... Page 8 University Daily Kansan, August 26, 1980 Word manages hectic bookstore By JANE NEUFELD Staff Reporter Although the Kansas Union Bookstore has a reputation for crowds and mass confusion during the first week of classes, Steve Word, the bookstore's new general manager, said he had enjoyed the first week of his job. "I'm glad that I was able to come right before the rush, so that I can see how the rush works." Word said. The problems of rush week at the bookstore were not as bad as others he bad seen. Word said. Word, a graduate of Memphis State "I'SEEN WE a lot of rushes in a lot of colleges and bookstores," he said. "This one seems to be running very smoothly." --refreshments provided! Take The Plunge- Hillel Sponsors A Swimming Party★ Thursday, Aug. 28 9:00-11:00 pm Holiday Park Pool (west 9th street) for more information or a ride call: 864-3948 --goofing off," he said. "I'd like to see an increase efficiency and cut down on costs." University, replaces Betty Brock, who resigned in July. Word said he placed the highest emphasis on customers. "I'm extremely customer-relations oriented and I always have been," he WORD SAID HE WOULD like to see books sold by number to prevent the theft of them. He also plans to start a student scholarship from rebate money the bookstore obtains from its national book distributor. The rebate money could be put in a fund that would scholarships for KU students, Word said. The rebate is a percentage of the cost that spends on books from the company. WORD SAID it was too soon to tell what changes he planned to make in the management of the bookstore, but he said he saw some areas where inefficiency could be eliminated in accounting. I'm not saying that anyone , Word said that the bookstore did not use computers, but he said he hoped to "I'd have to see whether we can rent time on the computer, here or her office," she said. the Fitness Center Wited cited the year-end fiscal inventory as an area that could be improved by computerization and said he would like to investigate the possibility of using computers in the accounts payable department. WORD WAS THE bookstore manager for four years at Shelby State Community College in Memphis and then the assistant bookstore manager at Memphis State University for three years before coming to KU. He was graduated from Memphis State in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in business. - Sauna & Hot Tub - Diet & Nutritional Counseling - Individualized Programs - Student Discounts Available on - With Professional Instructions - Quality Equipment Word credited the job advancement and the local atmosphere for persistence. 6th & Maine 841- 8540 ADMIRAL CAR RENTAL 2340 ALABAMA 843-2931 Use Kansan Classified Joe Hofmann, 28, and Skip Montgomery, 30, sit outside the Southwestern Bell Telephone business office, 816 W. 24th St., on an "informational picket" of the company. Neither are BEN BIGLER/Kansan staff Bell employees. They are protesting certain provisions of a contract tentatively approved by the Communication Workers of America union. DRAFTING TABLES in A VARIETY of sizes & styles NEOLT · PLANHOLD · MAYLINE We also have a full line of Drafting and Engineering supplies: parallel rules, paper, templates, lamps, Letraset and more! STRONG'S office systems 1040 VERTMON LAWRENCE, KS. 66044 call: 913-843-3644 Karl Marx, historically one of capitalism's harshest critics, described the government in a capitalist country as the agent of the capitalist class. If from $10 to $25 million of public funds are unearthed to facilitate the creation of this proposed shopping mall, most of which will be privately owned, won't our local government be assuming the very function attributed to it by Mr. Marx? When I asked this question of City Commission Clark at the recent public discussion about the matter he responded not with a direct answer but with a rhetorical question dealing with industrial revenue bonds (IRBs). A FEW FACTS ON THE SHOPPING MALL George Orwell said that the corruption of politics begins with the corruption of language. Mr. Orwell was speaking of the diminution in quality which can result when words are used to becloud rather than clarify. Capitalism is, by definition, an economic system characterized by the private ownership of the means of production and distribution in combination with the relative absence of governmental activity. When our City Commission commissioned, at an estimated cost of some $35,000 to $40,000, an Evanston, Illinois firm to conduct consumer preference surveys, reviewing existing market studies and develop a specific plan for expanded retailing in the downtown area it (the City Commission) assumed an obligation which was solely the responsibility of the Jacobs, Visconi and Jacobs (JVJ) development firm, the business of which is the building of shopping malls. In the plan for the proposed $88 million mall the city of Lawrence is supposed to provide $10.1 million for parking garages over which it will retain ownership), utility relocation, demolition of existing buildings and street improvements. The city has also agreed to pay for the costs of both land acquisition, an estimated $10 to $82 million and business location, an estimated $1.5 to $82 million; in short Lawrence would be committed to a contribution of $21.9 million ($21.9 million - $19.2 million). An agreement with the city would own and operate only the parking garages with the rest of the complex being privately owned. This proposed venture, with the public picking up over 40 percent of the tah and our local governmental structure playing a co-conspiratorial role, qualifies neither as capitalism nor as a mutation thereof. Any attempt to clothe it as such terminology would be an example of the adulteration process referred to by Mr. Orwell. The Kansas Legislature recently approved a bill allowing cities to issue industrial revenue bonds (IRBs) in conjunction with tax increment financing for downtown projects. IRBs are issued and backed by a local governing unit with this governmental support of the bond issue enabling a private firm to obtain less expensive financing. IRBs usually include a ten year tax abatement for the industry, which means that local governments do not take advantage of increased property valuations created by the industry for ten years. I agree with City Commissioner Binnn when he describes IRBs as a "taxpayer subsidy of private industry." In tax increment financing the city issues bonds for downtown redevelopment projects; these bonds are repaid with higher property tax receipts resulting from the increased valuation of the improved area. The wording of the Tax Increment Financing Act itself casts yet more light on both (a) the conditions it is designed to correct or at least alleviate and (b) the group on whose behalf such activity would be undertaken. In K.S.A. Section 12-1770 the Act's purpose is said to be the rendering of assistance "in the development and redevelopment of central business district areas of cities, thus promoting the general welfare of the citizens of this state . . . It is further found and declared that the powers conferred by this act are for public uses and purposes for which money may be expended and the power of eminent domain exercised." The two components of this excerpt from the Act are each conditional i.e., each one is subject to a condition. The first part states that the developmental effort is to be made with the ultimate objective of "promoting the general welfare of the citizens." The concluding sentence state unequivocally "that the powers conferred by this act are for public uses and purposes." Black's Law Dictionary tells us that: "A public purpose . . . has for its objective the promotion of the public health, safety, morals, general welfare, security, prosperity, and contentment of all the inhabitants or residents within a given political division." The Tax Increment Financing Act, K.S.A. Section 12-1771 goes on to say: "No city shall exercise any of the powers conferred by this act unless the governing body of such city shall have adopted a resolution finding that: (1) The area sought to be redeveloped is a blighted area and (2) the conservation, development or redevelopment of such area is necessary to promote the general and economic welfare of such city, ... the term 'blighted area' constitutes substantially or arrests the sound development and growth of the municipality or constitutes an economic or social liability or is a menace to the public safety, safety, morals, or welfare in its present condition and use." How can a public purpose, as just defined, be served by any activity to which a considerable segment of the indigenous population is vigorously opposed? It's manifestly impossible! It seems that before any city can take an of the liberties granted by this act its governing body must declare that the area to be developed is "blighted" i.e., "substantially impairs or arrests . . . sound development and growth . . . constitutes an economic or social liability or is a menace to the public health, safety, morals or environment and use" and that its development "is necessary to promote the general and economic welfare of such city." Is this four square block area "higlighted"? Is its development "necessary to promote the general and economic welfare" of the city? Obviously neither part of the requisite resolution applies to the threatened area. City Commissioner Clark, who was instrumental in the creation of the tax increment law described it thusly: "It's a tool for cities to use to try to save downtown." A dying downtown is a serious state of affairs with which many a man would be compelled to employ the application of a problem's solution should not precede that problem's existence. Let us wait until our downtown actually begins to deteriorate before considering any developmental effort designed to correct such a state. William Dann 2702 W. 24th St. Terrace Buying We are local buyers and buy on a continual basis. We are making a concentrated effort to buy a large amount of our products from the largest suppliers in the country. In most cases, the local buyers who are established businesses are the top buyers. It pays to sell to someone established in the community. Below are some of our buying prices on items generally listed in the ads of the "meter buyers." We appreciate your business and encourage you to get several offers before 16 East 8th GREAT PLAINS NUMISMATIC SERVICES Lawrence. Kansas Phone 842-8000 GOLD CLASS RINGS MEN'S CLASSRING $65.00 WOMEN'S CLASSRING 38.00 14k MEN'S WEDDING BAND 50.00 14k WOMEN'S WEDDING BAND 25.00 Tea we will pay up to $25 for 125 classtats. We buw gold jewelry, by weight Below is the overprice paid for rings The heavier the ring, the more money SILVER Buying all other gold jewelry and dental gold. GOLD COINS (VF or better) $1.00 $150.00 $2.50 100.00 $3.00 700.00 $5.00 150.00 $10.00 Lb 300.00 $10.00 lnd 325.00 $20.00 Lb 610.00 $20.00 S G 630.00 Austian 100C 575.00 Mexico 50 Peso 675.00 African Krugernand 620.00 Also buying gold pocket watch cases. We also sell all items listed in this ad. PRE 1964 U.S. SILVER COINS Dimes 1.15 EA Quarters 2.83 EA Halves 5.75 EA SILVER DOLLARS 14.50 EA BU Silver Dollars 26.00 EA 999 Bars 16.00 EA Sterling 10.00 OZ Foreign Silver Coins 6.00 OZ Premium paid for better date coins and higher grade coins. FEEL FREE TO CALL US AT 842 800010 a.m to 5:30 p.m for our daily adjustments WHY NOT SELL ON A DAY WHEN THE MARKET IS UP?? TYPE COINS grading good or better) Hall Cent $14.00 Large Cent 3.50 Flying Eagle Cent 4.00 Indian Cent 6 Wheat Cent 12 Two Cent 2.50 Three Cent 2.50 Shield Nickel 4.00 V Nickel 2.00 Buffalo Nickel 15 COINS TYPE COINS Bust Dime $8.00 Seated Dime 3.00 Twenty Cent 30.00 Bust Quarter 27.00 Seated Quarter 5.00 Bust Half 17.00 Seated Half 10.00 Bust Dollar 340.00 Seated Dollar 500.00 RARE COINS condition more for better coins) 1793 Cents $10,000.00 1799 Cents 350.00 1804 Cents 200.00 1877 Cents 200.00 1909 S VOB Cent 210.00 1855 Hailes 105.00 1912 St Helens 325.00 1916 Dime 325.00 1932 D Quarter 33.00 1932 S Quarter 32.00 1897 Halves 65.00 1897 I D Helves 60.00 1898 D Helves 19.00 1893 Dollars 27.00 1893 S Dollars 600.00 1894 Dollars 160.00 1895 S Dollars 42.00 1903 D Bills 128.00 1908 Dollars 100.00 and lots more—come by and we'll make an offer on other rare coins For Mass feet. ceptis sinks park to su surrest. New! $90 843-5 p.m.