Page Eight THE MICHIGAN DAILY Weedneseday, July 26, 1972 Mayors request aid Council acts to raise I "I7N UN " UU U UUUA'V.UE1iI O level of wa.,- ge WASHINGTON {/') - Sixteen mayors told Congress yester- day that the nation's cities need at least $3.5 billion to avoid bankruptcy and provide essen- tial services for their teeming millions of people. After -a meeting with Presi- dent Nixon, the mayors testified at a Senate Finance Committee hearing that there's urgent need for federal funds that would be provided by a House-passed revenue-sharing bill. They discussed the bill with President Nixon, who has re- commended revenue - sharing legislation. Prompt approval of the House bill was urged by spokesmen for the National League of Cities and U.S. Conference of Mayors, who said they represented more than 15,000 municipalities. "American cities are flirting with bankruptcy," said Atlanta Mayor Sam Massell, NLC presi- dent. New Orleans Mayor Moon Landrieu, chairman of the Con- ference of Mayors legislative Action Committee, said "cities have been forced to tax every- thing that moves or stands still." Mayor after mayor cited ex- ample after example of what they called fiscal and social chaos tormenting the nation's cities. Mayor Roman Gribbs of De- troit said his city is plagued with 10 per cent unemployment which has increased the de- mand for services and reduced ability to provide them. "We as mayors are at the end of our rope," said Mayor Harry G. Laskell, Jr., of Wilmington, Del. "There is nothing left to tax, Our tax base has shrivelled up. We need revenue sharing and we needed it yesterday." DW S Welcomes the Orientation Students to come in and get acquainted MAYOR MOON LANDRIEU of New Orleans, La., was o Mayors who appeared before the Senate Finance Co yesterday. He was speaking on behalf of the National of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. CRACKDOWN STARTS: Guerillas, British tro fight in Catholic 13el eXemption WASHINGTON M--Acting after an adverse court deci- sion, the Cost of Living Council yesterday exempted all workers making $2.75 per hour or less from wage con- trols, an increase from the previous $1.90. The decision removed from diect controls about 1 million private, non-farm workers, council director Donald Rums- feld told newsmen. The new low-wage exemption is retro- active to July 15. A U.S. District Court Judge in Washington had struck down the $1.90 hour figure as too low a decision on a suit filed by an electrical workers union. Rumsfeld said the council would probably have established a higher figure anyway in Aug- ust. but he conceded the court decision was a factor in estab- lishing a higher hourly wage rate for the exemption. He said the economic impact of the decision, particularly the ne of 18 effect on the rate of inflation, mmittee histoo difficult tomeasure. m tte The reason is that the exemp- League tion only permits wage increases beyond the government's stan- dards but does not require them, Rumsfeld said. He said the council set the $1.90 cutoff point on the 'basis of figures which placed the OPS minimum urban family budget at $6,960 a year but latest fig- ures show this has increased to f $7,214 a year Rumsfeld said the council would not have to submit the e Arma- new figure to the federal- court unless it is challenged. bout 400 The council is determined to * by ar- try to make sure the court de- d Catho- cision does not apply retro- parts of actively to the time the low- in barri- wage exemption was established earlier this year. If that hap- ugurated pened, presumably many work- f the ar- ers could apply for back pay. appeared e crack- D4 gain pa- Rent your ad Creg- erry, the Roommate with so secur- foot for A ringed a Classified Ad and pro- ee Derry. BELFAST ?)-British troops fought a running gun battle against guerrillas in a Roman Catholic sector of Belfast, yes- terday. Troops pressed the British government's new "get tough" campaign against the outlawed Irish Republican Army with fresh raids into Catholic strong- holds in search of arms and guerrilla suspects. In one sweep of homes in Bel- fast's heavily Catholic.Tr Lodge area, the army claimed one of its biggest hauls of arms in recent months, A spokesman said the troops captured more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition and 19 guns, including an antitank rifle and two Japanese-mad lite rifles. At the same time, a British troops, backed mored vehicles, invade lic areas in several; Belfast and pulled dow cades. This campaign, ina last weekend as part o: my's new crackdown, likely to continue. Also as part of th( down, British troops a trolled the Bogside an gan areas of Londond "no-go" areas where n Pty forces had setJ months since the IRI them with barricadesf claimed the districts Fr . ° ' Racers Double Knit Flares by Moderate flare, flap back pockets, wide belt loops. - RACERSO-5 colors in a basketweave double knit of 100% Dacron* polyester. $19.00. 100% DACRON' DOUBLE KNIT! *Du Pont's registered T.M. fasit9 sh pWf ~ AT VILD'S STATE STREET ON THE CAMPUS TONIGHT! 8 P.M. "SUPER SHAKESPEARE'' - Ann Arbor News Join Us on the Power Center Front Lawn at 7:45 or Dan n n