Banner Graphic, Volume 10, Number 139, Greencastle, Putnam County, 15 February 1980 — Page 3

'Very excessive'! Phillips terms gasoline tax measure unacceptable

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) An Indiana Senate Finance Committee proposal that could cause gasoline taxes to rise to 16 cents a gallon is unacceptable, the House Democratic leader who supported an earlier plan says. House Minority Leader Michael K Phillips, D-Boonville, who voted for a House-passed gasoline tax plan, said the tax envisioned in the plan approved by the Senate panel on Thursday is “very excessive.” The Senate plan, which modified the earlier House-passed proposal, would replace the existing 8-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax with an 8 percent tax on the price of the fuel. The new percentage tax would take effect July 1, eliminating the tax on gallons. I tider the committee proposal, the tax would rise 2 cents for each 25-cent increase in the price of gasoline. But the measure puts a 16-cent-a-gallon ceiling on the tax by setting $2 a gallon as the maximum price to which the tax w ould apply. Finance Committee Chairman Lawrence M. Borst, K-Indianapolis, said As it passed the House, the highway plan would have set the tax at six cents a gallon, plus a 4 percent tax on price. Under the House plan, the tax would be 14 cents a gallon at the $2 price level, but could have continued to rise if the price rose beyond $2. »

*SBR? JFT ~ .

The Putnam County Epsilon Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma society recently welcomed the addition of three new members consisting of (clockwise, from top) Jane Irwin, Susan Price and Janett Boling. The society is part of an international honorary organization for women teachers.

Former NHTSA head says Pinto 'reasonably safe'

WINAMAC. Ind. (AP) - The Ford Motor Co.’s Pinto sedan should not have been recalled because of alleged fire hazards, the former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told the jury in the automaker’s reckless homicide trial Thursday. Douglas W. Toms, who headed the federal agency from 196973, said the 1973 Ford Pinto was ‘‘reasonably safe” compared with other subcompacts and did not depart from acceptable manufacturing standards. Ford is charged with three counts of reckless homicide in the August 1978 burning deaths of three young women in a 1973 Pinto that exploded when hit from behind on a northern Indiana highway. The state contends Ford recklessly designed the Pinto, knowing the fuel tank was subject to explode in rear-end collisions, but sold the cars anyway without making repairs and without warning the public. It was the NHTSA that prompted Ford in June 1978 to recall 1.5 million 1971-1976 Pintos and Mercury Bobcats after NHJSA crash tests showed the fuel

Brighton considers entering race

TERKE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) Former Terre Haute Mayor William J Brighton says he expects to decide in a couple days whether to seek the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. He said he has been talking with people around the state about the race, found “some small islands of support” and concluded it appears “no one has it locked up. ” The mayor said he’s trying to

Irwin serves as the Cloverdale Elementary music teacher. Price is an educational consultant for the Putnam-West Hendricks Special Services Cooperative and Boling is the Director of Curriculum for the Greencastle Community Schools.

tanks leaked large amounts of fuel in moderatespeed, rear-end collisions “I was amazed that they did that (recall) based on the data,” said Toms, who now heads an Indiana recreational vehicle company that does substantia! business with Ford. Toms said fires from rearend collisions cause only 100-200 of 55,000 traffic deaths a year. A rear impact also is the “safest crash because the passenger is protected by the seat back.” However, he admitted that rear-crash safety was a “high priority” during his tenure as NHTSA administrator. Toms conceded he had only a passing familiarity with the 1973 Pinto, but he said the car’s fuel tank conformed to safety standards that his agency considered but never adopted because of concerns over testing accuracy. The standard would have required auto fuel systems to withstand a 20 mph rear-end collision by a moving vehicle without fire risk. Toms said that during his tenure with the federal agency, no automaker in the world designed a car specifically to

decide how his recent trial for official misconduct would affect his candidacy. Brighton was charged with using patronage money from city workers for a personal slush fund After a three day trial, Special Judge David Johnson ruled there was a lack of evidence and dismissed the charges. “I can’t answer what the effect of my troubles will be,” Brighton said “I was accused

The Finance Committee plan, which also calls for a 25 percent increase in registration fees paid by large trucks, would provide $5 million in gasoline tax revenues annually for mass transit. It would set up a $2 million “distressed road” funds to provide aid to counties with extremely poor roads if they receive a lower-than-average allocation of state aid. The $2 million would be deducted from the first year’s allocation for mass transit. The House bill would provide about $lO million a year for mass transit and also included a more generous distressed roads provision. In addition to changing the way the tax would apply, the Finance Committee also removed a House provision that would have allowed local governments to increase property taxes and sell bonds to raise money locally for highway repair and construction. Under the House version, every city, county and town in the state would have been allowed to sell bonds. The new Senate version allows bonding only by Vanderburgh. Warrick, Posey, (libson and Spencer counties in southwestern Indiana, where road deterioration is worse. The Finance Committee also divided against giving SSO mil lion in already-appropriated highway aid to local governments.

withstand more than 20 mph rear impact. Ford and most other automakers opposed as “too severe” a higher standard, proposed for 1973 models, that would have set the minimum safe speed at 30 mph in a fixedbarrier rear impact. That would have been about the same as a 40-44 mph rear-end crash by a moving vehicle, he said. Toms said that adopting that tough a standard wouldn’t be beneficial to motorists because it might mean sacrificing other safety features in the car. The NHTSA later adopted, effective with 1977 model cars, a 30 mph standard for rear-im-pact collisions by a moving vehicle. Race driver Tom Sneva testified that if safety were the only consideration, he would rather have the fuel tank in his passenger car located behind the rear axle, where it is in the Pinto, than above the axle. “I would definitely rather have the fuel tank down low, as far away from the driver as possible,” he said.

and found not guilty.” If Brighton, who was defeated in Terre Haute’s primary in his bid for reelection last year, decides to run he would be the fourth candidate for the nomination. State Sen. Robert Peterson, former State Sen. Graham Richard of Fort Wayne and Ruth Stewert, a township assessor from Elkhart announced earlier. Other problems during

Negotiation language eliminated

Collective bargaining bill suffers setback

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The push for collective bargaining for state employees has suffered a setback now that the Senate Labor Commit tee has deleted the negotiation language from a bill passed by the House. In its present form, the bill contains a provision protecting “whistle-blowers,’’ state employees to report wrongdoing by their co-workers or supervisors. In addition, it stipulates that state employees have the right to engage in political activity during their off-duty hours and to belong to any organization of their choosing. Both the House and the Senate resume floor sessions today, after devoting Thursday exclusively to committee meetings. In other committee action Thursday: —The Senate Public Policy Committee approved a bill that would create a verdict of “guilty but mentally ill.” —The House Governmental

Legislator threatened INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A state legislator who says he has been receiving threatening calls and had a shotgun pointed at him is being protected by the State Police, officials said. Rep. Jerry Bales, R-Bloo-mington, said he began receiving the first of an estimated 15 threatening calls about Dec. 1. He said he did not take he calls seriously unt'l last month when a car pulled alongside his vehicle and pointed the shotgun toward him. “1 was scared,” Bales said. “I hit the brakes, and the man in the other car shut his lights out, so I couldn’t see his license plate.” The legislator said the incident took place as he was traveling south on Indiana 37 toward his home in Bloomington. He said a green Plymouth began following him, slowed when he slowed down and accelerated when he increased his speed. Authorities and Bales said they’re not certain why the threats have been made, but they believe it may be connected with legislation he introduced to increase state gasoline taxes. “The caller said something like, ‘l’m going to get you’ or ‘l’m going to shoot you,”’ Bales said, adding that he never gave a reason for his anger but did mention the word “tax.”

Brighton’s two terms in office included the trial and acquittal of his fire chief on state and federal corruption charges and a State Board of Accounts probe into municipal purchasing practices. “For V/i years I was the point of intense accusations and investigations and nobody found anything,” Brighton said. “Very few people could stand that kind of scrutiny like I did.”

Instead, the money will be divided between local highways and the Indiana State Highway Commission. Phillips said the Senate committee changed the bill too much for it to continue to have his support and added that “obviously the governor and (Lt. Gov.) Bob Orr did not use any influence to maintain” the House-passed program. Sen. Michael C. Kendall, DJasper, also said he had problems with the Senate plan, and is not nearly as likely to vote for it as the House-approved plan. The Senate committee bill would give counties the option of putting a 1 to 10 percent surcharge on auto excise taxes and a $5 to SSO tax on large trucks to raise more highway money locally. But the net effect of the changes is to provide less money to local governments than the House version of the measure. Because of the changes, which will be acted upon by the full Senate next week, several lawmakers, including Phillips, said it was likely the House would reject the bill when it returns from the Senate. That would mean a conference committee would be set up to try to work out a compromise between the two chambers, as well as between Republicans and Democrats. Borst said the gasoline tax changes would raise about $56 million more the first year than the existing tax and increasing

Reorganization Committee approved a bill to impose a SSOO fine on persons who sell cigarettes to children under 13. —The House Roads and Transporation Committee amended a bill that would require gasoline merchants to post the price of the fuel to say that it’s voluntary for them to do so. The Labor Committee voted 4-3 to delete the collective bargaining language, which was added by Rep Richard C. Bodine, D-Mishawaka. when the bill reached the House floor. Rep. Darrell Felling, D-Terre

Up to S6OO bonus buying power for early orders of John Deere Disks, Chisel Plows, or Hoy and Forage Equipment

Preseason orders help John Deere plan production of most-needed models and sizes. So from February 1 through May 31,1980, John Deere is offering impressive bonuses for preseason orders. This bonus is above and beyond our best deal to you on this equipment. Your early order qualifies you for SSO to S6OO in John Deere money for certain models of disks, chisel plows, balers, mower/conditioners, and pull-type forage harvesters. Promptly after delivery, you'll be mailed your bonus John Deere money to spend for products or services at our store. There’s more. You'll get price protection from BUYER BONUS IN JOHN DEERE MONEY FOR NEW EQUIPMENT ORDERS SIGNED DURING:* EQUIPMENT: FEB.,MARBO APR . MAY SO DISKS: 111 and 115 $ 75 $ 50 210, 215,31 a 315,340,1630 $450 SIOO 2207230723573507440^ 455. 1640 $225 $l5O 331 and 360 $375 $250 370 SSOO $350 CHISEL PLOWS: 1610 Integral Rigid, 1610 Drawn Rigid (11-thru 17-foot) $ 75 $ 50

CASTLE IMPLEMENT CO., INC. Q R.R. 1 - St. Rd. 43 N. Greencastle

state

Haute, said he didn’t object to the Senate change, saying the bargaining language “wasn’t liveable. It opened up a can of worms.” The insanity verdict legislation. which has already passed the House, now goes to the full Senate for action. Sen. James Butcher, R-Kokomo, who sponsored the bill, said it’s designed to cut down on “the use or misuse of pleading not guilty by reason of insanity as a mechanism to avoid punishment.” The insanity defense law has been criticized by prosecutors

February 15,1980, The Putnam County Banner Graphic

the truck fees would bring in about sl3 million. In addition to acting on the gasoline tax proposal, the Finance Committee also slashed about S2B million from a $65 million House-passed supplemental state budget, guaranteeing that a House-Senate conference committee will be set up to try to work out a compromise. That action also occurred along party lines, with Democrats opposing the cut. Borst said he proposed the cuts to get the bill into a conference committee, where senators could have some say over its final version. He said he had no serious problems with any of the programs included in the Housepassed bill, and indicated some of them might be added back in before the legislature takes final action on the measure. Among the major cuts was a reduction from 4 percent to 2 percent in the level of average supplemental pay raises for state, university and public school employees. Also cut from the measure was money for fish ladders and a fish hatchery in St. Joseph County, for an ampitheater in Lincoln State Park and bonding authority for a new building at In diana University.

in recent months as a way for accused persons to avoid punishment Currently, there are three verdicts that could be returned in insanity defense cases: guilty, innocent, or not responsible by reason of insanity. The bill before the Legislature would add a fourth: guilty but mentally ill. The significance in the new verdict is that it allows a judge to order jail time at the conclusion of mental treatment for the person who invokes the insanity defense and is found guilty but mentally ill. In such a

the time you order any machine in the bonus program. Use a John Deere Finance Plan and no finance charges will accrue on any machine in the program until the first day of the month which begins the 1980 use season in our area. This early-order program includes a list of dozens of disks, chisel plows, and hay and forage tools. But your preseason order must be signed before March 31 to earn the most John Deere money. Come in soon, check the list, and ask us for our best deal on this new equipment. You II be expected to take delivery of the equipment as soon as it s available. 1610 Drawn Rigid (19- thru 23-foot). 1610 Drawn Flexible (23- thru 27-foot) S2OO $125 1610 Drawn Flexible (29-thru 41-foot) S3OO S2OO 1650 Folding S6OO S4OO BALERS: All Square and Round Balers $225 $l5O MOWER/CONDITIONERsT 1207. 1209 and 1380 S3OO S2OO FORAGE HARVESTERS^ Pull-Type 3940 S3OO S2OO Pull-Type 3960 S4OO $275 * I huso of tots aro suhjoct to oquipniont .lv.nl.ihilitv

case, the defendant would he sentenced to the same punishment as a sane defendant convicted of the same crime. Lake County Prosecutor Jack Crawford told the committee that 46 percent of the state’s homicides occur in his jurisdiction. Fifteen percent of the defendants in those cases plead innocent by reason of insanity, he said. Larry Landis of the Indiana Public Defenders Council said he believes the bill “gives a great incentive to plea bar gain.” “I would much rather have a defendant plead guilty but men tally ill than plead guilty.” he said. The Governmental Reorganization Committee approved Rep. Doris Dorbecker’s bill to impose criminal penalties on persons who sell cigarettes to under-age children. The Indianapolis Republican has tried for years to get such a bill enacted.

A3