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
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People i
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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.
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'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
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Managing Editor Rhonda Watters
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