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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1974)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1974 Five in governor race (Continuet from page 5) l ight of women to abortion, t mity benefits, free childcare jl ies and equal pay for equal rk Blacks and Chicanes should n rol all institutions in their mnunities—schools, housing, d eal care, transportation and bs. tind police brutality and har- icnt of Blacks and Chicanos, remove all police from these H nunities. For a large corporate is nd a 100% tax on all incomes iov $30,000 to pay for free medi- | ire, education through college, d mass transit. Ilo you support a comprehen- n land use program for Texas? If ated, how should it be im- ej icnted? lind use is determined by the inorate monopolies like Gulf, if land Goodyear who pollute our rind water. They should be taxed of their profits to clean up the konment, and should be com- d, under threat of confiscation, nstall pollution control equip- itand to meet the standards set enforced by committees of I (ers and consumers. J |p you think present state laws itampaign contributions and ex- ditures need improvement? lain. J be Socialist Workers ('ampaign, |onjunction with the American Liberties Union, is ehalleng- the Texas Campaign Reporting Disclosure Act of 1973. We are sing to turn over the list of our ributors because we have proof the government bugs, taps, interrogates, fires from ernment employment and §rwise harasses supporters <?f campaigns. These campaigns violate our constitutional rights do not change the fact that big mess controls the political deci- making in this country, describe your commitment to al educational opportunity for | ans. pe oppose discriminatory prop- taxes as a means of supporting ilpols, and call for a crash program state and federal funds to pro- more teachers and smaller clas- tns, bilingual education, com ity control of funds and cur ium in schools in Black and icano neighborhoods, an end to list educational materials and king, and an end to corporal lishment. ★ ★★ MSEY MUNIZ, Corpus Christi ^31 Baza Unida Please describe your training experience that contribute to r qualifications for this office. 4y decision to seek the gover- shipwas based on a great many siderations. I’m a graduate of the rpus Christi Public Schools, lor University, and Baylor ool of Law, and I ve lived and ked in Texas all my life. Al- ugh 1 am an attorney, I feel my atest qualification is that i am an rage and unexempted taxpayer, use family knows and feels the ndi of today’s prices. Our cam- gn is not an ordinary one. It is de up of many people who are contributing in time and money in an effort to bring a new political al ternative to the tired politics we have all grown so accustomed to. Not being professional politi cians, our campaign depends on people and not on large con tributors. We are independent and able to speak freely about the issues. 2. What issues prompted you to run for this office this year? Please list in order of priority. 5. Describe your commitment to equal educational opportunity for Texans. (Combined Answer) Ot the many pFCS- sing problems, foremost is the issue of proper financing of our public schools. We re told that we’ve had no new taxes, but in the last two years many local school districts have had to raise taxes to make ends meet. Now schools are having to borrow money, not for building but for basic operation. All the while there are over three hundred mill ion dollars sitting unappropriated in the treasury. I feel a special commitment to providing each child in Texas the best education suited to the special needs of that child and political con siderations should not get in the way. Still, elected officials should know that homeowners are already overtaxed, and more increases here should be avoided, whether they are local or state taxes. It’s time we taxed corporation profits, joining 46 other states that do, and it’s time we taxed all prop erty fairly. Big landowners and cor porations paid their share. We should also consider how we govern utilities systems. Today, gas, electricity, water, and tele phones are necessities and yet the companies that provide these are almost totally unregulated. We need a consumer-oriented utility regulatory agency, with power to control these big firms. Citizens shouldn’t be at the mercy of the util ity company and rates should not be so easily raised. Many of these problems might be solved indirectly with strict regula tion of political activities. As things are, Texas is a money politics state, and the big contributors have undue influence. The greatest lesson Sharpestown and Watergate should have taught us is that big money can be corruptive. 3. Do you support a comprehen sive land use program for Texas? If initiated, how should it be im plemented? No answer submitted. 4. Do you think present state laws on campaign contributions and ex penditures need improvement? Explain. We need to control the amount and source of political contribu tions, and set maximums to be spent in all offices. I proposed such a limit to my opponents in January because I felt we could meet and agree on a maximum amount each of us could spend without waiting for laws to force us to do so. Neither of them responded. Big money is not a necessary evil of political campaigns and 1 proved it in 1972, getting over a quarter of a million votes and spending less than half a cent per vote. Both opponents We Will Beat All Locally Advertised Prices! IF YOU SEE A TIRE THAT IS ADVERTISED LOWER THAN OURS, BRING IN THE PAGE THAT THE ITEM APPEARS ON AND WE WILL BEAT THAT PRICE! House of Tires COULTER AT TEX. AVE. 822-7139 Bryan Houston Pasadena Conroe I spent in excess of a million dollars, or upwards of a dollar per vote. We can change politics by becom ing involved and bringing about the needed changes. Our campaign is about that, bringing people to gether to work for a better future. We hope you will join us. ★ ★★ S. W. (SAM) McDONNELL, Dal las Age 50 American 1. Please describe your training and experience that contribute to your qualifications for this office. Education: B.A. degree, major Business Administration, College of the Pacific, Stockton Calif., 1950; M.A. degree, major Industrial Ad ministration, A.F.I.T., Dayton Ohio, 1954. Military Service: Fourteen years active duty in U. S. Air Force, in cluding 88 combat missions in Pacific Theater WWII. Highest rank held, Major. Positions held in clude, Sqdn. Operations Officer, Sqdn. Adjutant, Sqdn. Executive Officer, Sqdn. Commander, Direc tor of Procurement Officer. Military training includes Pilot training, Pilot Instructor school. Instrument Flying Instructor school, and Command and Staff school. Business Experience: Have par ticipated in the organization and operation of five small business ven tures since leaving the Air Force in 1960. These include light manufac- turning, wholesale, retail, and con struction. Other: Longtime student and occasional lecturer on Government and Money. 2. What issues prompted you to run for this office this year? Please list in order of priority. The age-old struggle of the indi vidual citizen to retain his freedom of action vs. the efforts of his Rulers to control his actions has swung too far in favor of Government control. There is an urgent necessity to re turn more freedom of actfon to the individual citizen. This can only be done by cutting the size and power of government, particularly at the federal and state levels. All appar ent or so-called “issues” are a part of this underlying problem, and will be involved in swinging the balance of this basic problem one way or the other. 3. Do you support a comprehen sive land use program for Texas? If initiated, how should it be im plemented? Land use should be a matter of local decision. Federal laws, or fed erally manipulated state laws of this type will further increase the power of government to control the indi vidual citizen and decrease his free dom of action. 4. Do you think present state laws on campaign contributions and ex penditures need improvement? Explain. The problem will not be solved by stricter laws on contributions and campaigns. Men don’t often follow the laws of this type that are now on the books. The result is unfair penalties for the few honest men who do try to follow the law to the letter. The solution to this problem lies in cutting back the size and power of government so that elec tive office offers less potential for exploitation of private citizens, thus making it worth less in terms of money and effort to gain such elec tive offices. PLANT MART Cacti/Succulents Widest Selection 2” Pot 49c 3” Pot 69c HOUSEPLANTS „ 2 pots 29c slowest Prices ^Professional Advise ^Supplies 313B College Main Mon-Sat 10-6 Sun 12-6 846-5689 807 Texas Ave. Across From College ^ ^ TONIGHT Silver Dollar Special Live Rock & Roll is Back “South Street” from Dallas HAPPY HOUR Prices ALL Nite Cover Charge 50c He has a one-man show By STEVE GRAY Staff Writer Bill Elkins, county treasurer, runs a one-man show. Not even a secretary occupies his office. Elkins, 52, is unopposed for re- election in the Nov. 5 elections. He has been county treasurer since January, 1953 after defeating Jewel Covington. Elkins is conffned to a wheelchair much of the time as the result of an auto accident in 1949. He is paralyzed from just below the chest and down. But he said that doesn’t prevent him from doing his job. “I can drive, fish and do just about anything I want to,” he said. Elkins’ duties involve the handl ing of county funds and keeping re cords for 28 accounts. According to Elkins, “that’s a big job. ” “I don’t believe the commission ers court realizes the amount of work that is done in this office,” El kins said. “I could use a secretary to help me with my correspondence but I’d rather handle the books myself.” Elkins said he asked commission ers court for additional office help in January. No immediate action was taken on that request. “I’ve looked at a copy of the prop osed 1975 county budget and I noticed that $500 has been allocated for extra help in my office if I want it,” he said. Elkins said, however, he doubts that he’ll use the money. “I don’t think there’s anyone that I could hire at $500 a year to work as a secretary in my office. That’s just not much of a salary,” he said. Elkins makes $10,200 a year, compared with $12,000 annually for several other principal county offi cials. County employes receiving $12,000 yearly include the county tax assessor-collector, county attor ney, county clerk, county commis sioners, sheriff and the county au ditor. County Judge William R. Vance receives an annual salary of $13,500. Elkins said he made several changes when he first took over the county treasurer’s office. “Back in 1953 it really wasn’t much of an office. It turned out I ended up going to some of the other county off ices and transfering a lot of records that should have been in the county treasurer’s office in the first place,” he said. “Now I have just about every thing I need at hand and don’t have to go from office to office to check various records,” Elkins said. Elkins came to Bryan in De cember, 1945 after serving three years in the Navy. He worked for Southern Life Insurance Co. and CIT Finance Co., both in Bryan, for several years prior to his accident. He and his wife, Helen, live at 2204 Wilkes. BILL ELKINS Boriskie ‘talked into’ County Clerk post By ROXIE HEARN — %•; Burley unopposed for District Clerk By ROXIE HEARN Staff Writer Seven years ago Frank Boriskie was talked into running against two others for the office of County Clerk. He won and hasn’t faced an oppo nent since. He remains unopposed as the democratic candidate for re- election Nov. 5. Sixteen years of managing a groc ery store, according to Boriskie, helped qualify him for his job as record-keeper of the county. He had been with the store 10 years before becoming manager. There are no specified qualifica tions for the job. Boriskie’s position involves keep ing records of all types of transac tions in Brazos County. “Let’s say you bought a house and brought the deed in to record it,” he said. “It’s checked eight or nine times before it’s finally given a vol- FRANK BORISKIE ume number, page number and is microfilmed.” His office records all births, deaths, marriages, deeds, military discharges, official bonds, contracts and court records. It also records assumed names, condemnations, names of mentally ill persons, mortician licenses, polygraph operator licenses, op tometrist licenses and beer licenses. As county clerk, Boriskie also has a role in preparing for elections. He supplies ballot boxes and computer cards used at the polls. The county clerk’s salary in creased from $9,000 to $12,000 in 1970, reported Boriskie. He holds no other job. Boriskie runs an office with one part time and five regular employes. Ruth McLeod, chief deputy clerk, spoke of Boriskie as an “easy man to work for.” “We’re all married and have families. Sometimes family difficul ties arise and he’s willing to go along with the problem,” McLeod said. McLeod has worked for Boriskie as long as he’s been in office and has “no regrets” about the years. “He seems to have a ‘feeling’ for his emp loyes,” she said. Ruby Heine, a deputy clerk of the office, added further praise. “I’ve worked all my live and I’ve never had a boss like this before. He’s the greatest person in the world to work for,” she said. Born and reared in the Bryan- College Station area, Boriskie lives at 1417 E. 29th in Bryan, has been married 34 years and has three daughters. Staff Writer District Clerk W. D. (Davis) Bur ley has been in government service for 22 years and plans to add at least two more. Burley, who is up for re-election Nov. 5 unopposed, began as veterans’ adviser for Brazos County, a post he held for 10 years. He tnen became chief deputy in the Brazos County tax assessor-collector’s office for four years. Following that, he was elected to his present position. He is completing his third term of office. DAVIS BURLEY As district clerk, Burley files all civil, divorce, felony, juvenile and dependent and neglected (D&N) children cases. “We’re the official custodian of all district court proceedings,” he exp lained. The final stages of passport appli cations are also prepared by the dis trict clerk’s office, in addition to as sisting Immigration and Naturaliza tion services by preparing certifi cates and keeping them on file. Burley also added that in divorce cases with minor children involved, in which the father must pay sup port payments, the district clerk’s office receives and disperses all moneys involved. Last year $310,000 came through his office. Burley, 55, first took office on Jan. 1, 1963 when he defeated three opponents for the position. He has faced no opposition since. The district clerk is aided by three full-time deputies and draws a $12,000 salary. Two goals are sought by his office, Burley reports. “First, to keep and maintain the records of the 85th District Court, which includes juvenile courts, ac curately and efficiently in accor dance with the law. “Second, to treat everyone who has business with the District Court’s office courteously, promptly and efficiently to the end that they might at all times feel wel come.” A native of Brazos County, Bur ley lives with his wife, Edelweiss, at 1704 Woodland Dr. in Bryan. 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