The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, October 20, 1988, Image 3

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    State/Local
The Battalion
Thursday, October 20,1988
Page 3
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on November ballot
AUSTIN (AP) — Buried on the
I Nov. 8 ballot beneath national, state
and local races are three proposed
amendments to the Texas Constitu
tion, the offspring of a fiery legis
lative session dominated by stagger-
[ing deficits and tax increases.
Not surprisingly, the amendments
[deal with protecting money, saving
[money and investing money.
Proposition l would require that all
[the money Texas is reimbursed by the
[federal government for highway pro-
jjects be used to pay for those pro-
jjects.
Proposition 2 would establish a so-
Icalled “Rainy Day Fund’’ where
[state revenue would be set aside and
[saved for appropriation in years when
[tax revenues fall short of meeting ex-
[penses.
Proposition 3 would set up a
[“Growth Fund’’ and allow trustees of
[the state’s two education funds and
[two state-employee pension funds
[more investment flexibility, includ
ing investment in the growth fund.
Gov. Bill Clements, Lt. Gov. Bill
[Hobby and House Speaker Gib Lewis
[support all three propositions. No or
ganized opposition to the amend-
Iments has surfaced.
Lawmakers placed Proposition 1
on the ballot after questions arose
during the 1987 legislative session on
[whether the federal reimbursement to
[the state highway fund could be used
[for purposes other than highways.
The federal government re
imburses the state for 90 percent of
he money it spends on interstate
highway projects and 75 percent of its
expenses for certain other highway
projects.
Supporters of this amendment say
it would halt the temptation to use
these funds for short-term budgetary
gain at the expense of the higway pro
gram, which they say is integral to
Texas’ long-term economic rebound.
And they say it is only fair that fed
eral highway reimbursements be used
for highway projects.
Legislators often complain that too
much of the state budget already is
locked into dedicated funds.
More than half the budget is ded
icated to specific programs, under the
constitution and state law. Add in
funds that must be spent due to court
decisions and funds driven by federal
formulas, and lawmakers can set
spending priorities on about 15 per
cent of the state’s total budget.
Proposition 2 deals with transfer
ring surplus revenues into a special
fund that could be appropriated by the
Legislature.
If passed, one half of any surplus
in the state general revenue fund and
three-fourths of any oil and natural
gas production tax revenue that ex
ceeds that tax revenue collected in
fiscal year 1987 would be put in the
fund.
Proposition 3 proposes setting up a
growth fund and allowing trustees of
the Permanent University Fund, the
Permanent School Fund and the pub
lic employee retirement funds to in
vest in it, and also allow more flexi
bility in other investments. Currently,
the four funds control $28.5 billion.
Commander: Grenada invasion
taught U.S. forces positive lesson
By Doug Evans
Reporter
The U.S. Armed Forces have learned
a positive lesson from the invasion of
Grenada, Capt. Charles Jacoby, an 82nd
Airborne Company Commander in
volved with the operation, said Wednes
day night at a Defense Military Studies
Institute lecture in Rudder Tower.
The U.S. has done well in recruiting
quality soldiers, conducting realistic
training exercises, and planning long
range military deployments, he said to an
audience of over 100 Texas A&M stu
dents.
“I don’t think Grenada represents any
big turning point in the art of warfare,
but for the U.S. it was an interesting epi
sode which gave us a progress report of
some of our training and doctrine,” Ja
coby said.
“From the perspective of a company
commander I thought most of the lessons
were positive,” Jacoby said. “We
learned that we have to be trained well,
have initiative, be flexible and stick to
the basics.”
Warfare has remained relatively un
changed over time, he said.
“When it comes down to soldier ver
sus soldier, the training and mental and
physical toughness of the infantryman
has not changed all that much,” Jacoby
said. “He still carries 80 pounds of gear
into combat whether he was one of Cae
sar’s legionnaires or one of my guys.”
Recent technological advances in
weaponry force the U.S. to defend
against small nations it would not nor
mally consider a threat, he said.
“It doesn’t take long to bring any third
world nation up to a standard where it
can hurt the U.S.,” Jacoby said. “If you
give them sophisticated weapons they
can give you a hard time as our aircraft
and helicopters found out during the in
vasion.”
The invasion of Grenada was a valu
able experience for the U. S., he said.
“I think the interesting thing about
Grenada is that it kind of represents the
next arena we will most likely consider
use of force,” Jacoby said. “The proba
bility of the Soviets crossing the West
German border is not our most likely
threat.”
As a result, the U.S. may be returning
to an old policy, he said.
“From a historical perspective it is an
American tradition to use expeditionary
forces,” Jacoby said. “The U.S. is hesi
tant to commit long-term, large scale
forces like in Vietnam. Grenada rep
resents that other use of force.”
U.S. Armed Forces are able to re
spond to world-wide threats, Jacoby
said.
“I think that we’ve got a military
which has been tailored so that we may
respond to protect our interests all over
the world,” he said.
Jacoby’s rifle company, a small divi
sion of the 82nd Airborne Infantry Divi
sion, is able to be prepared for battle in
two hours notice. Their mission is to be
ready to fight anywhere in the world 18
hours after notification, a task stressful
on Soldiers and equipment.
“I was watching Monday night foot
ball,” he said. “When I was told where I
was going I asked my commander ‘Sir,
what the hell is a Grenada and what did
we do to make it so mad that that we
have to invade it?”’
The mission of the U.S. Armed Forces
was to evacuate 595 American medical
students and totally eliminate Cuban mil
itary forces and their influence, he said.
Jacoby’s task was to secure a hill near
an airstrip used in the evacuation.
During the invasion,’ 45 Cuban sol
diers were killed and several men in Ja
coby’s company were awarded for valor.
Jacoby attributes the company’s suc
cess to several factors.
Careful planning by the generals kept
supplies of food and ammunition steady
throughout the battle.
Jacoby said the majority of the compa
ny’s success is due to the men who com
pose it.
“The guys were very aware of the re
sponsibility they had,” he said. “They
had a lot of faith, trust and confidence in
each other. They did what they were
trained to do.”
Jacoby, now an assistant professor of
military history at West Point, was part a
series of speakers brought by the Mili
tary Studies Institute, said Dr. Joseph
Dawson, director.
Student government
ullock seeks licensing of small tracks
AUSTIN (AP) — Comptroller Bob Bullock on
ednesday said he wants an attorney general’s opin-
n issued quickly to answer questions about whether
estate racing commission can deny wagering permits
to existing horse racing tracks in the state.
I The Texas Racing Commission is scheduled to be
gin taking track applications in November, with appli
cation and licensing fees to be set at a meeting next
J eek.
In a written statement, Bullock said he believes that
■xisting smaller Class 2 and Class 3 race tracks cur-
itntly approved by the American Quarter Horse Asso
ciation should be licensed under the new law.
Class 2 tracks are smaller facilities where racing
would be permitted no more than 44 days a year, while
Class 3 tracks are those where racing is held in con
junction with county fairs and livestock shows and rac
ing is allowed up to 16 days a year. Class 1 tracks
would be major facilities with racing at least 45 days
annually.
“In recent days, I have been told by the chairman of
the Texas Racing Commission that a majority of the
racing commissioners believe the number of Class 2
and Class 3 licenses should be limited,” Bullock said.
“My staff and I believe the racing act ‘grandfa
thered’ AQHA-approved tracks and county fair tracks
if they met reasonable standards,” he said.
Bullock asked Attorney General Jim Mattox
whether the racing commission has the power to deny
licenses to the existing tracks if they otherwise comply
with commission standards.
Six of the seven existing Texas tracks sanctioned by
the AQHA are expected to seek Class 2 licenses. The
seventh, Pineywood Downs in Nacogdoches, isn’t eli
gible for a wagering license because voters in that
county rejected pari-mutuel gambling in the local-op
tion election there. ,
Continued from page 1
Senate meetings are open to the public
and rarely, if ever, has a non-Senate
member been rejected speaking priv
ileges. Having a representative in such a
position would not serve a purpose, they
said.
Leanne Rogers, chairman of the Rules
and Regulations Committee said even
though the bill failed, the issue was far
from dead. “We will continue to research
possiblities and form guidelines for such
a position
Kristin Hay, a junior psychology ma
jor and the senator who introduced the
bill, said, “I’m disappointed, but at least
the Student Senate is aware of the propo
sal and hopefully something will be done
in the future. Student Government needs
to work on communication and cooper
ation with the entire student body, and 1
think this bill is a good alternative.”
Alternative license plates were in
cluded in discussion at the meeting as
well.
Ty Clevenger, a sophomore genetics
major and senator from the agriculture
college, said the state of Florida has suc
cessfully introduced license plates im
printed with the names of different col
leges and universities. He said the extra
amount charged for these imprinted
plates has brought significant additional
revenue to that state as well as increasing
visibility of the state’s schools.
Clevenger introduced a bill recom
mending a similar program be estab
lished at A&M, and encouraged the Leg
islative Study Group to research and
represent the student body on the issue.
The bill was sent to the External Affairs
Committee for discussion and debate.
During reports from committees the
student representative to the Faculty Sen
ate Academic Affairs Committee, Danny
Sparks, said discussions over the possi
bility of having one nine-week summer
session instead of two five-week sessions
are starting up in the Faculty Sehate Aca
demic Affairs Committee.
Sparks, a senior finance and account
ing major, said, “ Students will be able
to take twelve hours, and courses that
can be taught in short sessions may still
occur.”
Another bill was passed to declare the
Texas A&M vs. Alabama game on De
cember 1. 1988 the “Hurricane Bowl”.
Michael Kelley, a senior political sci
ence major and Speaker Pro-Tempore,
said that because the A&M football team
has been obstructed from attending any
official bowl games this season — why
not have a little fun, and call it a bowl
game.
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PARTHENON
presents
$.25 Coronas
Thursday 8-11
MSC
Political
Forum
^Election '88:
CCfie EresidentiaCSeries
presents
se/iMj
Jitorx
Dr. Lenora Fulani
Progressive Independent Candidate
First African American woman candidate
on ballot in all 50 states
v_
Thursday, October 20
8:30 p.m. 601 Rudder
Free Admission
Reception to follow
This program is presented for educational purposes,
and does not constitute an endorsement for any speaker.
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815 Harvey Rd
764-8575
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Head on over to Sonic
and enjoy a tasty
burgers, fries & med.
V rlrinlr
College Station
104 University
696-6427
Bryan
914 S. Texas Ave.
779-1085
Call battalion Classified
845-2611