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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1968)
o n an e bras Ik a n (flyi The (D JJ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1968 Vol. 92, No. 30 I'iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiinii V K 0 il I Candidates for First District Congressional seat, from rtlllllf IMMIf lllllllllif illlllllllltf llllllllf If IIMIIIItlMIlItlllllf f ftititllltllllllllllllllllf f lllllllllllltlllf llllf tlllllllllf 111) 111 I H M 111 1 1 ill 1 1 1 1 liEl ! Issues Four of the 15 constitutional amendments and Proposition No. 300 which will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot are relevant to University students. The Amendments are No. 1, Amendment No. 7, Amendment No. lib, and Amendment No. 15. Amendment No. 1 would reduce the age of electors to 19 years. In Nebraska, by law, a citizen must be 21 years of age to be en titled to vote. This proposed amendment would permit 19-year-olds to vote in national, state, and local elections. Four other states have voting ages lower than 21 years. AMENDMENT No. 7 would per mit the Legislature to increase the number of regents of the University of Nebraska and require the Legislature to redistrcit the state for their election. This proposed amendment would allow the Legislature to retain the present six-member Board of Regents or allow an increase to seven or eight members. The Legislature would divide the state into as many equally populated districts as there are regents, with one regent elected by each district. The Legislature would be re quired to re-district the state after each federal census. In addition to the required re-districting, these regent districts could be changed by a majority vote of the Legislature rather than the two thirds vote needed now. When the terms of members of the Legislature commence at dif ferent times, the compensation of all members may be increased or diminished at the same time is the import of Amendment No. lib. The Constitution now states that no office-holder may have his compensation changed during his term of office except for members of courts, boards, or commissions whose terms commence at different times. In such case, compensation for all members of courts, boards, or commissions may be changed at the beginning of the full term of any member. This amendment would add members of the Legislature to this category. It was proposed because a 1966 Constitutional amendment provided for the election of the legislators to four-year terms, one half to be elected every two years. Passage of this amendment would allow any salary increase to be granted to all legislators at the same time. Constitutional Amendment No. 15 requests that each member of the Legislature receive a salary not exceeding $400 per month. This proposed amendment would permit the Legislature to raise the salarv of the legislators from the present salary of $200 per month for each month of their term of of fice to $400 per month. In addition to their salary, legislators receive enly travel ex penses for one round trip to the state capital for each session. They do not receive per diem expenses. Proposition No. 300 was placed on the ballot following a succsssful petition drive. It proposes that the State of Nebraska shall be pro hibited from levving an income tax for state purposes. The proposed constitutional mi iiiiiiiiiiiii mini i iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii mi iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiimiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii It A v.- 0 i r i i'' - to be Lower voting age, regents increase. repeal of income amendment would repeal the in come tax portion of the 1967 sales income tax IsTf and prohibit the state from enacting an income tax in the future. To vote against the income tax, vote "For" prohibiting it. To vote for the income tax, vote "Against" the nroposed prohibition. THE PROPOSAL follows in the wake of a 1966 amendment repeal ing the state property tax and pro hibiting the state from enacting a property tax in the future. Voters approved the 1966 amendment by a narrow margin. Nebraskans in 1966 also overturned the state's first in come tax law approved by the 1965 Legislature. Those twin tax decisions two years ago set the stage for enact ment of the combination sales-income tax law by the 1967 Unicameral. The income tax por- egents R on University student affairs Fifth District Candidates Robert L. Raun, 40, Minden, NU Graduate and former Innocent, member of Regents since 1966, farmer, livestock feeder, member executive committee Neb. Irriga tion Assn.; Neb. Natural Gas Ir rigators Assn.; Neb. Hall of Achievement; Neb. ETV. Robert R. Koefoot 45, Grand Robert L. Raun Island, NU Graduate; College of Medicine, University of Minnesota, member AMA: American College of Surgeons; Board of Directors American Cancer Society; director, 200 bed emergecy hospital Grand Island. 1. What is your reaction to the Governor's Little Hoover Com mission recommendations that the Board of Regents be appointed by the Governor? Raun: I agree with the recom mendation that members of the Board be appointed. Appointments should be ratified by the Legislature, and should be for terms of sufficient length so that political control of the Board would be minimized. Koefoot: It is my it-eling that the Board should be elected and not appointed by the Governor. Members of the Board would have a far greater interest in the University if elected. If appointed, it would mean a political "plum." 2 What is your opinion of the $150 million operational budget request for the University for the next biennium as approved by the Board of Regents? i TV"""""""" v; , tJ V f f J y j' f x 1 X. ".. '.vX. J fcr - Jiw inn " ' J ' If ... -ig -fi mt . i left, Clair Callan, Bruce Hamilton and Bob Denny debate the I 111 tl II 1 1 III IIIUI IIIIIIIIII I ti f III I II I If 1 1 UI 1 1 1 if llll I llf 1 111 1 1 1 1 III Ul 1 111(1 Mil IlIMl J I III 1 1 111 1 1 III 1 1 IITf I If III Ilf 1 1 voted on directly a tax among proposals tion of the statute has been in effect since Jan. 1, 1968. Income tax rates are established by the State Board of Equalization and Assessment to produce the amount of revenue needed to fund state appropriations. The board considers anticipated revenue from other sources before determining how much money will be required from income taxes to fully fund the budget adopted by the Legislature. The personal income tax rate for 1968 is 10 applied against the taxpayer's federal income tax pavment. THE INDIVIDUAL taxpayer sub tracts $7 per dependent as a food tax credit from his state income tax liability to determine his actual tax bill. If his total food tax credit ex ceeds his income tax liability by $2 or more, he will receive a refund. candidates give Raun: I support the budget re quest of the Board. This amount is needed in order to continue to make improvement and adequately han dle the increasing enrollments on all campuses. Koefoot: The operational budget at the University increased 83.9 per cent. This is far greater than it should be and has no likelihood of being approved by either the Legislature or the Governor. 3. What do you envision as the role, responsibUHies and limitations of the student in the University community? Raun: Students at the University Robert R. Koefoot have taken advantage of a won derful opportunity to further their education supported by the citizens and taxpayers of the state. They should never fail to be ap preciative of this opportunity. The student should at all times respect the authority of those placed in control of the University, the rules and regulations that have been duly established for the maintenance of orderly operation of the University, and the position of the faculty members. Adequate provision for com munication of student ideas and viewpoints relative to operation of the institution should at all times be a matter of concern. A responsible interest in affairs outside the University should be stimulated and encouraged among the students within the framework of generally accepted good citizenship. The corporation income and franchise tax rate for 1968 is 2 applied against federally-defined taxable income. Whereas the state property tax produced less than $50 million in its last year, the sales and income ta xes will yield an estimated $105 million in 1968. The bulk of the revenue will come from the sales ,,lax. Some $40 million of the sales-in come tax revenue is being distributed to cities, counties, and school districts. Spending for state purposes only increased 28 over the previous biennium. The sales tax rate is scheduled to drop to 2 effective Jan. 1, 1969, if the sales-income system survives an initiative vote. Explanations taken from Guide to Voters, League of Women Voters. Koefoot: The student at the University should have freedom of speech, and freedom of action within the law. I am a firm beliver in student control and would not tolerate actions which have taken place at other Universities. 4. What is your attitude towards the expansion of the Board to en compass those state colleges cur rently under the jurisdiction of the State Normal Board, as recom mended by the Little Hoover Com mission? Raun: I disagree with the recommendation that the state colleges be placed under the Board of Regents. Koefoot: I agree that the Board should encompass those state col leges currently under the jurisdic tion of the State Normal Board. Centralized administration has always been superior. 5. How would you propose to im prove the University's academic curriculum? Raun: A continuing review of our John g. :P3 Elliot academic curriculum by all segments of the University com munity is necessary in order to maintain and improve our educa tional program. Koefoot: No reply. 6. What In your opinion of pro posed State Constitutional Amend ment Number 7 permitting the Legislature to increase the number of Regents of the University? Raun: I am in favor of Amend ment Number Seven. Koefoot: It is necessary to in crease the number of Regents. The importance of the job necessitates time which cannot bt mmmrnim m ihn-rrr-if miiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiini n iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiii imiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'j r lnltlK 1-x.H i 2 :i i K ) M II 12 J.-i l. IT Hi l p I'M 21 2. 2i 2'i :ii .! issues in to day's special election Lincolnites community To be voted Upon by the School District of the City of Lincoln, in the County of Lancaster. PROPOSITION A proposal to establish a junior college district in and coterminous with the school district of the city of Lincoln, in the county of Lan caster, in the state of Nebraska. Vote FOR or AGAINST FOR the establishment of Junior College District of The School District of The City of Lincoln, in The County of Lancaster, in The State of Nebraska, to be maintain ed in part by taxation and in part by tuition. Explanations taken from Voters Guild. League of Women Voters. EXPLANATION: The proposed Community Junior College would include the adult education pro gram of the Lincoln Public Schools, views handled by six men. The Board should be increased to either nine or twelve members. Sixth District Candidates John G. Elliott 74, Scottsbluff. Graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan and NU, member of Innocents Society, appointed Regent in 1952, served until January, 1955, elected iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinii (Editor's Note: The follow- I ing are responses by candi- I dates for the Board of Re- I gents. Each was asked six I I questions by the Daily Ne- braskan.) I iiiimiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Regent in 1956, past president of Board of Regents. Insurance and banking agent; member of Masonic Lodge, Shrine, Lions Club and Elks Lodge. Dr. Milton Green of Mitchell is also running for Sixth District Regent. Green failed to respond to the questions and could not be reached by phone. 1. What is your reaction to the Governor's Little Hoover Com mission recommendations that the Board of Regents be appointed by the governor? Elliott: In those states where the members of the governing body of the university are appointed, the results seem satisfactory. I feel the responsibility of a Regent is to the people, and they should have the right to elect him. Continued on page 3 Dr. Milton Green r !i 7 issue. See pages 4 and 5. I NU to vote on college vocational and technical education, ana some credit for the first two years of regular college studies. Approximately 80 per cent of the curriculum would be devoted to technical and vocational. The proposed Community Junior College has been publicly endorsed by the University of Nebraska, Nebraska Wesleyan, and Union College. The program is intended to supplement, rather than duplicate, the educational services of these institutions. Proponents eel the existing buildings of the Lincoln Public Schools are adequate for the proposed college. They also point out that the two-mill levy required for the college to be eligible for state funds would not necessarily mean any increase in the amount of tax since amounts are already being levied by the district for post high school education. OPPONENTS say the establish ment of a Community Junior Col lege would encourage growth of the post-high school program of the Lincoln Public Schools, which in turn would create a need to expand its facilities. In time, increased tax support would become neceassary. To qualify for state support, a local tax of at least two mills on the dollar must be levied on the assessed valuation of all taxable property. Although some college -level academic courses are being offered under the post high school voca tional and technical programs presently administered by the Lin coln Public Schools, the existing program is not accredited. Proponents say the Community Junior College would offer people of all ages an opportunity for higher education, reaching those particulalry who are not motivated, interested or financially capable of pursuing a four-year degree pro gram. LEGAL establishment of a Com munity Junior College as provided by Nebraska statute would permit accreditation of courses offered by the school. Accreditation would qualify the school for state and federal aid; make students eligible for grants, loans, and scholarships; and make possible the transfer of course credit to colleges with a four-year program. State aids of $7.50 per credit hour of approved courses would be available to the proposed college. Because of the availability of trained manpower, industry would be attracted to Lincoln. The cur riculum of a community junior college could be made flexible enough to meet changing needs in vocational and technical training. State, rather than that of the city. If course credit becomes transferable from the Community Junior College to the University of Nebraska. Nebraska Wesleyan, and Union College, there would be some duplication of educational service in Lincoln. ffect