Counties propose tax
LANSING (UPI)-Michigan's coun-
ties waded into the tax reform debate
yesterday with a proposal which would
.t ower property taxes for the average
homeowner by 30 percent, while hiking
"inequitable" levies on mobile homes.
The Michigan Association of Counties
said its plan, the latest in a long string
of proposals, would cut government
revenues by up to $195 million while
raising an unspecified compensating
amount through the levy on mobile
homes.
AN UNCERTAIN number of upper
income taxpayers would not qualify for
any aid, however, under the plan
which-unlike Milliken's-does not
require voter approval.
The association is proposing a 100
percent rebate on property tax
payments in excess of 3.5 percent of the
homeowner's income. The plan, which
also would curb assessment hikes, is
based on the current "circuit-breaker"
Bogus tape trial
opens in N.Y.
NEW YORK (AP) - A tape counter-
feiting scheme by one of the nation's
largest music store chains robbed the
royalties of such rock stars as the Bee
Gees, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, and Olivia
Newton-John and hurt their
professional pride, a federal prosecutor
charged yesterday.
In opening statements at the trial of
Sam Goody Inc. and two of its officers,
John Jacobs told a U .S. District Court
jury in Brooklyn that for over five mon-
ths in mid-1978 the company bought
105,000 phony eight-track cassette tapes
of some of the summer's hottest selling
music.
MOST OF THE TAPES were of
movie soundtracks from "Saturday Night
Fever," and "Grease," the two best-
selling tapes in the history of the recor-
ding industry.
"Sam Goody's motto was 'We'll buy
as much counterfeit as we can get,' "
Jacobs charged. The counterfeits had a
*retail value exceeding $1 million, but it
was not clear how much Goody netted
under the purported scam.
Goody bought expertly done tapes
and packaging for as little as $2.60,
while legitimate wholesale tapes cost
Goody $6.61, Jacobs said. The tapes
sold retail for as much as $12.95.
JOEL, SIMON, Newton-John and
members of the Bee Gees will be called
to testify that they received no royalties
*and gave no permission to anyone to
sell the counterfeits, Jacobs said.
A 16-count indictment charges Goody
president George Levy, vice president
Sam Stolon and the corporation with
racketeering, copyright infringement,
and interstate transportation of the
counterfeit goods. It says the scheme
also victimized Kiss, Paul McCartney
and Wings, James Taylor, Eric Clap-
ton, Jefferson Starship, and Barry
Manilow.
Defense lawyers said Goody had no
knowledge of such a scheme and the
two executives had no motive.
"THE PHONEYS WERE so good -
down to the art work and graphics -
that you, the public, going into a store,
could not tell the difference," Jacobs
said.
Although the tapes sounded and
looked the real thing to fans, the artists
and the recording musicians easily
detected "inferior quality" caused by
"remixing of the music in home
studios" by the counterfeiter,
Among those expected to testify are
two counterfeiters convicted for
making the reproduced movie soun-
dtracks, auditors for American Can
Co., Goody's parent firm, Sam Goody,
who sold out in 1978, and several unin-
dicted co-conspirators.
Jacobs charged that the counterfeit
scam continued even after the English
firm of one co-conspirator was raided
June 28, 1978, by Scotland Yard and
thousands of the counterfeit tapes were
seized.
One hostage remains
aboard seized jetliner
(continued from Page 1)
Conway said there was no panic and
Wthe passengers left quietly.
AUTHORITIES SAID the would-be
hijacker took control of the plane by
pulling a .45-caliber handgun and poin-
ting it to the head of a flight attendant
during passenger boarding.
The pilot, navigator, and chief
engineer locked the flight deck door on-
ce the commotion started and climbed
through the forward windows and down
dopes kept in the cockpit area just for
that purpose.
The FBI agents crept aboard the plan
,through a rear door before it was towed
,,way, followed by a convoy of
emergency and police vehicles to the
remote northwestern corner of the air-
port.
MANN THEATRES
VILLAGE 4
375 N MAPLE
769-1300
Daily Discount Matinees
Tuesday Buck Day
All seats $1.00
Nominated for b ACADEMY
AWARDS including
BEST PICTURE
BEST DIRECTOR
As timely today
as the day it
was written. ,
An FBI agent talked to the gunman at
the door before the plane was moved
and reported the man was nervous
about the large number of police
vehicles around the plane.
As the plane was towed away from
the terminal, part of which had been
evacuated after the report of explosives
aboard, it was followed by a dozen
police patrol cars carrying the SWAT
team and bomb squad, an ambulance, a
fire engine and other vehicles.
A ROMAN POLANSKI FIL1U
TESS'
GA COLUMBIA
PICTURES RELEASE
4
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FROM ENGLAND
1:15
4:30
8:04
Nominated for
2 ACADEMY AWARDS
Nothing's going to
stond in your way.
RICHARD
ADREYFUSS
;:..; AMY7
'IRVING g
'COMBIA PICTURES RELEASE
1:45
4:15
7:15
9:45
VIRGIN RECORDING ARTISTS
E!ug.f ONE
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