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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 1985)
Thursday, November 7, 1985 Page 4 Daily Nebraskan Income tax I Mm P Flwiir THE SECURITY ANlT e increase mosic ie asiUDJie answer ov. Bob Kerrey's decision to allow the Legislature to increase state income taxes during its special ses sion should lift the morale of NU students and faculty. An income tax increase is the most fair and feasible way to overcome the state's budget shortfall. Nebras kans who make no income would not have to pay the added tax, and those who are better off could afford the increase. In reality, a tax increase would not ask more of Nebraskans. The state tax system is based on the federal income tax system, and state revenues have dropped during the last three years because President Ronald Reagan reduced federal income taxes. Nebraskans actually are paying a smaller percentage of their income to state taxes than in previous years. According to the 1984 Economic Report, federal income tax has been reduced 23 percent during the last three years. Thus, according to figures gathered by Gary Schwendiman, UNL dean of the College of Business Administration, Nebras kans should be paying 24 percent in federal tax bills to the state in order to maintain the same real tax of 1981. Nebras kans currently pay 19 percent of their federal income tax to the state. Despite the agriculture crisis, Nebraska is not a poor state. Only 7 percent of the state's income tax revenue comes from farmers and ranchers. Personal income in Nebraska increased 10 percent from 1983 to 1984. Nebraska also led the nation in personal income growth from June 1984 to June 1985. In 1984, Nebraska was 23rd among the states in per capita personal income. Yet in per capita state taxes, Nebraska ranked 37th. To avoid future budget shortfalls because of federal income tax changes, state legislators should divorce state tax rates from the federal tax system. When the income tax revenues fluctuate and are unreliable, the entire state suffers. Money, time and resources are wasted because legislators must hold special sessions to haggle over the budget shortfalls. An independent income tax system could provide more stability for the state and give universities, colleges and state services the support they deserve. m i m i a f r it i ..... a. .a k wwh-. mi I ri (?A rr. The Daily Nebraskan 34 Nebraska Union 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448 EDITOR NEWS EDITOR CAMPUS EDITOR ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR WIRE EDITOR COPY DESK CHIEFS SPORTS EDITOR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR WEATHER EDITOR PHOTO CHIEF ASSISTANT PHOTO CHIEF NIGHT NEWS EDITOR ASSOCIATE NIGHT NEWS EDITORS ART DIRECTOR ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR GENERAL MANAGER PRODUCTION MANAGER ASSISTANT PRODUCTION MANAGER ADVERTISING MANAGER ASSISTANT ADVERTISING MANAGER CIRCULATION MANAGER PUBLICATIONS BOARD CHAIRPERSON PROFESSIONAL ADVISER Vicki Ruhga, 472-1766 Ad Hudler Suzanne Teten Kathleen Green Jonathan Taylor Michiela Thuman Lauri Hopple Chris Welsch Bob Asmussen Bill Allen Barb Branda David Creamer Mark Davis Gene Gen.rup Richard Wright Michelle Kubik Kurt Eberhardt Phil Tsai Daniel Shattil Katherine Policky Barb Branda Sandi Stuewe Mary Hupf Brian Hoglund Joe Thomsen Don Walton, 473-7301 The Daily Nebraskan (USPS 144-080) is published by the UNL Publica tions Board Monday through Friday in the fall and spring semesters and Tuesdays and Fridays in the summer sessions, except during vacations. Readers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by phoning 472-1763 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.. Monday through Friday. The public also has access to the Publications Board. For information, contact Joe Thomsen. Subscription price is $35 for one year. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34, 1400 R St.. Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448. Second-class postage paid at Lincoln, NE 68510. ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1S85 DAILY NEBRASKAN QMaffit witkomt raming It's possible through faculty, student cooperation I have never been fond of measuring units. You know, the kind that confused us all through physics and chemistry, those wonderful formulary courses. Just when I thought I had a grasp on the foot-pound per second, someone would sadistically ask for the metric equivalent. My main problem with these unit labels, however, is that they are pre sented as being set-in stone, so ob jective and exact that one should not question them. There is one currently flying at me from all directions to which I object: I am fed up with being told that the standard unit of measure ment for educational excellence are dollars and cents. Joe Schuele 1 may be naively idealistic, or per haps just blinded by a hatred for tax increases, but I don't swallow the notion that educational quality auto matically suffers (or improves) accord ing to its budget allocation. Why label an instructor "mediocre" on the basis of salary, or declare that a program pales in comparison with that of other institution simply because it operates on a tighter budget? Now that student interest has been aroused, we should look at ways of maintaining our university other than further burdening the Nebraska tax payer, who, in case you hadn't noticed, is not enjoying the best of times. Why is it so unthinkable that, with proper effort, we could keep a quality faculty in spite of a conservative salary and benefit scale? If instructors show up every morning in order to reap big dollars, I must say that they made a poor career choice. Is it impossible that faculty moving on to greener pastures can be adequately replaced? We should be selective in using the label of indispensability in education or any aspect of society, for those that warrant it are few and far between. A number game does not represent the total question here. A great portion of the "excellence" we are striving for could be measured by our efforts to overcome financial adversity. Maybe it is time we stopped our full-lipped pout and took constructive measures toward preserving the quality of our university. After all, we need not equate "I support NU" with "Let's bleed the taxpayers dry." Surely there are departments that could use voluntary assistance. That strikes me as a more productive use of one's energy than organizing a "wear blue" campaign. Perhaps faculty and students could put their heads togther to find ways to operate programs more efficiently, rather than rely on the generic, end-of-semester evaluation sheets. A more familiar answer may be that students will need to take on extra working hours to face another tuition increase. I realize many students al ready perform a remarkable balancing act between work, school, and, in many cases, family care. But we should not think that this type of struggle is restricted to students. It extends to many others in our state as well. Nor should we take the attitude that such an extra effort is indicative of a flaw in our system. It represents a mark of excellence in its own right, and seldom goes unrewarded. All of this is not to say that the difficulties of our state and our educa tional system can be taken lightly, for they demand the attention and input of a great many people. But when we look for ways to channel that input, we should keep in mind that this situation calls for a shoulder to the wheel, not just an outstretched palm. Schuele is a UNL senior advertising major. deal with an unwanted pregnancy js to prevent it. Pro-life attack of Title X program hinders right to family planning If you made a mistake and studied tions. But that isn't enough for the pro- pregnancy, she has the equal right to logic as a child instead of politics, life crowd. They insist that' the money information about treatment. She must you probably assume that a foe of is nevertheless "tainted." What they give informed consent. Any clinic that abortion is a fan of family planning, call for is a "wall of separation" between took federal money promising that its Aftpr all vaii roacnn iha knot . ... j . . j . . . J w.c ucoi naj iu uirui control ana arjortion. doctors would never utter tne woru In blissful harmony, Sen. Orrin Hatch "abortion" could lose that money in a and Rep. Jack Kemp have offered iden- malpractice suit. Such a "gag" rule is tical amendments to Title X, and the also unconstitutional. White House has chimed in with its What of the amendment to deny approval. They propose that if Title X is birth-control money to groups who offer continued beyond the Nov. 1 4 deadline, abortions under the same roof or mast no federal funding could be used for head? Most abortions are performed in abortion counseling or referrals. Nor hospitals. Faced with a choice, most could federal money go to a group, hospitals could not stop performing a clinic or hospital that performed abor- legal, medical procedure. They would tions with its own funds. stop doing family planning. This is the first time that Kemp has A prime target of Title X shooting taken such a lead role on a conserva- match is Planned Parenthood. The tive "social issue." He appears to be group gets $30 million of the $142 mil primping his right wing for the flight of lion in Title X money and is a vocal 1988. The pressure, however, comes enough pro-choice group to raise the from restless pro-lifers who have gotten hackles of Hatch-Kemp folk. But Planned very little from the Reagan administra- Parenthood, a well-funded private tion. Their stategy has changed from organization, would be hurt less by the trying to make abortion illegal to trying demise of Title X than the small health to make it impossible. This is their departments and neighborhood clinics most direct attack yet on birth control, that service t he poor. In real life, as opposed to politics, no "It's pure insanity;" saysFaye Wat medically ethical doctor or clinic can tleton, president of Planned Parent refuse to tell a patient the full range of hood. "Half of the six million pregnan meoical options. Whether a woman has cies in this country are unintentional; a ruptured appendix or an unwanted Please see GOODMAN on 5 l9i Ellen Goodman Under this cloud of logic, you proba bly even assume universal support for Title X. That federal program funds family planning, serves some five mil lion women a year, prevents some 800,000 unwanted pregnancies and some 400,000 abortions every year. The reality, however the political reality is that Title X is under stren uous attack by those who insist that a vote for the family-planning program is a vote for abortion. Remember Voodoo Economics? What we have here is Voo doo Biology. The way the law currently is written, no Title X money can be used for abor-