THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PUT THE ISHED SINCE 1889 BY THE STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
TUESDAY, MAY 2, 1989
(USPS 650-640)
Highway plan worries area legislators
by Rias Mohamed
Kansan staff writers
TOPEKA — Lawrence representatives said yesterday that they were concerned about the possible effects the highway plan would have on the state's debt.
VOL.99, NO.142
The representatives were Jessie Branson, John Solbach and Betty Jo Charlton, all Lawrence Democrats.
Lawrence Bemerson
The plan awaiting Gov. Mike Hayden's signature was scaled down from $2.96 billion to $2.65 billion.
$2.65 billion.
The $210 million reduction in the plan was achieved by reducing the amount of revenue bonds from $1.1 billion to $890 million. However, this reduction was not enough for Branson.
When the final vote came for passage of the highway program on Sunday, all three Lawrence representatives voted against the bill.
"The increases are regressive." Branson said. "I feel the bonding is excessive because it is going to put us in debt long after the eight-
year period of the program.
"With the passage of this bill, Kansas will be No 4 in terms of indebtedness in the nation. That means we will go from the 21st place to fourth place. Originally, it owed $78 per person; now with the passage it owes $15 per person."
Charlton agreed with Branson and expressed concern about incurring debt.
"There's simply no provision for paying off the bonds. There's provision for debt service, which means interest on bonds. But there no provision to pay off the principal. That means the state has an unfunded liability 20 years from now."
from now. Charlton said contractors and bonding agents would benefit from the passage of the bill.
"They stand to make millions out of this," she said. "And who's going to pay for all this? The taxavers of Kansas."
The compromise plan that was finally reached by both houses changed nothing on the financing aspect of the plan, except the amount of the 20-year bonds that would be issued.
The heart of the financing still included a quarter-cent increase in the state sales tax. That would raise $474 million during the eight-year program.
Registration fee increases for both automobiles at 52 percent and trucks at 30 percent would raise $227 million for the program. The final portion of financing would come from a transfer of finances totaling $223 million from the general revenue fund.
The bill also includes a 7-cent increase in motor during the next four years. The bill would create a $30 million motor tax credit.
"We have a tradition of user fees for highways," Charlton said. "We have not used the sales tax before except in 1982 to train drivers." In 1986, when he retired, in 1986, we had the general sales tax increase 1 cent."
what did he do? He said the bill would take more from the general fund than it would put in.
The transfer of money from the general fund, which could be used for areas such as education, concerned Solbach.
He said that the state could not afford the $27
million that would be taken out of the general fund each year for the bill.
"Two hundred and twenty-three million over the course of the program can go for education," Solbach said.
Solbach also expressed concern about the overall size of the program.
"Our highway department is too small to handle a major modification of this program." Solbach said. "I would prefer to have a highway program which is a more modest system.
This massive program gives us a great chance for error. It would also incur interest costs that would be forever."
coachmen.
The plan is designed to use $1,162 billion for the modification of highway projects, $600 million for system enhancements, $500 million for matching federal funds and road maintenance, $100 million for bridges, and $10 million for transportation of handicapped and elderly.
"Before we've paid off the bonds, the highways would be worn out already." Solbach said. "We'd have to issue bonds again."
U.S. funds for WHO may cease, Baker says
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State James A. Baker III threatened yesterday to withhold U.S. financial contributions to the World Health Organization if it fails to affirm the Palestinian Ulteration Organization.
"he feels very strongly about this," said Margaret Tutwiler, the State Department spokesman, in announcing Baker's position.
She said if the threat of a cutoff did not deter the 166-member WHO from admitting the PLO at a meeting next week in Geneva, the United States would consider other, unspecified action.
The head of the U.N. agency is expected at the State Department today to plead for continued U.S. financial support. Hiroshi Nakajima, a Japanese physician said Saturday he had been persuaded pluse PLO chairman Yasser Arafat to withdraw the application.
Gordon Brown, the U.S. deputy ambassador to Tunisia, informed Hakim Ballaui of the PLO of the decision at a meeting yesterday in Carthage. The meeting focused on WHO membership. Asked if the dispute was resolved in time, the U.S. delegate with the PLO in December, the U.S. official said, "There is no hint of that."
The talks were based on a U.S. judgment that Arafat had renounced terrorism and had accepted Israel's right to exit the United States. Tutsouler on behalf of Baker made no reference to terrorism.
Last year, the PLO declared statehood on land held by Israel. President Bush last month said it would be an independent Palestinian state.
"The United States vigorously opposes the admission of the PLO to membership in the World Health Organization or any other U.N. agency," it said. "We have worked and will continue to work to convince others of the harm that the PLO's admission would cause to the Middle East peace process and to the U.N. system.
"To emphasize the depth of our concern, I will recommend to the president that the United States make no further contributions, voluntary or as assigned to the organization which makes any change in the PLO's present status as an observer organization."
more than 50 senators have signed a letter to Baker saying that they favored cutting off funds to the WHO or any other U.N. agency that admitted Arafat's organization. The organization is part of the Arab governments as the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
"We do not recognize them as a state, nor do we believe they meet the criteria of being a state," Tut-wiler said.
The United States bears about 25 percent of the burden of the World Health Organization's expenses. The organization's $165 million in the last two years.
White House correspondent speaks at KU
by Scott Achelpohl
Kansan staff writer
Seven presidents have come and gone, but Helen Thomas has been a fixture in the White House since 1961.
1947 Thomas 69, the United Press International bureau chief who is called the dean of White House press correspondents by her colleagues, spoke last night in the ballroom at the Kansas Union at a forum sponsored by Student Union Activities. About 120 people attended the forum.
Thomas offered her thoughts on her life as a White House reporter
"I've always felt privileged covering the White House," she said. "Every president since Washington has had trouble with the press. I believe we should keep an eye on them, who holds the power of speech over the world."
"Our premise is that we follow the truth. There is an ethical approach to our jobs."
She said Bush was trying to control the group of reporters covering him.
"He maintains he is still trying to civilize us,
Thomas said.
10 minutes
She shared her observations on Bush's first 100 days
in office.
Notice "he hit the ground crawling." Thomas said "He has climbed to the top in Washington by not stepping on anyone's toes. Don't worry, be happy" seems to the theme of this administration."
She said a reporter's life coverage Bush was a lot different than following the Reagan presidency.
Thomas said Reagan was the most conservative president in recent years, possibly of the century.
"Some reporters wish for that good old Reagan era, California-style." Thomas said.
"He was the most protected president in recent history," Thomas said. "He said he believed national security was the only role of national government. He ran the White House like a chairman of the board."
Helen Thomas speaks about the Bush administration
May Day marked by riots, parades
Andrew Morrison/KANSAN
ourpa
the Soviet Union held a traditional tradition through Red Square, China used the occasion to try to ease a burgeoning student uprising, and a man holding a poster of Soviet President Milkhail M. Gorbachev was dragged away by police in Czechoslovakia.
The Associated Press
Clashes in Turkey left 36 people injured, riot squads fired tear gas when leftists tried to march on the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, and thousands burned U.S. flags in Honduras.
Poles shouted "Down with communism!" at a May day march in Warsaw, Soviet Armenians defied a ban on demonstrations, and rallies became riots in Sochi. Soviet workers yesterday marked their worldwide holiday.
Around the world, thousands gathered on the international labor day to celebrate their gains with banners and balloons, or to protest their losses with hurled rocks and smashed windows.
Up to 100,000 Solidarity supporters marched through Warsaw in the union's first legal May Day gathering since it was suppressed eight years ago. The crowd chanted "brown, our community!" and impressed the impressive show of strength.
Warsaw's main events were peaceful, but violent clashes were reported in the cities of Wrocław and Gdansk when militant Solidarity splinter groups held demonstrations in those cities, dissident sources said. Street fighting in Gdansk lasted several hours.
Biot police in South Korea fired tear gas in a battle with about 5,000 striking workers in Masan and nearby Changwon after protests tried to stage a May Day rally, once held by 240 workers were arrested.
Police said about 6,600 people were arrested in Seoul when police blocked a rally Sunday called by labor groups to mark May Day.
In Turkey, 36 people were injured in battles with security forces during outlawed May Day marches in Istanbul, the Anatolian news agency reported. All three were wounded by gunfire, including one man who was shot in the head.
In West Berlin, police used water cannon, tear gas and truncheons against at least 2,000 militant protesters who hurried fire bombs, looted stores and smashed windows in violent May Day skirmishes.
In communist East Berlin, at least five dissidents were arrested for staging demonstrations alongside detritations, dissident sources said.
University faculty to get tour of state
bv Thom Clark
Kansan staff writer
A bus tour of eastern and central Kansas, scheduled for May 25, will travel to Hutchinson, McPherson and Lindsburg to introduce various parts and aspects of the state to incoming faculty, said Franconia University research, graduate studies and public service and dean of the graduate school.
KU administrators and faculty will be going on the road to help new faculty become familiar with the state's economy, geography and his
Horowitz estimated that 30 to 50 people would sign up for the trip. She said the bus would probably leave by noon, and return to Lawrence at 10 p.m.
"This gives faculty an opportunity to be familiarized with Kansas and get to know the state a little better," Horowitz said.
Horowitz also said that Rita Napier, associate professor of history, Tony Redwood, executive director of the Institute for Public Policy and Business Research, and Frank Wilson, senior scientist at the University Surveil, would talk along the way to further orient new faculty with the state.
This gives faculty an opportunity to be familiarized with Kansas and get to know the state a little better.
Napier said she wanted to acquaint
Frances Horowitz
T
Frances howitt
vice chancellor for research, graduate
studies and public service and dean of
the faculty with the state's cultural background and important events in Kansas history.
"Kansas has been diverse in racial and ethnic terms." Napier said. "It is my expectation that most aspects of life must not be as familiar to some people."
Napier said she would be addressing the history of state agriculture when they approached towns such as McPherson and Hutchinson.
Road trip
Wilson said he would be talking about the geology of the state, including the origins of the Flint Hills. He also said he would be addressing other issues, including the declining water level in the state and the underground salt deposits that are dissolving naturally in Hutchinson.
About 30 to 50 people are expected to go on a road trip with KU administrators and a staff member familiar with the state's economy, geography and history. The
Source; KANSAN report
Fredchen Klein; KANSAN
"I also hope we have the opportunity to at least view the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant and discuss the geological survey's interest in the plant." Wilson said.
Horwitz said a new faculty member had given her the idea, which is also practiced at the University of Wisconsin.
"We wanted to schedule the trip so we could reach three different kinds of communities other than Lawrence and the eastern side of Kansas. If it is successful, we will do it again in the future." Horowitz said.
Legislature again rejects plan to build new prison
Kansan staff writer
by Rias Mohamed
The Kansas House for the fourth time yesterday rejected a Senate proposal to build a $73 million, 768-bed prison to eliminate overcrowding and sent it back to a fourth corner, where it remained, the remaining deadlocked last night.
The decision came in response to a proposal that the Senate had sent to the House for the fourth time with minor changes that reduced the cost by $19.1 million and limited bonding to 15 years.
The House had rejected similar proposals on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Both the House and Senate members said they supported construction of a 256-bed prison for mentally ill inmates.
Rogers has ordered the state to eliminate prison overcrowding by July 1, 1991, to improve conditions at the prison. Rogers said services for mentally ill inmates.
The proposal is an effort to improve services for mentally ill inmates and to comply with US federal Justice Richard Roers' order.
the new prison would probably be built in El Dorado, and the prison for mentally ill inmates in Larned.
State Rep. David Miller. R-Edura, opposed the proposal and said the Senate seemed unwilling to give serious consideration to the
House's proposal to consider a 512 bed prison without the sale of bonds.
Under the House's financing proposal, the state would use money from the general tax revenues and also borrow from the Pooled Money Investment Board, a three-member panel that invests idle state funds.
On the Senate's recent proposal to reduce the cost of the prison, Miller said, "That is a modest improvement. But in real life, we still have House and the Senate, in terms of financing the prison, it is basically the same."
Miller said financing the prison by sale of bonds, whether for 20 or 15 years, would not give flexibility in terms of repayment.
Fred Gatlin, R-Attwood, said the bond payment terms were not inflexible.
he:
"In my mind, the only issue that really exists is the size of the prison," he said.
he salo
State Rep. Phil Kline, R-Overland
Park and House chairman of the
conference committee, told the
House that Senate members at the
conference committee had emphasized that the size of the prison would not be negotiable because it had to meet the court's order.
Wint, Winter, R-Lawrence and Senate chairman of the conference committee, said after the House vote that the court had not said that 768