6 Page 2-Thursday, March 24, 1983-The Michigan Daily Conmittee approves plan to investigfate higher ed. LANSING (UPI) - A resolution asking Gov. James Blanchard to ap- point .a group to study Michigan's higher education system - including suggestions that some programs be consolidated - was approved by a House committee yesterday. The resolution, approved by the House Colleges and Universities Com- mittee, now goes to the full House for further consideration. "Competition for reduced state funds dictates more coordination among higher education alternatives," said Rep. Ruth McNamee, the Birmingham Republican who sponsored the resolution. "The structure of our higher education system should be examined as the economic needs of our society change." Despite a warning by State School Superintendent Phillip Runkel, the committee amended the resolution to include a representative of education. Runkel said no one directly connected with higher education should sit on the council to assure it is not perceived as biased. Also included on the suggested com- mittee would be representatives of business, labor, and government, all of whom would work with Runkel to make a report to Blanchard and the Legislature by March 1, 1984. Living on the fault line AP Photo This Sausalito, Calif. maintenance man peers down the widening crack in the driveway of the condominium complex where he works. More severe weather is forecast for California in the days to come. Senate com m--ittee okays tax hike LANSING (UPI) - The Senate Finance Committee approved yester- day a 38 percent increase in the state income tax with eventual plans to eliminate the levy when unemployment levels decline in Michigan. Less than an hour before, the Senate Administration and Rules Committee gave its approval to a companion measure which will ask voters to sub- stitute a 50 percent increase in the 4 percent state sales tax for the income tax. INCLUDED IN the proposed con- stitutional change is a promise citizens will get property tax relief when economic times improve. The full Senate is scheduled to take up both measures today, with lengthy debate predicted. Prospects for ap- proval of either are uncertain. Both measures received 3-2 votes by their committees, with Democrats ap- proving and Republicans opposing. State Treasurer Robert Bowman said while Gov. James Blanchard has not formally endorsed the proposal, "the numbers appear to add up." he said the administration will offer its position before the Senate vote. FINANCE chairman Sen. Gary Cor- bin (D-Clio) described the income tax plan as a reasonable way to "restore this state to fiscal integrity." Michigan currently has a fiscal 1983- 84 budget deficit estimated at $900 million, as well as an $800 million long term cash shortage. Senate Democratic Leader William Faust of Westland said the package has "a fighting chance" of winning Senate approval. House Speaker Gary Owen (D- Ypsilanti) said the plan does not appear to be a drastic revision of the proposal approved by House Democrats earlier this month. Under the income tax hike bill, Michigan's current 4.6 percent levey will rise to 6.35 percent. Included in the increase is a 0.25 percentage point charge dedicated to eliminating the longterm cash shortage which has brought Michigan disfavor in Wall Street financial houses. The Senate Democratic plan. elaborates on a House proposal lowering the income tax as the unem- ployment rate falls. Once unem- ployment rates reach a 14 percent average, expected to occur around the end of 1983, the tax will begin to fall. IN BRIEF Compiled from Associated Press and United Pressinternational reports Deficit approaches new record WASHINGTON - The government outspent its income by more than $25 billion in February, pushing the federal deficit for the first five months of fiscal 1983 close to the record $110.7 billion for all of last year, a report in- dicated yesterday. Last month's red ink - $25.336 billion to be exact - was the second-largest one-month deficit ever, the third in that general range since the fiscal year began Oct. 1. The record shortfall was the $26.17 billion in October. February's total pushed November's $24.16 billion into third place on the all-time list, accor- ding to Treasury Department reports. The deficit this fiscal year is $103.184 billion, the report said. That's about half the Reagan administration's Droected $208 billion red ink for the year. Though deficits vary monthly - and the tax payment flood usually brings a surplus in April - the administration's full-year estimate indicates officials are expecting the big figures to continue. Index shows drop in inflation WASHINGTON - Consumer prices, driven down by record plunges in gasoline and fuel oil costs, fell 0.2 percent in February, only the second time since 1965 that the measure of inflation has declined, the government repor- ted yesterday. The new report marked the fourth month in a row of little or no gain in the Labor Department's Consumer Price Index, and raised the possibility that inflation for the year would be the lowest in two decades. President Reagan said, "This steady progress confirms once again that we are putting inflation back in its cage and that our economy is on the mend." The continued good news on inflation has been mostly attributed by economists to the lengthy recession, good crop harvests, and the worldwide oil surplus, which recently forced the OPEC oil cartel to slash its base price for crude oil by $5, to $29 per barrel. Some oil companies are now raising the prices they charge gasoline dealers as world oil prices stabilize. But many economists predict the oil cartel will be forced to cut prics even more in coming months, which may show up later in still lower gasoline and fuel oil prices for American con- sumers. Nicaragua anticipates invasion MANAGUA, Nicaragua - Bandinista militia commanders reported fighting with rebel invaders in two Northeastern towns yesterday in what the Marxist-led government said it feared was the prelude to a U.S.-sponsored invasion by Honduras. At the United Nations, Honduran ambassador Enrique Ortez Colindres rejected the charge that Honduras was planning to attack Nicaragua. "We don't believe in the language of the gun or in violence," he said. "We believe in dialogue between countries and the popular expression through the ballot box." He denied Nicaraguan claims Honduran troops were massing on the bor- der with Nicaragua and said "we are ready to submit ourselves to inter- national supervision" to confirm this. Nicaraguan Deputy Foreign Minister Victor Tincoco said early in the day that the "massive infiltration" of rightist rebels from Honduras posed no military threat but his government feared the action might be just the opening salvo. Big Macs reveal new virus BOSTON (AP) - A mysterious intestinal ailment that first struck diners at a fast-food chain is a new-found disease caused by a rare bacteria, and it has spread across the United States, researchers say. Federal disease experts are seeking the source of the organism so they can wipe it out, but they fear it is becoming established in the nation's food system. The first major outbreak appeared last year among 47 people who ate at McDonald's restaurants in Michigan and Oregon. It has since occurred among patients at a Canadian hospital, and 40 scattered cases have been reported in the United States. The disease is hemorrhagic colitis, and is caused by a rare form of the common bacteria E coli. Victims have severe cramps and bloody diarrhea, and the sickness lasts from three days to more than a week. Doctors from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta call the ailment "a clinically distinctive gastrointestinal illness" and say it is apparently transmitted by undercooked meat. Habib pushes new U.S. plan for Mideast peace agreement U.S. envoy Philip Habib yesterday gave Israeli officials a warning from Beirut that Lebanon cannot sentany further in talks on a withdrawal of foreign troops, Lebanese officials said. Lebanon will "not confine itself to fruitless negotiations," the official Lebanese National News Agency said. Habib "was conveying to the Israeli authorities Lebanese limits which cannot be crossed," it said. In Jerusalem, "no major progress" was made in a meeting between Israeli Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir, Defense Minister Moshe Arens and Habib, an Israeli source quoted by Irael radio said. The new U.S. withdrawal plan proposes that Lebanese army troops and multinational peace-keeping forces cooperate in patrolling souther Lebanon to protect Israel's northern border, the official Lebanese agency said. The plan would go into effect after a withdrawal of the 30,000 Israeli, 40,000 Syrian and 10,000 Palestinian troops in Lebanon. Vol. XCIII, No. 136 Thursday, March 24, 1983 The Michigan Daily is edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan. Published daily Tuesday through Sunday mornings during the University year at 420 Maynard Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109. Sub- scription rates: $13 September through April (2 semesters); $14 by mail out- side Ann Arbor. Summer session published Tuesday through Saturday mor- nings. Subscription rates: $7.50 in Ann Arbor; $8 by mail outside Ann Arbor. Second class postage paid at Ann Arbor, Michigan. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE MICHIGAN DAILY, 420 Maynard Street, Ann Ar- bor, MI 48109. The Michigan Daily is a member of the Associated Press and subscribes to United Press International, Pacific News Service, Los Angeles Times Syn- dicate and Field Enterprises Newspaper Syndicate. News room (313) 764-0552, 76-DAILY. Sports desk, 763-0375; Circulation, 764-0558; Classified Advertising, 764-0554; Billing ,764-0550. 6 715 HL WOMEN AND POWER (A series) Corner: Oakand / . Thursday, March 24, 8pm i Margo Duley Morrow, Pres. Mich. N.O.W. and Assoc. Dir., Honors Progr., LSA, U-M Dates: r " and "Empowering Women in Politics" Tues. MaWch 9 :' WOMEN'S LIVES Conversatlons on how women grow and change CA*LLN FOR RESERVATIONS Friday, March 25, noon: 769-3078 995-3276 996-2479 Dottie Jones, Asst. Dir., UAW Walter Reuther Senior Centers, Detroit, 0 00pr SedarPoet and former Auto Worker. Lunch (home-made vegetarian soup) available at $1.00 is GUILD HOUSE, 802 MONROE (662-5189) Robste r Studenfs Program is sponsored by Guild House Campus Ministry and funded in port by Michigan Commission/United Ministries in Higher Education. II 11iI 1lii11111R11111i111111111111111Hi1111NII111011111111iiIII111 11111 11 11l1 II1111 111pI111111111111 11111111iI1I11l1pIlp111111111iiiIRll11ll1i111l11i1l1l1 iIIlli111111N111111111111111HIHIIIIIIIINIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiiI~ li11 I l 1111111111111111L l" JUSTWHA T THE. DOCTOR ORDERED 4F _aiI 6 Editor- in-chief. Managing Editor ...... Opinion Page Editors. University Editor. News Editor..... Student Affairs Editor Arts Magazine Editor. Associate Arts Magazine Editi Sports Editor... Associate Sports Editors.... BARRY WIT son Foye, Chris Gerbosi. Paul Helgren, Steve Hunter. JANET RAE Doug Levy, Tim Makinen, Mike McGraw, Rob Pollard . 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