THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.100,NO.112
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 1990
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House panel hears debate on tobacco tax
By Rod Griffin
By Rod Griffin
Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — The House Taxation committee held hearings yesterday on a revised tobacco tax bill that would increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes by 5 cents and raise nearly $12 million for the Margin of Excellence.
State Sen. Dick Bond, R-Overland Park, introduced the bill in January. The Senate gave final approval to the bill Feb. 8, and since that time it has been sitting in the House committee awaiting action.
The tax on other tobacco products would be increased from 10 percent of the wholesale price to 15 percent. If the bill becomes law, the tax will become effective June 1, 1990.
The bill passed by the Senate did not specify what higher education programs would receive revenue generated by the tax.
However, House amendments to the bill would create the State Board of Regents Margin of Excellence Fund. Money raised by the tax would be deposited in the fund and used specifically for Margin programs.
The Margin of Excellence is the Board of Regents three-year plan to bring the total financing of its seven institutions to 95 percent of their peer schools and to bring faculty salaries to 100 percent of their peers.
The tax is expected to raise $11.8 million in its first year. The revenues are expected to decrease in following years, following a trend of decreased cigarette sales.
Representatives of tobacco interests told members of the committee that the tax would cause cigarette sales to plummet.
"The end result of this taxation is to deliver additional business opportunities away from Kansas and into other states," said Elizabeth Taylor, executive director of the Kansas Tobacco-Candy Distributors and
Vendors, Inc.
She called the tax discriminatory. "It is appalling to us that this Legislature, in a time so troubled by taxation questions, would even consider taxing one small group to benefit the needs of all," Taylor said.
Bill Sneed, legislative counsel for the Smokeless Tobacco Council, Inc., said the tax hurt sales of other cigarettes. He said he would go to other states to buy cigarettes.
Bill Mitchell, representing the Tobacco Institute, said if the bill were passed, the money would not be used for its intended purposes.
"People who travel to buy smokeless tobacco will buy other things as well as long as they are making the trin." he said.
M. Phillip Rowlands/KANSAN
"This so-called Margin of Excellence bill is really nothing more than a funding mechanism for the Board of Regents institutions' operating budgets," he said. "The passage of this bill will be asking the thousands of users of tobacco products in this state to bear an extraordinary burden to fund programs which have no relationship to this tax."
Supporters of the bill praised it as an innovative approach to financing higher education in the state.
"We march toward fulfilling the goals and objectives of the Margin of Excellence are seriously threatened by the current financial dilemmas faced by our state," said Stanley Koplik, executive director of the Regents. "The bill represents a bold and innovative approach to maintaining the success of the Margin of Excellence because it proclaims that Kansans finish what they start."
Historical sketch
Jeff Burkhart, Lawrence junior, right, and Darren Dykes, St. Louis sophomore, sketch the Natural History Museum from the steps of Spooner Hall for their architecture studio class. The high temperature will be 63 degrees today, the first day of spring.
Lithuania Soviets transmit warning
The Associated Press
MOSCOW — The Kremlin yesterday sternly warned the breakaway republic of Lithuania not to put up its own customs posts, introduce its own currency or take over Moscow-run factories without permission.
The nationally televised announcement was Mikhail S. Gorbachev's first concrete step to counter Lithuania's March 13 declaration of indemnity, and it did not say what would happen if Lithuania ignored the orders.
The television statement accused the Lithuanian leadership of planning to turn over national factories to private owners, bring in a separate currency and put up custom posts on the borders of the republic.
Earlier yesterday, a Lithuanian delegation delivered a letter to the Kremlin that promised Soviet inter-communal dialogue could be given careful consideration.
It said the government was concerned especially about nuclear energy plants in Lithuania and had increased security around them.
It accused the Baltic republic of trying to undermine its links with the rest of the Soviet Union, which it said could damage the national economy.
The government said police, the KGB, and customs agents would have authority in maintaining the existing customs situation.
A directive was issued to the management of all Soviet enterprises and agencies in Lithuania, saying that under no circumstances should they begin negotiations on handing over their authority to local officials. Such talks can be run only by Moscow ministries, it stated.
Many Lithuanians say they expect Moscow to impose an economic blockade, depriving the republic of the fuel and raw materials.
The government statement contained no such threats.
East German parties vie for Parliament majority Coalitions focus on steps toward reunification
The Associated Press
EAST BERLIN — The victorious Alliance for Germany said yesterday that the German states must move quickly to reunify, but its leader was rebuffed as he began trying to form a coalition government to move the process along.
A more left-leaning party, the Social Democrats, turned down an invitation to join the coalition, thus blocking the Alliance from having a two-third's majority in Parliament. Such a majority would allow East Germany to simply declare a merger with the West.
The three-party Alliance swept to victory Sunday in East Germany's first free elections but did not majority in the 400-seat Parliament.
The Alliance got a boost yesterday from perhaps its biggest supporter. West German Chancellor Angela Merkel is the financial aid for East Germany.
The chancellor had refused such aid to the Communists, who have governed since hard-line Erich Honecker was overthrown in the
Lothar de Maiziere, likely to be the next East German premier, invited the Social Democrats and the Union of Free Democrats to discuss forming a "grand coalition" to guide the nation toward unification with the broadest possible consensus.
He clearly was disappointed when Social Democratic leader Ibrahim Boehme refused.
"Mr. Boehne must certainly have to ask himself what he meant in the last few weeks when he repeatedly said our country's problems are so big they must be carried on the broadest possible shoulders." de Maiziere said.
However, an alliance of centrist, liberal parties, which won 21 seats, was ready to negotiate joining in a
coalition with the Alliance, West Germany's ARD television said. That would give a de Maziere-led government 214 seats in Parliament.
De Maizeire's Christian Democratic Union is one of three parties comprising the Alliance. The party stresses traditional Christian values and less government control of the economy, and traditionally has been at odds with the Social Democrats, who follow a leftist, social-oriented path.
Leaders discuss borders p. 6
The Social Democrats said moving quickly to reunify could result in a loss of East Germany's cradle-to-grave social services and allow the country to be swallowed up by its wealthy neighbor.
The party placed second in the vote, with 21.8 percent and 87 seats in Parliament. The Alliance won 48.2 percent and 193 seats.
He urged for rapid introduction of a monetary, economic and social union with West Germany. In a largely symbolic move, he said the Berlin Wall should be torn down as soon as possible as a clear sign of the merging of the two German states.
The Party of Democratic Socialism, the former Communist Party, placed third with 16.3 percent. It will have 22 seats in Parliament.
"Here, we will carry forward and step up the pace of the already started negotiations," he said.
De Maiziere held a round of meetings yesterday with the goals of forming a government and uniting with the West.
The wall was opened Nov. 9 during the height of the pro-democracy movement that made Sunday's vote possible. Large pieces of it already have come
East Germany election results Parties' share of 400 parliamentary seats filled in Sunday's national election.
Union of Free Democrats
Knight-Ridder Tribune News/JUDY TREIBLE
down
down.
The balloting marked the first free elections in East German history and capped the country's transition to democracy after four decades of iron-fisted Communist rule.
Alliance for Germany; Coalition of Christian Democrats and two other conservative parties
Social Democrats: Left-of-center
Democratic Socialists: Former Communist Party
Union of Free Democrats: Moderates
Alliance 90: New Forum and other human rights groups
Others: Democratic Greens, Independent Women's Union, National Democrats
SOURCE: AP
White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said the vote was a victory not only for the people of East Germany but for all Germans.
Watson records 8 crime-related incidents; library is popular place for lurking thieves
By Curtis Knapp
Kansan staff writer
KU police reports have shown eight crime-related incidents in the past month at Watson Library, but a KU police spokesman said that number was not unusual.
KU police reported seven library thefts of items including KUIDs with bus passes, backpacks and students' books. Another incident, in which a man masturbed the front of three female students, was also reported.
Sgt. Schuyler Bailey of the KU police said seven thefts in a month was not a high number for the library.
"It's a good spot for people to steal from because there's a lot of activity there," he said.
Lt. John Mullens of the KU police said incidents of masturbation were not common in the library. He recalled only one similar incident in the spring of 1976.
Mary Hawkins, assistant dean of public service at Watson, said the crime reports in the past month seemed like a high number but not enough to be alarmed about.
She agreed that the library was a popular place for theft because of the high number of people who used it.
Hawkins said she would be more concerned if there were a high number of thefts in consecutive months. The library always has periodic incidents of theft.
Hawkins said she thought security guards would be helpful to avoid thefts.
"If we had sufficient staffing capabilities, we would definitely have security personnel," she said.
However, Bailey said security guards would not eliminate thefts. He stressed that students should watch their belongings and not leave them unattended.
Hawkins said that when there was a high number of thefts during a period of a few signs, signs were posted in the library that read, "Beware, thieves at work." The seven thefts during the past month were not enough to justify posting the signs.
Kathleen Neeley, head of the Anschutz Science Library, said she did not know of any thefts at the new science library since it opened Nov. 13.
Many fans lament baseball lockout, are game for getting season moving
The Associated Press
Eager for the cry of "play ball," many fans treated baseball's 32-day lockout with no more disdain than they would an extra-long rain delay. But some felt they'd been thrown a curryball by the players.
Marie Determan, 87, said she would attend her 70th consecutive Cincinnati home owner when the Reds play San Diego on April 17, but she may protest the players' part in the lockout by only watching a few innings.
"I think they owe it to the club and to the fans who pay their salary . . . to get in there and play ball instead of worrying about whether they feel good or not." Determan said.
Wayne Nash, a soda delivery man in Baltimore, said, "I think they make enough money, and I don't think they should have done what they did to the fans."
An agreement reached Sunday night ended the lockout that had delayed the start of spring training for major-league players. Teams immediately began assembling at their training camps to prepare for the start of the season, which will begin April 9, a week later than scheduled.
It is only the second time in baseball history that opening day has been delayed. In 1972, the players walked out on April 1, and the season did not start until April 15.
The agreement between major-league players and owners guarantees a minimum major-league salary of $100,000, a figure that only two decades ago was the
subject of salary disputes by superstars such as Willie Mays.
Another highlight of the pact was the owners' promise of salary arbitration eligibility for 17 percent of the players with between two and three years of service.
But even among fans who expressed anger at the players, few could restrain their joy at the prospect of again hearing the crack of the bat or gasping over a sheostring catch.
See related story p. 13
"Unfortunately, I'm a die-hard fan," said Nelson D. Ross, who works for an Atlanta accounting firm. "I will go to baseball games because I love baseball. But I don't see why it couldn't have been settled two weeks ago, if not months ago."
Joe Gorham, manager of the Dug Out Bar, a tavern that caters to sports fans in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia, said his customers had tired of the dispute after a month.
"Every time the baseball news came on, it was, 'Turn the channel. It's the same old thing, we don't want to hear it.'" he said.
James Smith, a security officer in the federal building in Philadelphia, said, "I'm glad they are getting the season going. Baseball is an American institution and nothing should stop it, especially strikes."