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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 1980)
Viewpoint The Battalion Texas A&M University Wednesday December 3, 1980 Slouch By Jim Earle Making lists a way to keep busy and maintain order Heed the warning of Calif, conservatism By DAVID BRODER RIVERSIDE, Calif. — As America awaits the start of a national experiment in California- style conservatism, it is intriguing for a visitor to get a glimpse of California’s homebred conser vative revolution. Two years before Ronald Reagan was nomi nated and elected to the presidency, his home state of California signaled the conservative shift that was about to sweep the country by passing Proposition 13. That initiative, approved in June 1978, rolled back local property taxes and put tight restric tions on their future growth. The appeal to get the burden of government off the homeowners’ backs was much the same appeal as Reagan, an enthusiastic Proposition 13 backer, made to all taxpayers in this year’s campaign. On a visit here, I was'given two views on the impact of Proposition 13 two years after it went into effect. I do not know if they are typical, but they were striking. One came from Charles Kane, the president of Riverside Community College. California pioneered the development of the community- college system, as a relatively inexpensive and accessible method for bringing both academic and vocational courses to a wide clientele of part-time and full-time students. As Kane pointed out, one of the great assets of the community-college system was the flexi bility of its curriculum. “We could identify a need in the community and, within a few weeks or months, have a course or program set up to meet it,” he said, “because we had our own resources.” Prior to the passage of Proposition 13, Kane said, 45 percent of the college’s budget came from local property taxes. When a new program was proposed, local authorities could — if they thought it worthwhile — appropriate funds for its support. But Proposition 13 cut off further access to local revenue sources, and now the college re ceives 80 percent of its support from the state. Overall, it is serving a larger student clientele on an 18 percent smaller budget for teachers, staff and supplies. That squeeze is tough enough. What makes it worse, Kane said, is that the college, instead of being responsive primarily to the priorities of its local community, as reflected in the budget decisions of locally elected trustees, now is in creasingly controlled by authorties in Sac ramento. “The state college system’s trustees and the legislature like to give us money in narrow cate- I just don’t understand people who claim they can’t organize their lives. All one has to do is make a list. I should know — I’m a compul sive listmaker. I’ve got lists for everything. Things to do today, things to do tomorrow. The latter is al ways the longer. I even have a list of things to do next summer. I like to plan ahead. I had three lists just for pre-registration: courses I want to take — psychology, sociology, Spanish; courses I don’t want to take — econo mics, biology, chemistry; courses I have to take — journalism, journalism, journalism. I’ve got a list of things to buy — Kenny Rogers’ latest album, gold chain bracelet, new Adidas — and a separate list of things to buy at Skaggs — typing paper, chewing gum, Diet Pepsi. I also keep a list of people to whom I owe letters. For each person I keep a list of what to tell him or her. When I go back to Houston I have two more lists. Things to take home: books, coat, tooth brush. Things to bring back: food, clothes, more food. Coffee breaks By Jane Brust My most elusive lists are my lists of addresses and phone numbers. But I don’t worry anymore since I made several copies of each, just to keep them handy. What’s a few more lists in my life? I hate it when I can’t find a list. I admit my list of New Year’s resolutions is floating around somewhere, but I never miss that one. Most journalists keep a source list. Some of the names on my source list are cross-listed on my black list. Also included on my black list are a couple of old boyfriends and several old pro fessors. Then there’s my green and red list which begins “Dear Santa. I keep that one going year round — you never know when you might think of something you can’t live will microwave oven or a ladies’ Seiko. Also at Christmas I make mylistofij buy gifts for and lists of what to kyl person. I even keep a list of things to doonar^ such as update all my lists. Then I have my doodle lists, materialize while I try to keep I asleep in class. Sometimes 1 list! words I can make out of a big word, i.e.j sgiving — is, an, tank, skin. Or list places I’d rather be — Paris, 1 York, bed. Now I have a list of my lists. Some of my friends tease me a pulsion, but I think they’re justs may be contagious. Last year my room making her own lists by the springs The truth of the matter is thatljustij function without my lists. Peoplecank tease all they want, that’s okay. Irel my life list-lessly. /jC, Bicycles park” si leems t< People i fans Libn id — wh' ley can’t ai Smcial ter gories, ” Kane said, “so our budget is shaped by their priorities, not oyr own community’s” The second reaction came in a memo handed to me by Frank Moore, the editor of the Red lands Daily Facts, at the conclusion of a forum sponsored by Kane’s college and the Riverside World Affairs Council. “Proposition 13, ” he wrote, “has caused local agencies to levy a so-called assessment on new houses as a prerequisite to obtaining a building permit. The city of Redlands, on its own account, levies an assessment of 15 cents a square foot of roof area and paved areas (drive ways, walks) for the maintenance and improve ment of storm drains ... and an additional 1 percent of the value of the building permit (up to a $500 maximum) for the acquisition and development of parks .... Redlands schools col lect (via the city) $1 per square foot on new housing.” On the same day Reagan was elected, Moore said, California voters defeated a ballot proposi tion to sanction a return to the old method of financing school construction by bond issues. Under the old system, he noted, “bond issues were in fact referendums on public works pro jects. If people did not approve of a proposed school site, they could — and did — vote no.” Under that system, Moore said, facilities were built and put into use and then their cost was paid by property taxes over 10 years or more. Under the new system, assessments are collected currently, but the construction and use may be delayed for years — and then de termined, not by public referendum, but by officials with a built-in interest in specific cate gories of public spending. “The inequity is tremendous,” he said. “Un til Proposition 13, school construction was a cost accepted by all property of all classes. Now the entire burden is put on the home builder and everyone else is excused. Wow! This is really ‘taxation without representation.’ The developer who pays the original assessment must pass it along to the home buyer. But he (the buyer) can never by identified until he becomes a buyer, so he cannot be represented at the time the city council or school board. . . adopts a levy. “I think,” Moore concluded, “you will see the distortions of taxation and equity that have come in the wake of Propostion 13. The point of interest is at ‘everyone’ is for tax reduction but results are not altogether glorious.” That is a point that ought to be remembered as the California conservative tax-cutting move ment goes national with Reagan’s imminent takeover in Washington. But it sei on i read fiing. \ ire the s rk Bikes lirima Perr ion. Iiese bik and of y said. Iris is a I, “and It’s your turn By |n an effoi puree in (versity n arching I coal in Bearers of ax handles are shameful |We hav Jmenting 'Ion of the Editor: I would like to address this letter to Col. Woodall, all of the Corps outfit military advi sors, and all concerned Corps members. It is with wonderment that I contemplate what sort of pleasures grown men derive from beating one another black and blue with ax handles, and what sort of men would derive pleasure from such an act. You can’t tell me that they don’t get enjoyment out of physical hazing, because so much of it is reported to be going on in spite of the severe consequences. (Maybe these individuals would like to see the Univer sity name changed to Texas S&M.) But this is not the thing that disgusts me the most. Here at Texas A&M where chivalry lives, and cadets, the “guardians of tradition, ” who are supposed to conduct themselves as future officers and gentlemen, something worse has happened. These “men” are no longer satisfied with beating and poking one another with there ax handles, they have turned their aggressions to ward female civilian students. This event in itself is atrocious, but for one’s own peers and superiors to condone such actions is intoler able. Obviously some problems are beyond the scope of Corps members to solve themselves, and the responsibility lies on the shoulders of the staff at the Trigon. I challenge Col. Woodall and his staff to put an immediate end to this problem. Women, you aren’t as safe as you thought you were. Parents, do you want some ax wielding upperclassmen to blister your son’s rear? This childish situation has gotten out of hand, and it is about time the Trigon starts some serious involvement with the outfits to find out what really is going on, and take some serious measures to put an immediate end to this blight. Name withheld by request Jneerinj researcl Tradition irks others Editor: Today I had the dubious honor of having a seat behind some Aggie Corpsmen at the embarrassing upset of your team over my alma mater. I was not able to use the seats that I had paid $10 each for because the Corpsmen in front of me would not sit down, leaving me no alternative but to stand throughout the entire contest. After having repeatedly asked the peo ple in front of me to please be seated, I was informed that it was an Aggie tradition to stand throughout the game. When I asked them if they had considered that their standing might be an imposition to those behind them, I was told that it was reasoned that anyone excited about the game should be willing to stand. I would like to point out that there are those who through affliction or age are main standing for three hours. EvenlB e said til able, the choice should not be forced up iainly co by the inconsideration of a few. I amnotWady bee: traditions. I believe that it is the tradifc (mal con enthusiasm over them that psyche! 'he lignil Aggies to repeatedly upset the Lgnghorf * ° r P ov after year. ,thet . n ^ But when a tradition is such thatitiii Xm '' 1 K on others’ rights, something should k about it. I would like to suggest thateitl* ^ tradition be done away with out of co® lex tion for others, or that a special sectionk in the back of the stadium for those wlic* ieventee observe it where they will not block the' her edu others. Sticking to a tradition for its ofl^htive without consideration of its consequei the sort of thing out which jokes are I am sure that no one wishes to creating the resentment that you have in me today. Please consider the argumei I am sure you will arrive at a reasonable promise. Charles R, O’ifKe are ge plan By Scott McCullar The Battalion I SPS 045 360 MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congres Questions or comments concerning any editori)l^ should he directed to the editor. Editor Dillard Stone Managing Editor Rhonda Watters Asst. Managing Editor Scott Haring City Editor Becky Swanson Asst. City Editor Angelique Copeland Sports Editor Richard Oliver Asst. Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy Focus Editor Scot K. Meyer Asst. Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff News Editors Lynn Blanco, Todd Woodard Staff Writers Jennifer Afflerbach, Kurt Allen, Nancy Andersen, Marcy Boyce, Jane G. Brust Mike Burrichter, Pat Davidson, Cindy Gee Jon Heidtke, Uschi Michel-Howell, Debbie Nelson Liz Newlin, Rick Stolle Cartoonist Scott McCullar Photo Editor Pat O’Malley Photographers George Dolan, Greg Gammon, Jeff Kerber EDITORIAL POLICY The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper op erated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily repre sent the opinions of Texas A&M University administrators or faculty members, or of the Board of Regents. LETTERS POLICY Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 mnis inlo and are subject to being cut if they are longer. Theedili^' reserves the right to edit letters for style and length. ^ make even' effort to maintain the author’s intent. Eiti ! must also be signed, show the address andphoneinmki 1 writer. 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