VOL, 100, NO. 145
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
FRIDAY, May 4, 1990
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Senate plans fund increase
Bv Rod Griffin
Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — The Senate Ways and Means Commission yesterday devised a four-part plan that would restore $66 million to the state general fund to remedy overspending by the Legislature.
The plan was created to increase the general fund balance to $100 million, the amount that State Sen. John McCarthy has said is necessary to keep the state running.
The proposal would provide $12 million through accelerated tax collections. Reductions in a number of agents' budgets would add about 40 million to the fund.
The Senate revived a tobacco tax bill that would raise another $12 million. The bill would increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes by 5 cents and the tax on other tobacco products by 5 percent.
An identical bill would have earmarked the money for the Margin of Excellence, but it was killed in the
House.
Together the proposals would provide $41.1 million for the general fund.
The Division of the Budget estimated that the general fund balance would be $6.8 million after the 1990 session. The additional $4.1 million would increase that amount to $97.8 million.
The Senate committee plan also includes a 1 percent across-the-board budget cut that is expected to save $2.51 million for the general fund. The proposal by Bogina, who originally had suggested a 2.5 percent cut.
"We might be better served if we go in with 1 percent." he said.
State Sen. Wint Winter Jr., R-
Lawrence, said the cut could be used to pressure the House into passing the tobacco tax.
"Keeping it in there is the best way to let the house touch the knife," he said. "I think they're going to be faced with either passing the ciga
rette tax or facing the 1 percent cut." State Sen, Frank Gaines, D-Augusta, said something had to be done.
"I'm just about worn out up here," he said. "We're going to leave pretty soon, or I'm going to leave on my own."
Gaines said that if the Senate plan was not passed, the House had one of its own.
"Bill Bunten has a wish list on a yellow pad." he said.
State Rep. Bill Burten, R-Topeka, said his plan was similar to the Senate's, incorporating both targeted and non-targeted bills, but he would not reveal any details.
"We wouldn't want to run it until after we finish the omnibus budget,"
The ornibus budget is usually the last appropriations measure passed during the session.
be said.
He said the state could face a shortfall of about $100 million by the end of fiscal 1992.
"I know how difficult it has been this year trying to deal with the budget issue," he said. "It has just been gut-wrenching."
State Sen. Mike Johnston, D-Parson, said that the Legislature must get its fiscal house in order and that it should be able only a precursor to things for come.
But Johnston said the state would have to make deep cuts in spending to solve the problem.
Johnston said blame for the problem must be shared by the governor and the Legislature.
He said the budget problem was a result of "people like Lee. Johnston who have voted for every spending measure that came by."
Keith Thorpe/KANSAN
President abandons weapons strategy
Jessie Clinton, Marke, Miss., freshman, performs "That's What Friends Are For" on the flute during a rehearsal for "We Be Doin' It." The project, which will feature more than 50 Black and Hispanic students, will be performed at 8 p.m. Sunday at Crafton-Preyer Theatre.
Magic flute
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Bush scrapped plans yesterday for newer and more powerful battlefield nuclear weapons in Europe and called for a NATO summit to rewrite the military strategy for a new era in history.
"As democracy comes to Eastern Europe and Soviet troops return home, there is less need for nuclear systems of the shortest range." Bush
His decision, canceling modernization of the Lance missile, amounted to a recognition of political realities in Europe and in Congress.
West Germany, where most of the new weapons would be based, had fiercely opposed the deployment because the warheads would be targeted on their countrymen in East Germany.
Congress, doubting that the new missiles would ever be installed, had balked at Bush's request for $112 million for modernization.
bun made his announcement at a wide-ranging news conference where he also said he sometimes worried that military hardliners in the Soviet Union might out President Mikhail S. Gorbachev and to try to reverse democratic reforms in Eastern Europe.
It was Bush's most direct statement ever about Gorbachev's grip on power.
Bush said Gorbachev was under extraordinary pressure at home to launch Libya's drive for independence and the ailing Soviet economy.
Council amends rules, condemns policy of ROTC
By Pam Solliner
Kansan staff writer
The University Council passed two amendments yesterday condemning the ROTC policy of excluding members based on sexual orientation.
The amendments now need the approval of Chancellor Gene A. Budig before taking effect.
Don Marquis, council member, proposed one amendment to University Senate Rules and Regulations that excludes credit hours earned in ROTC courses for meeting graduation requirements.
Consistent with Department of Defense policy, the ROTC program excludes homosexuals from its programs.
The amendment, which would take effect in 1995, would become void when ROTC policies concerning scholarships and commissions gain compliance with the University's anti-discrimination policies.
University policy states that a student may not be denied the rights of access to or participation in any University-sponsored or University-approved activity because of race, religion, sex, disability, mental illness, affiliation (as specified by law), ancestry or sexual orientation.
Marquis said it was time for the University to take action on the issue. He said he was tired of having a nondiscrimination policy when campus housing and ROTC remained discriminatory.
crimination.
"We need to show that we are serious about the non-discrimination policy we already have," he said.
Michael Diggs, Student Senate representative, said the intent of the amendment is to require the Department of Defense to but a compliance with KU policies.
Senate renounces ROTC policy p.3
Diggs said there was a time when the Pentagon thought African-Americans and women would disrupt the normal course of events.
Clay Belcher, council member, said the military should not be coerced into changing its policy.
He denounced homosexual acts, saying they were against the laws of God and man.
But he also said homosexuals were human beings.
"They obviously deserve the love and respect of a human being," he said. "But they don't deserve special exemptions to the laws."
Daniel Breslauer, council member,
said University policy was not a statement of what God did or did not condone.
The amendment passed 15-5, with four abstentions.
Beverly Boyd, council member,
then proposed the second amendment,
which disallows ROTC from conducting ceremonies commissioning its officers on University grounds or with University personnel.
The amendment, which would take effect in the 1990-91 academic year, would remain in effect until the issue of conflicting policies was resolved.
In other action, the council, by a straw vote, also set guidelines for the next year's Senate Executive Committee to add the six instructional days mandated by the Board of Regents.
The council voted to add the required instructional days by expanding the calendar. Council members agreed to send the issue back to SenEx, where it could be dealt with in a smaller group.
The Associated Press
New nuclear weapons will offset cancellations
WASHINGTON — The United States is developing air- and sea-launched nuclear weapons that would more than offset the loss of firepower resulting from President Bush's cancellation of two land-based nuclear systems in Europe, analysts said yesterday.
the canceled systems.
Bush officially scrapped plans yesterday to field a new, more powerful version of the Lance missile and a modernized 155 mm nuclear-tipped artillery shell.
Bush made no mention of the other nuclear weapons already in the pipeline for European deployment. Private arms experts say these other weapons, some of which already are in Europe, have more military worth than either of
The tradeoff is like "trading two handguns for an assault rifle," said Daniel Plesh, director of the British American Security Information Council, a private arms group.
The most important new weapon earmarked for European deployment is an air-to-surface nuclear missile that could be carried on the American F-16 fighters based in Europe.
The Soviets have urged immediate negotiations to eliminate all shorter-range nuclear weapons in Europe, but the Bush administration has not said until last year they would put off any such negotiations until a treaty to reduce non-nuclear weapons in Europe is signed.
Murdered woman wanted to be independent, friend says
By Bryce J. Tache
By Bryce J. Tache and Pam Solller
Kansas staff writers
Before Tamara Baker was murdered, she painted pictures of horses running freely through the countryside.
Freedom was what she most cherished
"She wanted independence," said Audrey Ferguson, Baker's close friend. "Freedom to raise her kids the way she wanted without the influence of her ex-husband or anyone else."
Baker is the center of the Lawrence Police Department's most recent homicide investigation, which includes its mayor, payoff.
reported her missing hair. Marsha Lyles, who lived next door to Tamara Baker at 255 N. Michigan St., said Aubrey Bakee came looking for his missing ex-wife several times. "He searched for her up until Thanksgiving," she said. "He was diligently looking for her."
has stretched into his seventh day.
Aubrey Baker, her ex-husband,
reported her missing Nov. 6, 1989.
April 27, five months after Baker ended his search, two men found her body in a wooded area in the 800 block of East Eighth Street.
Police identified her Wednesday but would not release any information about the cause of death or possible suspects.
Shirley Glover, who lived downstairs from Baker from August to October at 1133 Connecticut St., said Baker was worried about finding bond money to get Ferguson out of jail.
Ferguson did not want to speculate either, but she spoke openly about Baker's life.
"I guess she took it pretty hard," Glover said. "She was really upset about it. She was trying to set bond for Audrey, who was in jail."
"She was very troubled,"she said. "She had a lot of fear in her."
"We spent a lot of time riding in the car around in the country," she said. "It was so peaceful. We had freedom out away from everyone."
Ferguson said they had many common interests and problems.
Stolen property
On Oct. 18, Ferguson was charged with stealing $500 worth of jewelry
'She wanted independence, freedom to raise her kids the way she wanted without the influence of her ex-husband or anyone else.'
from the Jewelry Source, which was at 1023 Massachusetts St. but since has relocated to the Lawrence Riverfront Plaza.
Susan Schwartz, owner of the Susan Jewelry Source, said the store's glass door was broken late that night. She said all the sterling silver jewelry, about 200 rings and several rhinestones were stolen. Some of the jewelry was strewn along the sidewalk.
Audrey Ferguson
Schwartz said Baker was wearing some of the stolen jewelry when police came to question Ferguson. Schwartz said he possessed of stolen property.
Audrey Ferguson Baker's friend
Baker was scheduled to appear in court Oct. 30, the night before she disappeared. A warrant was issued after arrest when she did not appear.
Ferguson pleaded guilty to one count of burglary. A second count of possession of stolen property was
Neil Ramdorsingh, Baker's brother, agreed. He saw her at midnight on Halloween at the apartment they shared.
dismissed. She served 88 days in the Douglas County Jail, beginning Oct. 11, the day Baker was last seen.
Ferguson said that although Baker was troubled, she seemed happy the night of her disappearance.
Disappearance
"For the short time I saw her, she seemed fine." he said.
Randromanchal said he was one of the few people Baker could talk to intimately. Helping others was one part of her life that brought her great joy.
"She was very involved in the community," he said. "She was the secretary of the board at Board Start. She was a girl Girl Scout leader. She helped cater the Policemen's Ball. She was a very helpful person. She
Ordeal ended
Baker had three children, a girl and two boys, whom her brother and friends said she was close to.
Ferguson, who is from Chicago, said that Lawrence was not immune to crime.
cared about people."
"When you live in a small town, you overlook things," she said. "You think things don't happen to you. You expect them. I see. I know what kind of things can happen."
"She'd play video games with them, take them to the park for barbecues," Ramdorshing said. "They'll give them everything they needed."
16e said Lawrence had moved to Baker about five or six years ago from Trinidad, an island off the coast of Mexico. She joined her here two years ago.
Ramdorsingh said his anxiety, which had built up during the past six months, finally had been relieved
Both Ferguson and Randorsingh said they were relieved that Baker had been found.
"She will never have any more fears or any more worries," Ferguson said. "She is watching over her kids, I believe that."
Carol Modrell, Douglas County coroner, said the autopsy report would not be issued for several days. She is waiting for the report from Kris Sperry, an Atlanta pathologist who performed the autopsy Tuesday.
Hall asked that anyone who might have seen or had contact with Tamara Baker on or about Oct. 31 call the dispatch or detective divisions of the Lawrence Police Department.
Lt. Mike Hall of the Lawrence police said yesterday that the department was investigating 129 leads in the homicide.
after police told him that his sister had been found.
Moddrell said the report would not become record until investigators had finished with it.
Ramdomsingh said his sister's body had been released to him. Funeral services are pending.
Coroner's reports and police reports are parts of Ramdersingh's and Ferguson's lives now. But more important to them are human emo-
Ferguson said she knew that Baker had found what she spent her life searching for.
"She has her freedom now."