The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 19, 1993 - 7 .Tax analyst Criticizes Engler 'S *new plan LANSING (AP) - Gov. John Engler's plan to raise the sales tax to help replace lost property tax revenue "fails the test of tax fairness," the head of a labor-dominated organiza- tion said yesterday. Douglas Kelly, director of tax analysis for Citizens for Tax Justice, told the Senate School Finance Re- formCommittee thatMichigan should increase its income tax to avert a regressive tax system. Engler wants to ask voters on Feb. 8 to raise the sales tax from4 percent to 6 percent. Kelly's testimony came as law- makers worked on Engler's sweeping plan to replace most of the $6.98 billion lost through this summer's property tax cut and his proposals for revamping school policy. The pro- posed sales tax boost would provide $1.83 billion. "Unfortunately, Governor Engler fumbled away his chance for tax fair- ness," Kelly said. "Rather than ask- ing the well-off to start paying their fair share, the governor's tax plan protects the rich and hits the poor and the middle class with added regres- sive taxes, thereby making Michigan's "tax system even more unfair than be- fores" Kelly contended the sales tax is more unfair than the property tax it would replace, and that Engler is ig- noring the income taut, "Michigan's fairest tax of all." "GovemorEnglerspeaksalotabout choices," he said. "But if the legislature passes his plan, the only choice he'll *give voters in February is whether they want higher sales taxes or school clos- ngs. That's hardly a fair deal. "A better plan would give voters a real choice. Do they want higher sales taxes on working people, or do they want a graduated rate income tax that makes the rich pay their fair share?" The state now has a flat income tax rate of 4.6 percent. But Kelly gotlittle sympathy from the Republican-dominated Senate committee. "You've used JohnEngler's name almost in vain. I don't think you're in the ballpark at all," said Sen. Harry Gast (R-St. Joseph). He noted that organized labor is prominent among the group's board of directors. Gast said Engler's plan would pro- mote economic development in *Michigan while a graduated income tax would damage the economy and push business out. "That would close up shop," he said. "Surely the last person would turn out the lights. "We wouldn't win any friends or influence many people if we went to a graduated income tax." Sen. David Honigman (R-West Bloomfield) said polls have shown that people dislike the income tax more than the sales tax. "People overwhelmingly favor the sales tax," he said. "Economic growth is the best thing for middle-income and poor people." Meanwhile, a coalition of busi- iess groups has joined forces to com- bat Engler's proposal to raise $350 *million through increased cigarette and tobacco taxes. They argued that such taxes would increaseillegalboot- legging of cigarettes and hurt busi- nesses near the state lines. Delayed Columbia mission focuses on medical research Fourteen-day flight to study effects of prolonged space travel will set record CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - Columbia and its seven astronauts blasted off on a belated mission yes- terday, carrying 48 rats that will be poked, prodded and in some cases decapitated by guillotine and dissected in orbit. All in the name of medical sci- ence. The astronauts quickly got started on their 14 days of space checkups, drawing blood from one another, measuring their blood pressure and noting any symptoms of motion sick- ness. The mission - the longest ever planned for a space shuttle-- is in- tended to help scientists develop mea- sures for counteracting the debilitat- ing effects of space travel. "As you can well imagine, there are seven very happy people up here," Commander John Blaha said. Astronaut-physician David Wolf was the first one to enter the pressur- AP PHOTO ized laboratory module in the cargo bay, followed by the crew's other medical doctor, M. Rhea Seddon. NASA needed three countdowns to get Columbia off the ground. Equip- ment failures halted last week's at- tempts. "Guys, the third time's a charm," orbiter test director Brian Monborne assured the crew before liftoff. Delayed 10 seconds by a stray Navy plane, the 2,000-ton spaceship rose from its seaside pad at 10:53 a.m. and tore through three decks of clouds on its way to a 176-mile-high orbit. It is only the second mission in 58 shuttle trips focused entirely on medi- cal research. Scientists say they need more tests before they can draw any conclusions about avoiding such effects of space travel as shriveled muscles, weak- ened bones and weakened immune systems. And then there's space mo- tion sickness, which strikes two-thirds of all astronauts, Two crew members had catheters threading through theirveins forlaunch -Martin Fettman, the first U.S. veteri- narian in space, and Shannon Lucid, a biochemistwhobecame thefirstwoman to fly in space four times. The catheters were hooked to white backpacks with floating cables, making the two look like a pair of bees. Fettman is in charge of the rats, the most that'sever flown on a shuttle. Fettman and the others will draw blood from the 2- to 3-month-oldmale rodents, inject radioactive isotopes and hormones, and collect the animal droppings to measure calcium con- tent, an indicator of bone loss. Oct. 30, Fettman will use a guillo- tine to behead five of the rats, six if there's time. He and another astro- naut then will perform the first animal dissections in space, preserving al- most everything for postflight analy- sis: brain, eyes, inner ears, parts of the skull, spleen, heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas, thyroid, lungs, trachea, bones, muscles, blood, glands, teste$. Biologists say the only way to know exactly how weightlessness af- fects creatures is to dissect ther be-: fore they're re-exposed to gravity. Columbia's surviving rats will be killed for dissection after the flight, the same fate encountered by the more than 100 rats on previous shuttle missions in studies of space travel. As for the nearly 1,000 rats that were on standby in case of further launch delays, NASA planned to kill the animals and donate them to a rehabilitation program for birds of prey. The Space Shuttle Columbia blasts into orbit yesterday morning. States outline tough welfare proposals despite lack of governmental support MAN BURIES BEST FRIEND WASHINGTON (AP) - Some states are proposing to put caps on welfare -- but without the Clinton administration's guarantee of a job when the checks run out. The experiments could lead to homelessness, critics say. Backers of the plans contend the administration will be retreating from its promise to reform welfare if it blocks the tough new programs. President Clinton has vowed to bring changes to a program that sup- ports 5 million poor families. The administration is working on a plan to limit welfare benefits to two years. Several states have asked to ex- periment with such limits, including Wisconsin, Vermont, Colorado, Florida, and South Dakota, said the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The state approaches vary when a parent reaches the limit. Some would let benefits continue if the recipient can't find a job; others, like Wiscon- sin, do not. HHS has approved Vermont's re- quest to impose a 30-month limit on welfare benefits. The state then guar- antees a job, either with the govern- ment or a not-for-profit agency. The plan must still be approved by the state legislature. Wisconsin's "Work Not Welfare" experiment is considered the tough- est and least flexible, according to a senior official at HHS. "Governors are picking up pieces 1||||||||$ akthw a e a M 'Many old-school liberals are really squirming. They're petrified we may well change the welfare system in a big way.' - Gerald Whitburn Wisc. HHS secretary of the Clinton administration's agenda without adopting the more compre- hensive approach that would truly enable people to move from welfare to work," said Susan Steinmetz of the Center on Budget and Policy Priori- ties, a liberal research and advocacy organization. "Work Not Welfare" also under- scores the White House's dilemma. Conservatives say the administra- tion will be retreating from its cam- paign promises if the plan is rejected. Liberals say the experiment could leave vulnerable families homeless. "Many old-school liberals are re- ally squirming," said Gerald Whitburn, secretary of Health and Social Services in Wisconsin. "They're petrified we may well change the welfare system in a big way." "The president has indicated that he wanted to change welfare as we know it. Clearly, that is what we are doing here," Whitburn said. "States like Wisconsin are inclined to pro- ceed, not to wait." White House domestic policy ad- viser Bruce Reed said the administra- tion has made no decision on Work Not Welfare, although HHS is look- ing carefully at whether there will be enough jobs for participants. "The president is generally sup- portive of welfare reform initiatives in the states but every waiver request has a number of technical issues and financial issues and practical issues," Reed said. Whitburn has taken his case for Wisconsin's experiment to the White House and believes the issue will be brought to a head soon. He said the experiment will be conducted in two counties with healthy economies and businesses committed to hiring former welfare recipients, and the state's safety net will continue to protect families who are incapable of competing in the private market. "On the other hand, if you're job- ready and able to work, we're intro- ducing you to real-world values," he said. Mark Greenberg of the Center for Law and Social Policy, a liberal re- search and advocacy organization, said the plan "destroys the idea of the welfare system as a safety net." "The Wisconsin approach makes use of the very catchy phrase 'Work Not Welfare,' but it doesn't provide work, it simply ends welfare," said Greenberg. MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily Ann Arbor resident Jason Fuller and his dog - bearing the unusual name Kush - were strolling across the Diag yesterday when they happened upon a newly-raked pile of fresh leaves. Being a playful little fellow, Kush started to frolic gleefully in the fall foliage. UI 1 I A Wa &L cL ". WrCs *, x (Ab KAl ~ I l Realize the dream of caling your own shots!1 Our career will help you do just that. Our agents have been recognized as "Top Sales Force" in a survey of sales executives by Sales & Marketing Management magazine.* And our top ratings by Moody's, Standard & Poor's, A.M. Best and Duff & Phelps assure the financial security that people look for at times like these. If you're looking for a meaningful, rewarding career, call for a confidential interview. THE STEIN AGENCY 2701 Troy Center Drive, Suite 300 Troy, MI 48084 (313) 362-2220 To learn more about this exciting opportunity you are cordially invited to attend: AN OPEN HOUSE CAREER FORUM Thursday, October 21; 1993 ownthe sky To fly is one thing. To fly with the Marine Corps is something else. They'll show.you the meaning of wings. From the wingsof the F-18 Hornet to the wings you wear as a Marine aviator, this is flying at its best. Andyour ticket to fly is your college diploma. If you'd like to be up there, contact your local Marine Officer Selec- tion Officer. 1-800-MARINES.