The Battalion
College Station, Texas
Friday, March 27, 1987
THE CDITFUTEfi fiGE
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The
chairman of the Senate Budget
Committee on Thursday proposed a
$1 trillion spending plan with up to
$18.5 billion in tax hikes, and House
budget writers wrapped up a similar
package as Democrats tried to out
do President Reagan’s deficit-cutting
efforts.
The proposals would miss the
Gramm-Rudman law’s goal of re
ducing the deficit to $108 billion in
fiscal 1988, based on Congress’ own
estimates. However, the Democrats
in both chambers said less-stringent
White House estimating would show
they hit the target — as Reagan
claimed he had.
Chairman Lawton Chiles, D-Fla.,
offered to the Senate Budget Com
mittee a spending plan that would
cut deficits $37 billion next year, $1
billion more than Reagan’s budget
proposed.
“The president is chiding Con
gress for not producing a budget,”
Chiles said. “Well, we’ve got one that
is better than his.”
House Budget Committee chair
man William H. Gray III, D-Pa., de
clined to release his plan until next
week, but he also claimed more defi
cit reduction than the administra
tion’s budget.
Chiles’ proposal did not specify
what taxes would be raised, but the
senator said the committee would
not raise income tax rates. Increased
levies on energy, cigarettes and to
bacco would be discussed, he said.
A plan allowing early repayment
to the government of rural electrifi
cation loans could cut the tax need
by $7 billion, he said.
Aside from the open call for tax
increases, Chiles proposed a variety
of new government user fees, rang
ing from higher charges for grazing
on federal land to reimbursement
for Coast Guard services. A rough
estimate put the total of those fees at
$2.8 billion.
Reagan, on a trip to Columbia,
Mo., to promote educational excel
lence, underscored his opposition to
tax increases.
Asked if he might accept tax hikes
in talks with Congress on the budget,
he replied, “In the negotiation that
may take place, that part’s out to be
gin with.”
James C. Miller III, the presi
dent’s budget director, said in a
statement that he was “glad to see
Senate Democrats finally moving on
a budget.”
“However, I am disappointed that
the chairman’s mark (proposal) con
tains more tax and spend and
whacks at defense,” he said, noting
the sharp cut from Reagan’s Penta
gon spending request.
Despite the tax increases, Chiles’
plan would leave a deficit of about
$134 billion next year, $26 billion
above the target, based on Congres
sional Budget Office estimates.
In a move to blunt GOP criticism,
Chiles released figures showing his
plan would reach the $108 billon tar
get if the administration’s economic
assumptions were applied.
Reoseorch park deals
in competitive market
By Robert Morris
Staff Writer
Texas A&M’s research park
has more than romantic tree-
lined walkways, quaint picnic
areas and two new buildings —
most importantly it has a great
deal of competition.
As one of a rapidly growing
number of university-related re
search parks, A&M’s park cur
rently finds itself in an extremely
competitive market.
At present, there are at least
200 parks competing for a rela
tively small number of applicable
users, and 70 percent of those are
just starting out, said Dr. Mark
Money, Vice Chancellor for Re
search Park and Corporate Rela
tions.
The competition for economic
development is extremely keen.
However, Money says A&M is
ahead of most other new parks.
“We have the resources and
the first phase of our devel
opment aone,” Money said.
“Many of them just have visions
of what can be.
“In fact, I get calls weekly on
parks that are in trouble wonder
ing what they might do to im
prove their position.
“We’re very pleased to have the
two buildings — one completed
and one under construction — in
light of the very slow times in the
real estate market in Texas.”
Although the Texas economy
is slow, A&M has a distinct advan
tage in being the only university-
related park in the state, Money
said.
While the park hasn’t devel
oped as quickly as Money ex
pected, it is moving at a normal
rate of growth.
“These developments tradi
tionally start very slowly,” Money
See Park, page 12
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A&M presidential candidates voice
ideas on role of student government
By Frank Smith
Senior Staff Writer
i pi
propose an amendment to the Sen
ate appropriations act that would al-
: low elected student governments at
public universities to use student
bervice fees in lobbying efforts, a
to and froisf stance drawing criticism from a pair
id 24 vacationf of private lobby groups.
iiCaperton, D-Bryan, said his
*eace Corps ■ amendment is designed to help rem-
iveareadji'!'! edy students’ underrepresentation
7 5 for each®'! in Texas government. But it does
•rvice, totaliii8| not authorize the use of student
- assignment service fees for political endorse
ments.
jgh points and Ji A Caper ton aide said Wednesday
cGarrityoM the amendment probably will be of-
ice. “The higlffired in the Senate Finance Gommit-
'■eigh the lo»J tee on Monday, as the committee re-
cendentexptf| views general provisions in its
talk to A&lih r |appropriations bill,
available W If accepted, the amendment “will
n the MemcjBlow students, through the leaders
in 8:30am K they choose, to pay reasonable dues
llrom their student service fees to
student advocacy and research orga-
nizations like the Legislative Study
IPJpJroup at Texas A&M University,”
✓('.according to a statement released by
Caperton’s office.
L frompagel “Students are underrepresented
Texas government,” Caperton
Barents said. “This amendment should give
r- t j me reqiIir fi them the tools they need to get their
■age costs for 1 * Con<:e, 'ns to the Legislature. On is-
and part 3 ' SUes hazing, tuition increases,
J n y drug and alcohol abuse and financial
*e Pavilion 1 ^ t ^ ie ‘ r vo * ce has been very posi-
and alcohol abuse and financial
aid.
: ould be , . , ,
O percent if n • This chan g e g lve s students the
-d Carte: e: ^ht to spend their student service
—I h*. fpwprsfrt®M s ‘ n their own best interests, and
* , T , 0n ly through groups like the Texas
Tiougtfpi#! A&M Legislative Study Group, who
because al4 neec ,lUle more than 0 " ,ce supplies
■ailing out art} 10 0 P erat e, can we expect them to
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compete with the high-dollar influ
ence of the business lobby.
“The Legislature and the students
at these schools will get a lot for a
little money.”
But the legality of lobbying activ
ities by groups such as the LSG has
been questioned by a private organi
zation, the Young Conservatives of
Texas, and also by one of two groups
called the Texas Student Lobby. Ca
perton’s planned amendment has
drawn the ire of the YCT and TSL.
Richard A. Munisteri, a student at
the University of Texas serving as
state chairman of the YCT and co
director of the TSL, denounced the
amendment, saying mandatory stu
dent service fees should not be acces
sible to special-interest lobbies.
In a statement released by TSL,
Munisteri labeled Caperton’s
amendment as an example of “the
utmost abuse of public office.”
“Why should a clique of students,
as a special-interest lobby, get to use
public money to support their politi
cal activities?” he asked. “It defies
common sense. Special-interest stu
dent lobbies, like any other political
group, should not force other fee-
payers to subsidize their beliefs.”
But Kathy McElveen, legislative
aide to Caperton, disagreed with the
contention that student lobbies serve
a narrow interest.
“The student government is
elected through a democratic proc
ess, and the only lobby or advocacy
group that would be able to be
funded through these fees is that
group designated by that elected stu
dent body,” she said. “In addition,
the agenda for that student advocacy
group is dictated by those elected
persons.
“And if another group thinks
their views are not being fairly rep
resented — if they are not able to pe
tition those elected persons to add
their issues to the agenda — then
they need to vote out the student
government, not handicap the voice
of student government.”,
Munisteri dissented, saying that:
• Electing the officials in agencies
does not justify forcing membership
in a political body.
See Lobbying, page 12
Debate pulls
small crowd
of followers
By Christi Daugherty
Staff Writer
Witnessed by an audience so small
some participants called it indicative
of student apathy toward the im
pending Student Government elec
tions, the nine student body presi
dent candidates discussed their
views on campus issues in a debate
Thursday night.
About 35 people attended the de
bate, most wearing badges or but
tons that indicated their allegiance to
one candidate or another. The can
didates were each allowed an open
ing statement and then asked to an
swer questions posed by a panel
which included Linda Hartman,
president-elect of the MSC, Pat
Thomasson, Corps commander des
ignate for 1987-88, and Jay Hut
chens, executive vice-president of
the Student Senate.
Richard de Castongrene started
the debate with some controversy by
expressing the view that perhaps
Student Government had become ir
relevant, and adding that if it had it
should be abolished.
He then fielded questions from
audience members who asked, “Why
are you wasting our time?” and
“Why do you want to join something
just to destroy it?” He responded
that he was looking at government
with a more objective attitude than
those who were involved in it.
Most of the other candidates em
phasized their experience in student
organizations as proof that they
could lead the Senate effectively,
and many similar goals and issues
were stressed by all the candidates.
All basically agreed that the major
issue in this year’s election is senior
finals, but the candidates expressed
different ideas on how the situation
should be handled.
Perry Eichor, Jaime Galvan and
Jose Castro all said they felt the fight
was no longer over whether or not
senior finals would be given at A&M,
Photo by Doug La Rue
Student body president candidates debate issues Thursday night.
but how they would be adminis
tered.
“I think that whether or not we’re
going to take them is no longer an is
sue,” Eichor said. “I think we have to
accept them as a part of life at A&M
and work with the Faculty Senate to
come up with a different calender
more beneficial to students.”
Castro agreed with Eichor but
said he would work toward changing
the finals plan to protect traditions.
But Mason Hogan continued to
express opposition to the finals plan,
saying he would work to abolish
them.
Castro also said he felt student
government hadn’t effectively done
all that it could to properly represent
A&M students, saying they were
“playing games” instead of legislat
ing.
Both Hogan and Miles Bradshaw
defended student government, cit
ing the Student Government Effec-
tiveness Committee, which
Bradshaw said continues to study
the problems in the Senate and
works to correct them.
Spence McClung said that his role
as chairman of the Finance Commit
tee had given him experience work
ing with both people and allocating
funds.
“When you have 20 people sitting
around a table yelling why one orga
nization deserves more than an
other, it’s touchy, and you have to
know how to listen and respect peo
ple,” McClung said.
Jody Kay Manley discussed the
lack of communication between the
Senate and students and placed most
of the blame on the senators, saying
they should be responsible for con
tacting their constituents.
Christopher Davis said he would
work toward optional finals for
graduating
goals involv
seniors, but his main
Ived helping handicapped
students, particularly the deaf, who
he said encounter difficulty coping
and getting help on the campus.
Bradshaw said he was already
working with University administra
tors on the possibility of developing
a University cable service to compete
with McCaw for on-campus students
at a lower cost.
Jaime Galvan also cited the lack of
effectiveness of the Senate as a prob
lem he would combat. He said he
wondered what had happened to
Project Visibility, which started a
year ago as an attempt to get the sen
ators involved with their constitu
ents.
“Communicating with our constit
uents is the only way we can be made
aware of what they want and need,
and they’re the ones that count,” he
said.