The Michigan Daily-Friday, June 2, 1978-Page 7
House okays tuition tax credit
WASHINGTON (AP) - A bill
providing income tax credits of up to
$250 against the cost of college tuition
and $100 against private elementary
and secondary school tuition was
passed 237-158 by the House yesterday.
President Carter has threatened to
veto any such legislation, and the close
vote tended to confirm estimates that
a veto could not be overridden.
But the House, disregarding opponen-
ts' arguments that passage would be a
hoax, not only passed the measure but
wrote into it the new provision for lower
school tuition, a proposal which Carter
has objected to most strongly. That
vote was 209-194.
The bill now goes on to the Senate,
which traditionally has been more
favorable to tuition credits. The Senate
Finance Committee has approved a
measure for credits of up to $500.
THE HOUSE-passed measure would
allow a taxpayer a tax credit for each
student equal to 25 per cent of college or
other post-secondary tuition, up to a
total of $100 this year. $150 in 1979 and
$250 in 1980. Congress then would con-
sider whether to continue the program.
The credits for elementary and
secondary tuition also would be at 25
per cent, but the maximum would be
$50 this year and $100 in each of the next
two years.
The cost to the U.S. Treasury in lost
taxes was estimated at $635 million in
the 1979 fiscal year, beginning this Oct.
1; $1.1 billion in fiscal 1980 and $1.2
billion in fiscal 1981.
SUPPORTERS of the college tuition
credit argued it would provide overdue
relief to middle-income families coping
with rising college costs but ineligible
for most private aid programs.
The amendment to extend tax credits
to elementary and secondary tuition
brought up long-standing constitutional
arguments, since much of the benefit
would go to parents of children in
Roman Catholic and other
denominational schools.
But Rep. Charles Vanik, (D-Ohio),
said, "I don't think there is going to be
any problem with the courts."
He said private schools are providing
quality education at less cost than
public schools and that in major cities,
40 to 50 per cent of their enrollment.
comes from minority groups.
Vanik contended "83 per cent of the
benefits would go to families with total
income below $28,000 - that's two wage
earners at $14,000 each."
REP. BILL Frenzel, (R-Minn.), co-
sponsor of the amendment, said the
proportion of children in private
schools had fallen in a decade from 13
per cent to 9.8 per cent, and "that tells
what has happened to American
families' freedom of choice."
But Rep. Martha Keys, (D-Kan.),
said the bill is "a cruel hoax."
"We have seen unexpected increases
in tuition at even the suggestion that
this would be passed," she said.
... Parochial schools have made it
clear that they intend immediately to
increase their tuition if this b)ecomes
law."
Rep. Abner Mikva, (D-Ill.), said the
Justice Department has expressed the
opinion the measure is uncon-
stitutional. "By any stretch of the
imagination how can a President sign a
bill when his attorney general has said
it is unconstitutional?" he asked.
REP. PARREN Mitchell, (D-Md.),
suggested the bill would foster the
spread of private schools set up to avoid
desegregation.
At a session with newspaper editors
in April, Carter was asked whether he
would veto a tuition tax credit bill. He
said he could not commit himself ab-
solutely without seeing the legislation,
but commented:
"My present intention would be to
veto any bill that was costly and which
was unconstitutional. All the proposals
I have seen in the Congress so far are
both costly and unconstitutional, par-
ticularly as they apply to elementary
and secondary schools."
HOUSE Speaker Thomas O'Neill told
reporters he expects a veto if the bill is
passed by both chambers. He said
legislation in accordance with Carter's
recommendations would be ready for
consideration if the bill were vetoed.
In place of the tax credits, Carter has
proposed a $1.2 billion expansion of
existing college aid programs with
provisions so that families up to $25,000
income could share in the benefits.
Sen. Daniel Moynihan, (D-N.Y.), a
principal sponsor of the Senate bill, said
the House "has overturned the religious
bigotry of the 19th century, and I am
sure the Senate will now do the same."
"I hope the President will find it
within himself to understand that this is
a matter of justice and will sign a tax
credit plan into law," Moynihan said.
But an American Civil Liberties
Union spokesman said it will urge Car-
ter to veto the measure. He said the
ACLU will consider a court test if Car-
ter does not.
Ya'ssoo draws Greeks
(Continued from Page1) year-old girl and her younger brother
deed, smiles, handshakes, and hugs ac- agreed that the food was the best. Hut
companied the Greek lyrics. Anna Chlatalas, one of the church's
The festival features over 40,000 dancers, says she likes the last day and
pieces of Greek pastries, from Tiropita clean-up the best. "Everyone is so
(cheese triangles) and Spanakopita relaxed and friendly," she claims.
(spinach pie) to Galatobouriko (filled The festival also features a raffle,
pastry) and Karithopita (honey-walnut with the top prize a Buick Skylark. A
cake). The bake sale begins at 11:00 booth near the Main Street entrance
a.m. tomorrow and Saturday, and lasts panders muslin shirts, beads, jewelery,
until midnight both nights. dolls, and T-shirts proclaiming "Kiss
On the dinner menu Pre souvlakia, me, I'm Greek."
stefatho, rice pilaff, and salad with feta
cheese, served cafeteria style.
THE YOUNG parishioners dance
each night, followed by Bouzouki music
by Dino and the Continentals. Tonight
and Saturday night, a Detroit
professional dance group will perform
at 9:00.
Irene Kokales says she likes the
people at the festival, although a six-
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Laetrile goes to panel
LANSING (UPI)-The House Public the fall.
Health Committee has decided to give a It will be the third panel to handle the
third panel-a special subcommit- Laetrile question.
tee-a crack at handling the red hot A special House committee created
issue of legalizing Laetrile. last year held several public hearings
The committee Thursday established and recommended that the drug be
a special five-person subcommittee legalized. The public health panel itself
headed by Rep. David Hollister of Lan- held two hearings on the matter.
sing to do further research on the "When we do something in this com-
Laetrile question. mittee we do it on a systematic basis,"
Specifically, the committee wants said Public H~ealth Committee Chair-
more information on the current man Raymond Hood, (D-Detroit).
availability of controversial cancer
drug and the implications of legalizing It is estimated that there is enough
over-the-counter sales as opposed to salt in the world's oceans to bury the
making ita prescription drug. United States a mile deep, says
THE SUBCOMMITTEE is expected National Geographic.
to report back to the full committee in
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