State & Local
Page 2
The Battalion
Thursday, March 4,1993
Hosing it down
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BILLY MORAN/The Battalion
Leo Goertz of Bryan waters the infield of Olsen Field Wednesday
afternoon. Goertz, a graduate of A&M, is the groundskeeper of
Olsen and has been keeping the field in shape since it first opened
in the Spring of 1978. He said he has seen a lot of students come
and go in his 1 5 years here. The field has been covered to protect
it from bad weather, and as a result has not been received much
rain this semester. He waters the field to keep it soft. In Goertz's
words, "It gets a bath today."
Congressmen push for tobacco tax
Propose $1 per pack fee to fund national health care
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — A Texas congressman and a
New Jersey senator fired a salvo Wednesday at the
tobacco industry, saying they would push for
legislation to quadruple the cigarette tax.
The $10 billion or so that would be generated by
raising federal tobacco taxes to $1 a pack from the
current 24-cent levy mainly would go to health care,
said Rep. Mike Andrews, D-Houston.
"Americans spend
$24 billion each year "Americans spend $24 billion each
in tax dollars simply . *
to take care of those year in tax dollars simply to take care
smokTng7- e Andrei of those that become sick from
said at
tobacco tax hike would adversely affect the lower-
income.
"Those that argue that this tax is regressive, well
they're right, but it's regressive on the very people
that we need to send a message to, young teen
agers," he said.
"It's a very price-sensitive product, and we know
quantitatively, by increasing that tax just a modest
amount, we discourage thousands of young children
from taking up the habit of smoking."
But, countered
Lauria: "Kids seem to
conference,
right that the
industry in this
country be asked to
contribute to part of
those costs."
News of the
measure wasn't well
have disposable income
for almost anything
that they want other
than expensive cars;
and the Centers for
Disease Control
indicates kids are
smoking less than
ever."
The U.S. Surgeon
Rep. Mike Andrews, D-Houston General has estimated
that for every 10
percent increase in the
a news smoking. It's only right that the
le 1 tobacco tobacco industry . .. contribute to part
of those costs."
received by the tobacco industry.
"Many people have a problem with using the tax
code to discourage behavior others don't agree
with," said Tom Lauria, a spokesman for the
Tobacco Institute, the main lobbying arm of the
tobacco industry.
Andrews and Sen. Bill Bradley, D-N.J., cited
findings that 435,000 Americans die each year from
smoking.
While Lauria disputed those figures, he said the
Washington-based institute had no figures of its
own.
Andrews, who ranks among the leading health
care experts on Capitol Hill, acknowledged that the
cigarette tax, there's an estimated 4 percent drop in
consumption.
But Lauria questioned that assumption. "Taxes
have gone up 50 percent since 1991," he said. "We
have not seen a 25 percent decrease (in smoking)
using their formula."
Under the legislation Bradley and Andrews plan
to introduce this week, 80 percent of the new
revenue would be earmarked for providing health
care for the poor. Another 10 percent would go to
states, cities and counties to offset revenue losses
due to the federal tax increase. The remainder would
finance health-prevention programs, counter tobacco
HfunH
advertising and help growers rind substitute crops.
Krueger under scrutiny over IRS unemployment debt in '87
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON - Sen. Bob Krueger's
campaign committee was cited by the
federal government in 1987 for failing to
pay more than $5,000 in unemployment
insurance taxes for campaign workers, IRS
documents show.
The Texas Democrat who previously
served in the U.S. House and as a
university dean was named in January by
Texas Gov. Ann Richards to the Senate seat
vacated by Treasury Secretary Lloyd
Bentsen. He will face several challengers in
a May 1 special election to fill the
remainder of Bentsen's term, which runs
through 1994.
Since 1990, Krueger had been a member
of the Texas Railroad Commission, which
regulates oil, natural gas and
transportation.
In 1978, Krueger lost by 12,000 votes in a
bid to unseat the late Sen. John Tower of
Texas. In 1984, he narrowly lost a chance at
the Democratic runoff for the Senate seat
Tower was vacating.
In March 1987, the Internal Revenue
Service office in Austin, Texas, placed a lien
on the assets of Krueger's Senate campaign
committee because it failed to pay $5,335.06
in unemployment taxes for 1983. IRS
papers show that the lien was removed in
June 1987, which means the taxes were paid
at that time. 4
The committee paid_ an additional
$607.65 in interest and penalties, according
to Rafe Greenlee, a spokesman in Austin
for Krueger's current re-election campaign.
"The reality is that as soon as that was
discovered, I immediately wrote a check to
pay for it. There's nothing there," Krueger
said in an interview Wednesday on the
CNBC cable television network.
"Obviously, somebody looked in the
ancient files and sought an old piece of
information that had no real relevance."
AIDS test
to provide
results in
10 minutes
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DALLAS - New AIDS
tests that can tell patients
within minutes whether they
are infected with HIV are
planned first for Dallas
County, health officials said.
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention are
sponsoring and financing the
six-month trial for the first
county in the nation, officials
said.
The Dallas County Health
Department will administer
the tests, which will reduce
the time lag for results from
about a week to 10 minutes
after a blood sample is given.
Health officials say the
current delay in results
discourages some patients.
The tests will cost $10,
officials said. But that fee will
be waived if patients can't
afford it.
Testing probably wi|l_
begin in two or three months,
county employees said
Tuesday. But they must first
hire and train a technician to
conduct the 10-minute tests,
which were approved by the
federal government only last
year.
Dallas County was chosen
as the site for the trial because
of its reputation, CDC
spokesman Kent Taylor told
The Dallas Morning News.
"Dallas is known to be a
well-run program," said
Taylor.
Tests will be offered at the
county's sexually transmitted
disease clinic instead of the
HIV Impact division, said Dr.
Charles Haley, the county's
epidemiologist.
AIR FORCE
CAREER DAY
LOOKING FOR A
CHALLENGING CAREER?
^THURSDAY - 11 MARCH 1993
*1 PM - 6 PM, DUNCAN DINING CENTER
*MANY CAREER FIELDS REPRESENTED
*EXCELLENT PAY & BENEFITS
*CALL 845-7611 FOR MORE INFO
COFFEEHOUSE
&
as always, good music, poetry and free cheese
TAMU SNOW SKI CLUB
PRESENTS
STEAMBOAT
SPRING BREAK: MARCH 12 - 20
Friday, March 5
Rumours 8>pm
$449 Includes roundtrip transportation
in Sleeper Buses with TV’s & VCR’s
6 Nights in Luxurious Condos
4 Day Lift Pass/5th Day Optional
Nastar Race
J.
EVERYONE WELCOME!!
Hurry Now To Reserve Your Space!
W
PRESENTED BY MSC TOWN HALL
DANCE 2 TRANCE
MEETING DATES
Feb. 23 MSC 231
March 2 MSC 231
March 9 Rudder 308
All meeting are at 8:30 p.m.
For more information come by the
Snow Ski Club cubicle In the Student
Services Building Or Call
Jon 696-7717 Krista 696-8186
r\
Friday, March
<C?n tAe decks:
J E
g) o l
F F LK\ 6
The Edge
ROBERT
records ^ ^
' 4? V 0
pAeAy
Location:
202 South Bryan Street
Mike cos^st^khtoim^'^
boy
Info:
823-6767
RESEARCH
Urinary Tract Infection Study
• Lower Back Pain • Frequent urination
• Painful Urination •Fever
VIP Research is seeking individuals 12 years of age or older with
complicated urinary tract infections. If you have a urinary tract
infection, you may qualify for an eight week research study using
a currently available antibiotic medication. Participants who
qualify and complete the study will be paid $200.
Pneumonia Study
• Productive Cough • Nausea/Vomitting
• Difficulty Breathing • Fever
VIP Research is seeking individuals 18 years of age or older with
pneumonia. If you’ve been diagnosed by a physician or you suspect
having pneumonia, you may qualify for a six week research study
using antibiotic therapy. Participants who qualify and complete
the study will be paid $150. For more information, call:
Volunteers in Pharmaceutical Research, Inc.
776-1417
The Battalion
STEVE O'BRIEN, Editor in Chief
JASON LOUGHMAN, Managing Editor
STACY FEDUCIA, Opinion Editor
KYLE BURNETT, News Editor
DAVE THOMAS, News Editor
TODD STONE, City Editor
DON NORWOOD, Sports Editor
SUSAN OWEN, Lifestyles Editor
DARRIN HILL, Photo Editor
Staff Members
Reporters - Mark Evans, Melody Dunne, Reagan Clamon, Cheryl Heller, Matari Jones, Juli Phillips, Jennifer
Smith, Brandi Jordan, Gina Howard, Stephanie Pattillo, Robin Roach, Julie Chelkowski, Jeff Gosmano, Jason Cox,
Will Healy, Cynthia Trevizo, Kevin Lindstrom, Natalie Giehl, Heather Henderson and Shelia Vela
News desk — Belinda Bloncarte, Carey Eagan, Lance Holmes, Elizabeth Lowe, Jennifer Mentfik and Heather
Winch
Photographers - Kevin Ivy, Robert J. Reed, Billy Moran, Joseph Greenslade, Richard Dixon, Craig Fox, John W.
Bartram and Mark Ybarra
Lifestyles - Anas Ben-Musa, Dena Dizdar, Melissa Holubec, Tanya Williams and Jenny Magee
Sports writers — William Harrison, Michael Plumer and David Winder
Columnists — Julie Ralston, Toni Garrard Clay, Matthew Dickerson, Chris Whitley, Robert Vasquez, Rich
Henderson, Dave Brooks, John Scroggs and Janet Holder
Cartoonists — Thomas Deeny, George Nasr, Clay Welch, Boomer Cardinale and Jeff Crone
Graphic Artist - Jennifer Petteway
Clerks- Julie Chelkowski, Dora Dees, Wren Eversberg, Carrie Miura and Shelley Rowton
The Battalion (USPS 045-360) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and
Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods), at Texas
A&M University. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77840.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University,
College Station, TX 77843.
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of Student
■ ' ‘ ~ f • '* - * ' ,r ‘ ■ : R< * ~ ' '
Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. Editorial offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building.
Publications, a unit of the Department or Journalism.
Newsroom phone number is 845-3313. Fax: 845-2647.
Advertising: For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696 For classified advertising, call
845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and office hours are 8 a m. to 5 p.m. Monday through
Friday. Fax: 845-54da.
Subscriptions: Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year. To charge by
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