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Impact of cigarette tax not cut and dried
Economist says hike
won’t reduce smoking
By Cindy Kimbrough
Senior Reporter
proposal that would increase Nebraska’s
cigarette tax by 25 cents could have
both positive and negative effects on
the university, a UNL economics professor
said.
John Anderson said a tax proposal that the
Clean Environment Committee, a Nebraska
environmental protection-group, was attempt
ing to get on the November general election
ballot, was not so cut and dried.
On one hand, he said, the proposed tax could
set aside up to 20 percent, or about $6.6 million
dollars, to go toward cancer research at the
University of Nebraska, and could create new
revenue for the university.
On the other hand, Anderson said, the pro
posed tax could preclude further funding for
capital construction.
The proposed 25-cent tax is a large increase,
he said, considering that current state tax rates
are about 27 cents and package and federal
rates are 16 cents.
Such a large increase may cause legislators
and voters to be reluctant to raise a cigarette tax
in the future for additional funding.
But the higher price should not hurt the
cigarette market significantly, Anderson said.
Excise taxes, or additional taxes on the
consumption of a commodity, usually are not
borne fully by the consumer, but are divided
between the producer and consumer.
But with products such as cigarettes, when
the demand for a good is fairly unresponsive or
“inelastic” to a change in price, the extra cost of
the tax is mostly paid for by the consumer,
causing some to stop purchasing the good.
Because cigarettes have proven to be inelas
tic, he said, the number of cigarettes purchased
See TAX on 6
UNL wouldn’t lose
funds, proponents say
By Cindy Kimbrough
Senior Reporter
Fears that a proposed 25-cent cigarette tax
increase would cut into university fund
ing are groundless, several environmental
proponents said.
The Nebraska Clean Environment Act is not
a “bugaboo” against the University of Ne
braska, said Francis Moul, head of the Clean
Environment Committee.
The committee, a Nebraska environmental
protection group, needs 41,000 signatures for
the proposed tax to be placed on the November
general election ballot.
If approved, the tax would raise about $33
million for various environmental and health
programs that may involve the university.
Moul said the tax would provide $15 million
for a major statewide tree planting/wildlife/
habitat/jobs and education program to restore
pure air, soil and water to Nebraska. Another
25 percent would be used to start a statewide
recycling program to help communities market
recyclable goods and collect recyclable waste.
For the university, he said, 20 percent of the
tax, or about $6.6 million, could be set aside for
cancer research and stop-smoking action pro
grams.
But some NU officials are concerned the
raise could compromise university capital
construction funding, which also comes from
cigarette tax revenues.
The concern was prompted after Moul lob
bied the NU Board of Regents Governance
Committee Sunday for its recommendation to
the full board that it support the proposal in
May.
NU Regent Charles Wilson of Lincoln has
said that if cigarette tax money was used to
finance too many projects, those revenues might
See CIGARETTE on 6
williarr I a^er/DN
ASUN president Andrew Sigerson explains his parking-fee proposal during the Parking Advisory Committee
hearing Thursday at the Wick Alumni Center. Ron Fuller, staff assistant for the UNL Police Department, attended
with about 70 staff, faculty and students.
Committee cuts $20 parking fee
By Virginia Newton
Staff Reporter
A one-time S20 supplement fee pro
posed by the Parking Advisory
Committee to improve safety meas
ures in UNL parking lots was receded Thurs
day at the committee’s open forum.
An amendment submitted by Yancey
Gamer, vice-chairman of the committee,
proposed that the construction of a new
parking office be postponed, and that the
$150,000 set aside for the project—instead
of the $20 fee — be used for safety meas
ures.
In addition, the committee adopted a
proposal presented by the Association of
Students ot University o! Nebraska that
would increase parking permits by $2 to $5
for one year. The proposal originally called
for the increases to be spread out over four
years.
The breakdown will be as follows: all
permits more than $20 will increase by $2;
permits more than $30 will increase by $3;
permits more than $50 will increase by $4;
and permits less than $100, but more than
$50, will increase by $5.
The revenue generated from the AS UN
proposal, along with the university’s $22,000
Bond surplus, will be used to improve safety
measures in parking areas at the University
of Nebraska-Lincoln.
The improvements include seven of the
nine priorities listed in the April 7, 1992,
AbuiN/Acaaemic senate rancing- aaiety
Proposal.
These priority items are:
•Twelve light poles.
•Forty-four lights in the East Campus
loop and the driveway on the south side of
Cather-Pound Residence Hall.
•Courtesy/emergency phones at each of
the nine bus shelters.
•Parking lot security patrol.
The $20 supplement fee recommended
by the committee no longer will be an op
tion in the proposal recommended by the
committee, Garner said.
The new amendment and other parking
issues will be further discussed at the com
mittee’s next meeting on April 30 at 3:30
p.m. in the East Campus Union.
Forum delves
into disability
act guidelines
By Alan Phelps
Senior Editor
bout 35 people attended a forum Thurs
day afternoon in the Johnny Carson
Theater to voice concerns about whether
UNL meets guidelines set up under the Ameri
cans with Disabilities Act.
Among the topics discussed at the forum
were computer and library accessibility for the
visually impaired, building accessibility, am
plifiers on campus telephones for the hearing
impaired, parking problems and the general
campus atmosphere for disabled students and
employees.
Members of a University of Nebraska-Lin
coln self-evaluation task force listened to stu
dents and faculty to prepare for a report to be
sent to UNL Chancellor Graham Spanier by
July 1.
The forum was required under the Ameri
cans with Disabilities Act, which deals largely
with private-sector accessibility, but also calls
for public entities to make all programs fully
accessible.
George Tuck, president of the Academic
Senate, brought up several points, including
the lack of Avery Hall’s accessibility for those
using wheelchairs.
“Students have to go around to the back,
zigzag up a ramp and wait for someone to open
a door,” he said.
Tuck added that during the winter, he had
found students “covered with snow" waiting
for the door to be opened.
He also mentioned that the College of Jour
nalism was beginning to look into purchasing
some computers. He asked members of the task
force where he could obtain information on
how to make a new lab more accessible.
Margo Hoisington, a clinical psychology
graduate student who is visually impaired, said
that when the university purchased computers,
those responsible should take such questions
into consideration. Some types of computers,
See FORUM on 6
Regents to assess peer findings l
By Dionne Searcey
Senior Editor
The NU Board of Regents will
hear recommendations for
UNL’s new peer group at its
monthly board meeting Saturday.
Joe Rowson, director of public
affairs, said three former university
presidents would present their find
ings to the regents.
\
The team was asked to analyze
and recommend
whether the Uni
versity of Ne
braska-Lincoln’s
peer group still
was viable in de
termining faculty
salaries.
The university now compares it
self to Illinois, Iowa State, Maryland,
Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri,
Purdue, Ohio Stale, Penn State and
Wisconsin.
The proposed peer group would
include Auburn, Colorado State, Iowa
State, Kansas State, Massachusetts at
Amherst, Oklahoma State, Oregon
State, Tennessee and Washington
State.
See REGENTS on 6
The top-ranked Nebraska gym
nastics’ team will duel number two
Stanford this weekend. Page 7
The legendary Ray Charles will
bring his distinctive sound tonight
and Saturday. Page 9.
iA/. INDEX 0
Wire 2
Opinion 4
Manuel Noriega is found guilty on Sports 7
eight drug and racketeering charges. A&E 9
Pa9*2 Classifieds 10