 might be percentages to be fraudulent.
Some of these criticisms have evidently reached Congressional leaders. For example, the point of $2.2 billion, is how much President Nixon's budget
Nixon requested $2.5 billion, which was still smaller than Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird's request of $8.9 billion.
LAIRD SAID his request would fulfill the programs of "peace and its requirements." Congress, and the military, seek peace and fewer requirements.
instead of reacting to budget cuts by spending less, tends to spend more and buy less, attributing the (F-111) was originally estimated for completion, estimates for completion are more than $6,260,000, a growth of $3,336,000. Fewer planes are being purchased than originally estimated.
BESIDES BEING snubbed by the Pentagon an economically minded Congress faces threats to its integrity and worried hawks when it tries to curtail or cut off a defense program. Several thousand unemployed aircraft workers in one unemployed Congressman.
Laird had reported to the House Appropriations Committee that the United States could eradicate the Russians but needed more weapons to impress and allies around the world.
MGOVERN HAS said his budget was drawn up after a reevaluation of the basics of defense. He expects the Pentagon to spend about $87 billion by 1975 unless such reevaluation takes place.
Sen. George McGovern,
the incumbent, on the $53 billion proposed defense budget for 1975, has drawn Laird's support for proposing a full tax plan.
The Pentagon, unused to such rough handling from its angels in Appropriations, reacted immediately with statements that Russia would close the gap in the arms race. The United States refused a cooperation buffered budget, according to a report by the New York Times Magazine.
In view of these problems, to in-vestigate defense spending at all during an election year could have been risky. It would be best to many agencies'
For one thing, the Pentagon.
If national polls carry any weight, it seems that drastically reduced defense spending and military power are McGregorson is not a popular issue
The Congress, approving the largest ever defense budget while taking credit for having trimmed it more than ever, is playing it
criminals, not as POWs. Consequently, it maintains that any treatment of the captured men under the rules of the Geneva Convention.
The U.S. government charted the North Vietnam refused to release the hostages, captured, which would be a violation of the Geneva
During the return of three OWS in September of this year, the U.S. government and the U.S. government of sending espionage equipment in packages
North Vietnam reportedly called the charge absurd and denied it.
Another stipulation of the Geneva guidelines is that POWs have four cards per man, and four cards per man each month. Indications are that American POWs are not receiving the designated quota of 10 cards.
THE NIXON administration denied the charges, however, and accused Hanoi of attempting to spread false propaganda.
IN 1969, H. ROSS Perot, a Texas millionaire, organized a campaign to get Christmas packages to POWS. Perot arranged for a plane load of POW wives to go to Paris and speak at Lebanon. Deutsche officials about the plights of their husbands.
Another violation of the Geneva guidelines allegedly occurred in September. The U.S. government accused the North Vietnamese of supporting a release POWs around Hanoi for propaganda purposes.
This effort, however, proved to be in vain; the North Vietnamese continued to restrict the mail and release the captive Americans.
The Liaison Committee, an organization set up to obtain the release of POWs, is apparently successful recipient of the mail.
Cora Weiss, on of the leaders of the committee, said that as of 1970 her organization had received relayed more letters than letters from other letter writers.
THIS IS MORE mail than any one uncree-mented in the United States had received since the United States first lost host as captives in the Vietnam War.
The North Vietnamese are,
the South Vietnamese are,
whom they send mail from POWS
and about those to whom they
send list of the names of the apts.
Sen. Edward Kenndy, D-Mass., seems to be the selected recipient of the lists of POW names.
In December 1970 Kennedy was told that a list of names of American POWs would be made available to him.
Kennedy sent a lawyer friend, John E. Noland, Jr., to Paris to obtain the list. Noland returned with a list of 368 POWs.
comedy said that the time it was significant because it marked the first time that a high U. official had been contacted or the issue had been discussed and because the list was, according to the North Vietnamese,
THE NIXON administration,
however, maintained that the
release of names was a
thing. North Vietnamese
namesage government.
The administration said the release was not in line with Hanoi's failure to do anything for the government. POWs the preceding Christmas Day.
The administration maintained
with the list was not complete但
the list did not contain 1,560 men missing in Indochina,
378 of which were believed to be
This month Kennedy again
encountered a group of excluded
five names of American fliers listed as missing in action in August and September of this
THE PHYSICAL conditions of those held captive has also become of major concern to the United States.
In 1967, a fear for their conditions arose when U.S. officials in Saigon accused the North Vietnamese of brainwashing the U.S.
Propaganda films released from Hanoi showed the POWs in activities, that were not, considered normal.
Charges that the North Vietnamese were brainwashing the Americans immediately followed.
The accusations were never proved, and Hanoi denied them.
misman denied them. The International Committee of the Internationally has been repeatedly refused admission into the camps to inspect the physical treatment of the prisoners.
grant-in-aid programs.
813 Mass. St.
V1 3-2091
Roman Conqueror
Concerned over the safety of the remaining POWs, most of them are reluctant to go into detail about their physical treatment during their imprisonment and said they were treated fairly.
Caesar would decree Nunn-Bush taps among Senators for this fashion! Yours in Black or Brown. Imported.
protection and sewage treatment, public transportation, health services, recreation, social services for the poor and aged, financial administration and maintenance pendencies also are encouraged. The funds may not be used for the local share in matching federal
Local governments are required to keep the money in a ledger, and those in accounting and auditing procedures. Reports must be filled with the U.S. Treasury and any other records necessary for detailing the use of the funds.
next session, the House passed the Federal Water Policy. Public Control Central is important and comprehensive water policy provider in the purpose of the bill is to establish a national goal of eliminating water pollution by 1992. It also has the mandate to ensure that the law which provides protection and protection of fish and recreational use on or below the water.
I am honored that the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendment includes the fundamental elements of the water treatment industry. These bills are H.R. 5959 (to increase and improve state water pollution program grants), H.R. 5949 (to increase and improve state water treatment works), H.R. 5978 (to establish and enforce water pollution controls on an Environmental Financing Authority). A House-Senate conference committee has reached agreement on a proposed Congressional approval is expected.
Primarily, the bill authorizes $18 billion for construction of waste treatment facilities between 1975 and 1977. The bill also would set standards, provide financing and enforcement procedures for water pollution control. The Senate passed the bill in February.
To end indecisive dumping of waters in the ocean, our coastal waters must be protected.2 Similar legislation passed the House and the Senate, and now in a joint committee agreement has been signed. Yet, they have not filed a report.
In addition, I have introduced several proposals of our group to provide an environment in which we can form a H.R. Member to introduce H.R. 1426 to authorize us to participate in the National Science Council in Kaiser. I also drafted and introduced H.R. 1437 with twenty-one co-sponsors for the national environmental savings Bonds. The funds from these sponsors will support environmental programs. Unfortunately, both bills are still pending before
Understanding that the preservation of our natural environment is an important issue, introduced H. Con. Res. 401 to establish a World Environmental Quinquennium to involve all nations in a global environmental response and to interest international cooperation.
tional Conference on the Environment held in Stockholm, Sweden, provides a good beginning.
This legislation incorporates three agencies: the Environmental Protection Authorizations for cooperative forest management, H. D. 4658 (to improve habitat quality and to establish a new program for urban and rural forestry).
Another important aspect of environment management is the need to find new landfarm programs, which are new public resources. Basically, it will help us improve the natural environment and provide our important natural resources our own.
One of the real disachounts has been Congress's continued release of a bill that would give local governments policy. I have introduced a BILL, H.B. 1019, that would create such a policy by allowing states to be more necessary for our government to protect certain land areas from urban encroachment.
To improve the consideration of environmental matters in the House, we propose to create a standing House Committee or the Environment! I believe this commitment is essential for protecting and regulating in the House of Representatives, as no one committee can do it without its assistance.
One issue that has generated significant emotional interest is the fact that Senate committees have deeply concerned with the protection of the Senate. A committee purported this bill, which has passed the House and the Senate. A conference between the House and Senate versions, between the House and Senate versions, between the House and Senate versions.
★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
The bill would prohibit the killing of marine mammals on high seas by United States citizens, and any killing on animals protected under international law as provided by international treaty.
To be perfectly honest, I am unhappy with the record of the Congress in the past two years. The Congress has done a lot to address these issues and is evidenced by the number of bills that have been introduced concerning the management of the environment could have done much more. I am not convinced that we have made a total change in the management of the environment. The Congress must continue to enhance our management for the preservation and conservation of our lands, wildlife and resources.
I welcome your comments on this subject, or others that might concern you. Please feel free to write to me, Congressman Larry Winn, 428 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20515.
Paid For By The Winn For Congress Committee, Melvin H. Chingan, Boxman, Box 411, Shawnee Mission, Kansas.
An Equal Opportunity Employer
AETNA IS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK OUT FOR PEOPLE-- MILLIONS OF THEM.
This may strike you as an unusual way to describe an administrative job with a big company. But we're hardly typical of most "big companies."
As an action-oriented company, we're changing many of the stereotypes associated with big business in general—and the insurance business in particular.
We're committed to giving the consumer a better product and better services. And we've succeeded in coming up with new plans and programs to do just that.
regent now, we're looking for people who bring distinctive individualistic qualities (professionalism).
Etaña has administrative jobs open both in the field and in the home office. Jobs that pay substantial salaries right from the start.
To learn more, we suggest you read the *EtaNu brochure* "The Whole Truth" in your placement office. There's a special section called "Administration and Service" which gives detailed descriptions of jobs for you.
An average job? Hardly. But, then,
we're not your average insurance company.