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Eighty-Six Years of Editorial Freedom
420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Ml 48104
Saturday, April 3, 1976 News Phone: 764-0552
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan
THIRD WARD
FIFTH WARD
Hanks willing to learn
Black has sensitivity
FIRST WARD
Autin- SHRP's
best
IE DAILY ENDORSES the So-
cialist Human Rights Party
(SHRP) write-in candidate in the
First Ward, Diana Autin. Although
her affiliation with the waning
third party and her status as a
write-in candidate severely ham-
per her chances for winning, we
believe she is the First Ward con-
stituency's best bet, and by far the
party's most viable candidate.
Autin, 21, a law student at the
University, has taken what we feel
are the correct stands on two of
the election's three ballot propos-
als. She is supporting door to door
voter registration, and opposing
the repeal of preferential voting..
However, she opposes an increase
in property taxes to fund street re-
pairs, which the Daily supports.
Beyond the standard campaign
issues, Autin is also advocating the
establishment of a civilian control
board of the police force, which
we feel is a commendable proposal.
Further to her credit, she has re-
mained a good distance from the
flurry of cheap shots and invective
that has characterized this year's
campaign in the First Ward.
Unlike Autin, Democrat Ezra
Rowry has not forcefully address-
ed himself to the issues. He offers
no substantive rent control pro-
posals, and maintains that as long
as there is adequate Council repre-
sentation, the problems of police-
community relations would be
largely solved. Autin, however, ad-
vocates prohibiting police use of
firearms and staffing the Human
Rights Department with the peo-
ple of the minorities and oppressed
ON FIRST GLANCE, THIRD Ward
Democratic challenger Martin
Black seems to espouse many of
the same policies as Republican in-
cumbent Roger Bertola on issues
that relate especially to the Third
Ward, such as pet control, road re-
pair and rising property taxes.
But despite the many similarities
between the two contenders, Mar-
tin Black must be considered the
better candidate, if only for his su-
perior sensitivity to the commun-
ity-wide needs and problems of
Ann Arbor.
In particular, Black has made
clear that he is concerned with the
problems confronting the citizens
who most need effective reppre-
sentation on City Council: the un-
der - privileged.
Black has stated that his num-
ber one budget priority is social
services. He favors the increased
allocation of funds to such pro-
grams as day care centers and free
dental clinics. Clearly, these types
of service are essential to the
well-being of a large number of
Ann Arborites, especially lower-in-
come groups. A simple example
might be the single mother or
father with small children who
desperately need adequate day care
centers in order to be able to work.
For many Ann Arborites, continu-
ation of services like these is not
a luxury but a necessity.
MEANWHILE, REPUBLICAN Rog-
er Bertoia has chosen to em-
phasize that stale old GOP pass-
word, fiscal responsibility. Ber-
toia's preoccupation with this issue
hardly suggests an interest in pro-
viding the kind of responsive, pro-
gressive government Ann Arbor
needs right new.
Bertoia's past record illustrates
his lack of concern for the less for-
tunate. He has demonstrated a
hostility towards the further fund-
ing of essential social services, spe-
cifically. numerous CDRS projects.
Bertoia has chosen to focus on
issues that cater to moneyed in-
terests. A prime example of this
A{
f'
JN THE FIFTH WARD race, The
Daily endorses Democrat Judy
Hanks.
Incumbent Lou Belcher, an ex-
perienced politician, has a Council
voting record which shows very lit-
tle deviation from the standard
Republican line. His efforts have
mainly dealt with improvement of
municipal services, to the detri-
ment of human service budget al-
locations.
Belcher's opponent has practic-
ally no political expertise aside
from a large amount of time spent
working with community organiza-
tions. She also does not have a
strong chance of winning in the
predominantly Republican ward.
However, she shows a willingness
to learn more about and work hard
on a variety of Council affairs.
The Daily endorses Hanks be-
cause of her interests in revitaliz-
ation of City Council are spread
over a larger area than are Belch-
er's. Belcher has shown a reluct-
ance to expand human services in
the city, claiming that many of
them are "rip-offs".
IJANKS, ON THE OTHER hand,
endorses not only comprehen-
sive solutions to municipal prob-
lems such as the poorly maintain-
ed streets and lack of downtown
housing (she opposes the one-mill
property tax ballot proposal be-
cause it is only "stop-gap", and
supports a downtown renewal of
housing program) - she also sup-
ports action to increase city job
opportunities as well as advocating
better coordination of city human
services to save tax money.
Hanks supports the preferential
voting system and door-to-door vo-
ter registration, two democratic
procedures which allow for more
citizen input on city elections.
Belcher opposes both.
Black
Hanks
Autin
they are charged to pprotect-wo-
men, blacks, and gays.
WENDELL ALLEN, the Republi-
can, refuses to come to grips
with the basic problem in this ward
which has Ann Arbor's highest
concentration of black citizens-
race. Allen thinks race relations
should be taken out of politics al-
together, a simple-minded and dis-
missive attitude to a serious prob-
lem.
Although the odds against Diana
Autin are painfully steep, we be-
lieve that a write-in vote for her
on Monday will best serve the in-
terests of Ward One voters.
would be Bertoia's support for the
expansion of the Ann Arbor air-
port, hardly a high-priority facili-
ty for the majority of Ann Arbor-
ites.
In short, Bertoia's tired call for
fiscal security, his disregard for the
problems of the underprivigeged,
his championing of special interest
causes, does not exemplify the be-
havior of an aware, responsive
council member.
Therefore, since there is little
substantial difference between the
two candidates on ward issues,
Third Warders are asked to make
a choice on the basis of the over-
all philosophies of each man.
THEY CAN CAST their vote for
the incumbent, Bertoia, who
dedicates himself to representing
privileged interests while offering
no constructive program of any
sort. Or they can chose challenger
Martin Black, a man who recog-
nizes community - wide interests
and needs and wishes to deal with
them.
Hanks, although self-admitted-
ly on the more conservative end of
her party's ideological spectrum,
maintains a much more liberal
stand than the incumbent on im-
portant issues such as police use of
guns.
FINALLY, HANKS WOULD pro-
vide one more woman on the
overwhelmingly male council. And
she would see to it, she has stated,
that some women get on the all-
male city administrative staff. She
also claims she will have more time
to do her Council homework since
she is a housewife without a full-
time job.
Hanks' input on Council, in view
of her broad and liberal interests
on city affairs, can only aid the
body in becoming more responsive
to the people who elect it.
Retain Preferential
SECOND WARD
Greene: Pragmatic
We hope they
Black.
choose Martin
THE DAILY STAFF endorses Earl
Greene, Democratic candidate
in the Second Ward. He is opposed
by Diane Kohn of SHRP and James
Reynolds, a Republican.
Greene is armed with a formid-
able understanding of city issues,
a realistic attitude towards work-
ing within the city's political struc-
ture, and an industrious enthusi-
asm for city affairs. The soft-spok-
en Democrat calls himself a "sensi-
ble liberal" and is definitely a
strict party man. He espouses real-
istic ideas on the housing problem,
advocating more housing inspec-
tors and the annual reporting of
rental and vacancy rates. He also
supports collective bargaining for
tenants and would support a tem-
porary rent price freeze..
The SHRP candidate, Kohn, is
able, but we cannot endorse her
because her political style does not
adequately offset her weak party
position. SHRP Is gasping for its
last breaths in electoral politics.
The SHRP voice, commanding in
the past, is now muted. A single
radical council member must bend
to other parties on council at the
opportune times, and must handle
the responsibility in a cool, intelli-
gent manner.
OUTGOING SHRP councilwoman
Kathy Kozachenko, openly dis-
enchanted with City Council, has
been unable to move any of her
significant policies In the past
year. Kohn is competent and has a
better attitude than Kozachenko
towards city politics, but her un-
compromising style would hinder
her effectiveness on City Council.
We would encourage any Repub-
lican In the Second Ward to bolt
Edi orial positions represent
consensus of the Daily staff.
TODAY'S STAFF:
News: Dana Baumann, Phil Foley,
David Garfinkel, Jay Levin, Rob
Meachum, Jeff Ristine, Bill
Turque
Editorial Page: Stephen Hersh,
election
endorsements
5
l~
-
.
Green(-
the party for this year's city elec-
tions. Reynolds, an LSA senior,
knows virtually nothing about city
politics and apparently hasn't
made any effort to educate him-
selft. Some have nicknamed him
the "phantom candidate" because
he has run an invisible campaign.
Editorial Staff
ROB MEACHUM BILL TURQUI!f<
Co-Editors-in-Chief
JEFF RISTINE . Managing Editor
TIM SCHICK .......... Executive Editor
STEPHEN HERSH EditorialDirector
JEFF SORENSEN ................... Arts Editor
CHERYL PILATE . . Magazine Editor .
STAFF WRITERS: Susan Ades, Tom Allen, Glen
Allerhand, MarcnBasson, Dana Baunan, David
Blomquist, James Burns, Kevin Counihan,
Jodi Dimick, Mitch Dunitz, Elaine Fletcher,
Phil Foley, Mark Friedlander, David Garfinkel,
Tom Godell, Kurt Harju, Charlotte Heeg,
Richard James, Lois Josimovich, Torn Kettler,
Chris Kochmanski, Jay Levin, Andy Lilly, .Ann
Marie Lipinski, George Lobsenz, Pauline Lu-_
bens, Ter Maneau, Angelique Matney, Jim
Nicoll, Maureen Nolan, Mike Norton, Ken Par- #;
sigian, Kim Potter, Cathy Reutter, Anne
Marie Sctiiavi, Karen Schulkins, Jeff Selbst,
Rick Sobel, Tom Stevens, Steve Stojic, Cathi_
Suyak, Jim Tobin, Jim Valk, Margaret Yao,
Andrew Zerman, David Whiting, Michael Beck-
man, Jon Panstus and Stephen Kursman.
FOURTH WARD
Committed Kenworthy
THE RACE FOR the Fourth Ward
City Council seat presents lo-
cal voters with a particularly
clear-cut choice:
They may elect a crusade-mind-
ed Republican who has only rarely
managed to keep her facts straight
in any of her numerous anti-Dem-
ocrat tirades.
They may choose a Socialist Hu-
man Rights Party candidate who
prefers talking up the evils of mul-
tinational corporations to facing
the problems that beset Ann Ar-
bor.
Or they may choose Jamie Ken-
worthy.
In the two years he has held
elective office, Kenworthy has
shown himself a serious and com-
mitted councilman. He has at-
tempted to operate above the level
of name-calling and slogan-shout-
ing that has all-too-frequently
characterized other Council mem-
bers, treading the liberal-progres-
sive path with restraint and intel-
ligence.
SOME PEOPLE CONSIDER Ken-
worthy's ability to compromise
a drawback, for example: he would
rather not see rent control initiat-
ed because it would cause more
problems then it would solve, but
if pushed on the issue he would
vote for rent control. If there
were no compromising in this town
nothing would get done.
A NN ARBORITES COULD BE in
danger of seeing a minority
mayor seated in City Hall after
next April's elections - if prefer-
ential voting for mayor (PV) is re-
pealed by voters this spring.
City Republicans back ballot pro-
posal "B" to repeal preferential
voting simply because it gives them
a better chance of getting their
candidate elected.
PV ensures that Ann Arbor will
not have a minority mayor on City
Hall's payroll. Without PV, insti-
tuted in 1974, there is a danger
that the mayoral election fiasco of
1973 would be repeated in 1977
mayor's race. In 1973, without PV,
former Republican Mayor James
Stephenson was seated with only
48 per cent of the votes.
Because of Ann Arbor's three
party system - the Republican,
Democrat and Socialist Human
Rights Party (SHRP)-the liberal-
radical votes tend to be split be-
tween the socialists and Demo-
crats. Without PV, this vote split-
ting results in the conservative Re-
publican party dominating city
politics.
UNDER PV, VOTERS are allowed
to list their mayoral choices in
order of preference. If no candi-
Favor do!
THE DAILY ENDORSES advisory
ballot proposal "A" to support
door-to-door voter registration
which would make it as easy as
possible to vote.
Door to door registration has
fulfilled its goals in Ann Arbor
since local Democrats managed to
pass a resolution establishing the
system. Approximately 4,000 citiz-
ens have been registered by the
door-to-door deputy registrars
since September, a sizeable addi-
tion to the city's electorate.
As election day nears, however,
local Republicans are chorusing the
date receives a clear majority of
first place votes, the candidate
with the least amount of votes is
eliminated and has his or her sec-
ond choice votes redistributed
among the remaining mayoral
hopefuls. The process is repeated
until one candidate receives a clear
majority.
The Republicans have charged
that PV is unconstitutional be-
cause it undermines the one-per-
son, one-vote concept. But it does
not. Each voter still has one 'ote
in deciding between the top two
candidates and the election of a
majority mayor is ensured.
SOME HAVE ARGUED that Ann
Arbor no longer needs PV be-
cause the SHRP is apparently on
its way down the road to oblivion.
However, it is possible that may
not be the case, and even if the so-
cialist party runs no mayoral can-
didate next year, there is a chance
that another radical party would
take its place.
The city cannot afford to have
another mayor who has only a mi-
nority constituency. The Daily
strongly urges Monday's voters to
soundly defeat the proposal which
would repeal PV.
or to door
J
r
a
system's potential f o r abuse.
Brushing aside the laudable pur-
pose of the system, members of the
GOP cite the possibility of regis-
trar "campaigning" and tell tales
of actual cases involving abuse,
without offering any clear evidence
that wrongdoing has taken place.
This ballot proposal is too im-
portant for some idle accusations
to interfere in its passing. If we
want to see a greater public in-
volvement in the shaping of our
policies, the passing of Ballot Pro-
posal 'A', continuing door to door
voter registration, would be a step
in the right direction.
Kenworthy
And Kenworthy has shown his
ability to see through emotional
issues to the basic needs and con-
cerns of local citizens, to remain
unswayed by the political storms
that have plagued City Council.
BUT MANY OF THE programs he
has advocated and worked for
-re-evaluation of the police pay
structure and more stringent hous-
ing inspection, for example - have
yet to be put into practice.
rtHAT IS PERHAPS the most im-
Patching the Potholes
"'THE POTHOLE CAPITAL of the
Midwest" has become the
popular slogan in the city, in favor
of Ballot Proposal C, a one-mill
property tax issue which would al-
lot $700,000 to upgrade Ann Arbor's
roads. (A one-mill tax allots one
dollar out of every thousand col-
citizenry to maintain the status
quo, and even critics would have
to admit for that reason that de-
feat is undesirable.
"SOME OF THE (CITY) streets
were built for horse and bug-
gy, and now they have heavy
trucks and buses on them," notes
,-U nic? +... + Anna-