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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1986)
MM t Weather: Partly cloudy today, becoming mostly sunny in the after noon with a high of 68. Winds will diminish, causing cooler tempera tures overnight with a low near 40. Mostly sunny tomorrow with a high near 70. X Get ready for The Cucumbers Arts and Entertainment, page 5 Spring football practice begins at Nebraska Sports, page 6 J. . to I f HI D T 3mily d ); fro irn I April 1, 1986 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Vol. 85 No. 129 ifiiraa coy n n sail U t I ft fo midlnrnKD or Uoiiiwersifiv By Lise Olsen Senior Reporter As the Legislature works frantically to straighten out next year's budget before the session ends in two weeks, money to support this year's expenses may be running out, Gov. Bob Kerrey announced Tuesday. The $10 million revenue shortfall, as of March 31, projected by the gover nor's staff may mean bad news for the university and others dependent upon state funds. "It will mean the Legislature is going to have to look very hard at how they're going to make appropriations," said Joe Rowson, NU public affairs director. More bad news might be on the way. Additional calculations show that the shortfall could balloon to $20 to $25 million in the next few months, said Brian Rockey, a staff assistant for Ker rey. Lincoln Sen. David Landis said taxes will be raised if the shortfall nears the $25 million mark. But the Legislature might attempt to compensate "for the $10 million shortfall with more cuts, Landis said. If taxes are raised, the university's budget probably wouldn't be affected, Landis said. NU President Ronald Roskens said it's time to consider broadening the tax base or increasing taxes to ensure the university remains untouched. "I certainly believe that we've cut really to the bone," Roskens said. Kerrey has opposed tax increases, and he made no mention of a change of heart at his press conference. The discouraging projections for March and later this spring are based on lower than expected tax receipts. The lower income has been a "puz zlement" to state officials, Rockey said, because most economic indica tors show improvement for the state. Today at 9 a.m., the Revenue Fore casting Commission will look at the receipts for the previous quarter and review the projections. They then will make their recommendations to the Legislature.. - - .. . . , ... "The governor and the Legislature can determine what will happen next," Rockey said. Rowson said the additional shortfall will not affect the way the university relates with the Legislature. "I don't foresee a major change in the way we communicate with the Legislature that is to keep the facts before them," he said. Firm figures on the exact amounts of the year's shortfall (as of March 31) should be available by April 6 or 7. Senators to decide UNSTA funding fate By Todd von Kampen Senior Reporter Farnam Sen. Tom Vickers will try for a third time to ensure funding for the NU School of Technical Agriculture .at Curtis when the Legislature begins second-round debate on the 1986-87 budget this morning. Vickers' amendment to LB1251, the main budget bill, would require the NU Board of Regents to spend $1,245 mil lion in state money for UNSTA. State support for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources would be raised by $245,000 to help pay for the school's budget. During first-round debate on the bill, Vickers attempted to reallocate $245,000 from NU's central administra tion budget to UNSTA. After senators killed the amendment 25-21, Vickers moved to increase state funding for UNSTA by $245,000 but fell two votes short of the 25 needed to adopt his amendment. The Ad-Hoc Budget Review Commit tee recommended last week that the regents close UNsTA so that other IANR programs could be spared budget cuts. UNL's Academic Planning Com mittee will make the final recommen dation on UNSTA's future to UNL Chancellor Martin Massengale. Senators face three other NU-related amendments to the main budget bill. The first, offered by Speaker of the Legislature William Nichol of Scottsb luff, would decrease NU Medical Cen ter funding by $100,000. This money would establish a bachelor's degree nursing program at West Nebraska General Hospital in Scottsbluff. The regents approved the program before budget problems delayed its beginning. Beatrice Sen. Patricia Morehead has introduced an amendment that would increase funding for the Nebraska Technical Assistance Center by $42,000. The third amendment, offered by Omaha Sen. Ernest Chambers, would cut the College of Law budget by $296,000 as the first step toward clos ing it. Before taking up the main budget bill, senators will debate a bill that would raise salaries for NU and other state employees by 3 percent next year. The bill, LB1250, advanced from first round debate on a 31-1 vote. Nichol said the Legislature will not take up any other bills until it finishes work on the budget bills. The bills will come up for final reading some time next week "with any luck at all," he said. 1 1 i i I A - 2 V r - i - v , v u w i y j Ii1 ' i x . V -. if .V erfeei pets: soft r soahj Co-owned snake makes safe pet John Morasco brought two new pets into his fraternity in January. He kept his six-foot long boa con strictor, but his kitten had to go. - "If it's a caged animal, it's OK," Morasco said. "Running animals they get kind of upset about." Some of the fraternity brothers at Phi Kappa Psi were allergic to the cat, which is now being kept by one of Morasco's friends. Stories by Lise Olsen Photos by Andrea Hoy Apparently no one is allergic to the snake or Morasco's four iguanas. But some people feel uneasy when the snake wraps around them and begins to squeeze, Morasco said. Morasco's father won't even let his son put the snake around his neck anymore, Morasco said. Despite some people's qualms, the snake's co-owner, Chris Swan son still sometimes wears a living snake-skin tie. The snake is too weak to hurt a person, Morasco said, but the live mice and rats he drops into the con strictor's cage once a week don't have a chance, he said. The snake also dines on frozen rats that Morasco thaws under hot running water. Swanson and Morasco bought the snake for. $50. U has proved to be a good conver sation piece, Morasco said) Also, he said, he has learned a lot about boa Contrary to such misconceptions, constrictors since he and Swanson Morasco said boa constrictors aren't bought it. dangerous to humans until they get "A lot of people have misconcep- really big about 32 feet. Then, tions about snakes being slimy and they'll tackle cows and sheep, he ooey and gooey," Morasco said. said. V X f 4, Ji Chris Swanson eyes his pet snake, Piiskin (bottom). Cliff, an iguana owned by Dret Kolfermsn, makes himself comfortable on John Morasco's shoulder (above). Pets bring love, fun and responsibilities Brad Emanuel wanted a dog a big, furry, tail-wagging animal to keep him company next year at medical school. So Brad went to the Humane Society of Nebraska-Capitol. But Emanuel didn't get to adopt a dog because he lived in a fraternity. No one living in a residence hall, fraternity or sorority is allowed to adopt a pet, said Sally Vanderslice, a volunteer coordinator at the humane society. And renters have to get written verification from their landlords that a pet will be allowed "We've had too many reports that the animal gets left behind," Van derslice said. Another applicant who is con sistently rejected is the repeater someone who's turned in a pet. Many people just don't think about all the responsibilities of pet ownership, Vanderslice said. Pets are not something that you just buy and then water once in a while, she said. The society looks for people who live in a residential area, with a good history of pet ownership. Officials ask applicants about the time they have to spend with the pet, about allergies, where the pet will be kept and what will happen if they move or if the pet gets sick and needs a veterinarian, The society charges $20 for dogs and $15 for cats. It also requires that the pet be vaccinated and neu tered or spayed by one of nine recommended veterinarians. Of the animals collected at the society, 22 percent are adopted, 25 percent are reclaimed by owners and 53 percent are put to sleep.