we A ti One hundred three years of editorial freedom R l s t' 019% The mkmgan Daily I Pro po Ye., i 0 What It means: Beginning May 1, to 6 cents per doll begin with the Apr Proposal A wins handily; student vote mixed FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS Michigan voters yesterday overwhelm- ingly chose a higher sales tax instead of an income tax increase to fund schools and cut property taxes. With 90 percent of precincts reporting, Proposal A had 69 percent to 31 percent against it. There were 1,461,175 "yes" votes and 643,237 "no" votes. The mea- sure was leading in all 83 counties. The vote was more evenly split on cam- pus, where poll lines were short and voters unenthusiastic. A slim majority of voters questioned outside the polls at the Michigan Union said they voted against Proposal A. When the polls closed at 8 p.m. yester- day, just under 120 votes had been recorded at the Union. Poll workers there said turn- out was relatively high for a single issue. For most voters, the issue boiled down to an increase in either the sales tax or the income tax. "The sales tax never goes down; it only goes up. Other taxes can change," said LSA senior Trent Reynolds, who voted against Proposal A. "If we vote for Proposal A, the sales tax would stay at 6 percent forever." LSA senior Alex Van Vloten offered no praise for either Proposal A or the statu- tory plan. She called the ballot proposal "a cop-out by state legislators," designed to shift the tax burden from rich property owners. Proposal A, which will raise the sales tax from 4 percent to 6 percent, was the only measure on the special statewide bal- lot. If voters had rejected it, a law passed by the Legislature required the income tax to be raised from 4.6 to 6 percent. Proposal A and the income tax backup both were part of a plan to provide $10.2 billion for schools and slash property taxes. Gov. John Engler, the main supporter of the sales tax increase, said the challenge was to get voters to understand their choices. "It's a major commitment to bring down property taxes. We did that and as a result we made history in Michigan," he said. Engineering sophomore Matthew Mor- gan also hailed the property tax cut, citing See VOTE, Page 2 o ia UD Resull precir am with 901 Holocaust victims recalled in )iag vigil By SAM T. DUDEK DAILY STAFF REPORTER Six million people perished dur- ing the Holocaust. As a memorial to those who were killed, Hillel began a 24-hour reading of the names of Holocaust victims, on *e Diag yesterday. The vigil, which continues until 11 a.m. today, is part of the week- long Annual Conference on the Holo- caust. Gathered under a make-shift canopy, volunteers and organizers read name after name. Fighting morn- ing rain, afternoon snow, and the dark of night, readers took turns memori- izing those who died. "Personally, I think that it's to make sure nobody forgets exactly what happened," said first-year Nurs- ing student Alan Polsky. "It's a way to commemorate what happened in a way that helps show how many people this affected and how horrible the Holocaust really was," he said. Throughout the day, students *opped by to listen to the names and to read from the list. See VIGIL, Page 2 MSA pres. c nites Iebate role ofassembly By RONNIE GLASSBERG DAILY STAFF REPORTER The highlight of yesterday's Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) esidential debate was not the seven andidates in attendance. Instead, the unusal nature of one missing candidate's campaign turned out to be the only thing out of the ordinary. Independent James Kovacs, who is running his campaign through e- mail, sent his campaign manager, LSA junior David Pava, to represent him. Aside from Pava and the seven andidates, about 50 people attended the debate yesterday of the candidates for MSA president. In the debate which lasted an hour and a half, the candidates only got through five questions. Pava discussed the views of Kovacs o", Isi n-n mlrl . fn. .ino -rcuan4 + Ail- YiSK z.- f c ' r r v 'fin Y I u yg OR, fir: 5 E , ry". hn LY}y,.,E ; 'Y " y$7i"au ' ' ."k " ,! 5 ts.G a { y ;r1 5 i'": } aF ':' '. ;R s "l l ! ]+ F. x r Cax i i is > "' 3 nt v '5 < fir V b _ t.3; i n; r;. T s A F t ' yr ii }?" A }"tiyf x::, x 5" ' . f rr n * . w " _, A R. ..v. If tf f.r. "d °"'' '""v' .\ 1+ . J4" '_ rs y3 i i Labor Secretary Robert Reich, flanked by Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and chair of the president's council of economic advisors Laura Tyson, holds up the 41-page report at a press conference yesterday. P News Analysis Fanfare odesn't mask economiC fears By JAMES R. CHO DAILY STAFF REPORTER DETROIT - Finance and labor representatives of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations wrapped up the first-ever jobs confer- ence here yesterday afternoon ex- pressing concern about the jobs crisis but leaving with no agreements on how to end it. Still, they declared their meeting an "important first step" that would . lead to better coordination in the fu- ture. Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen read a statement written in conjunc- tion with the other finance ministers summarizing the findings of the two- day conference. "It is critical that we prepare our economies, and most importantly, our people, for the challenges that await us in the next century," he said. After two days of exhaustive closed-door discussions, the minis- ters had little to show for their efforts beyond a decision to study the prob- lem further at the annual G7 eco- nomic summit meeting in Naples, Italy later this year and a 41-page report. The report describes success sto- ries in each nation ranging from Canada's job-sharing programs to the Clinton administration's new $13 bil- lion plan to overhaul the country's unemployment system. Nevertheless, Bentsen called the conference "a success." "Jobs and growth move right up to the top of the agenda," Bentsen said Vice President Al Gore said the jobs conference marked a fundamen- tal shift in international economic cooperation by putting the issue of jobs on an equal footing with more esoteric questions on interest rates and budget deficits that normally dominate international debate. But other ministers conceded that sharp differences remained. "Every country is going its own way, but in the setting of goals, a coordination has been achieved," said German Finance Minister Theo Waigel. See CONFERENCE, Page 12 By DAVID SHEPARDSON DAILY NEWS EDITOR DETROIT - The food was being put away, the risers folded up and the delegates were scampering out and heading to all-points home. All that remained from the G7 International Jobs Conference in Cobo Hall were a few signs taped to the walls directing people through the hall to the events. The signs read, "Jobs: This Way," but there was no longer anything "that way." In a sense, the signs were much like the jobs conference itself - long on symbolism and short on identifi- able results. The conference, which cost the city more than $1 million - minus corporate donations - and took the Clinton administration more than eight months to plan, was derided by some as "a media show" and praised See OUTCOME, Page 12 Rostenkowski wins Ill, primary LOS ANGELES TIMES 50 percent of the vote. His chief rival, help the president enact a health care CHICAGO - Overcoming alle- State Sen. John J. Cullerton, had 31 program to cover every American. gations of corruption with the aid of percent. Former Chicago alderman He won the primary despite a two- President Clinton and a rejuvenated Dick Simpson had 14 percent. year-old federal grand jury investiga- city Democratic machine, Rep. Dan "Politics is not a profession that tion centering on allegations that he Rostenkowski (D-Ill.) powerful chair rewards purity or perfection," he said converted $22,000 in postage stamps of the House Ways and Means Com- as he claimed victory. "I've made from accounts of his office to cash for mittee, easily won renomination last mistakes. I hope I'll learn from them personal use. night after the toughest race in his and do better in the future." Low turnout and a massive show long political career. Even so, Rostenkowski indicated of electoral force by an estimated The controversial congressman that the grueling 1994 campaign may 6,000 loyal Democratic precinct work- defeated four challengers in the Demo- be his last hurrah. When a supporter ers mobilized by Chicago Mayor Ri- cratic primary, virtually assuring his shouted, "four more years," he re- chard M. Daley and remnants of the re-election in the heavily Democratic sponded: "I don't know about four, still-powerful Democratic organiza- Fifth Congressional District. but I know about two!" tion here helped Rostenkowski sur- With 78 percent of ballots in the Rostenkowski pledged that he vive. district counted, Rostenkowski had would go back to Washington and See PRIMARY, Page 2 I I i I I . i I ',, I, { Panel to hear proposed code amendments By HOPE CALATI however. Barbara Olender, assistant said although MSA opposes the cod DAILY STAFF REPORTER to the judicial advisor, confirmed that "What we're trying to do with a lot o Barring an act of nature, the hear- 26 student jurors had agreed to attend the amendments is to bring the scop ing to consider amendments to the this hearing. of the code in line with the rhetoric Statement of Student Rights and Re- The jurors and anyone else who The assembly is concerned wit sponsibilities will be held tonight. wishes to attend the meeting will hear issues of due process. Specificall Students who have drafted amend- proposed amendments from Michi- MSA wants advisors to be ableb ments have been waiting for the ice to gan Student Assembly, two groups of verbally represent students duriq stop falling from the sky and mid- students and the Office of Student hearings. Kight explained that stu terms to end so they would have the Affairs. dents shouldn't have to choose b onortunity to offer their amendments Student Affairs is proposing a tween the right to remain silent an orfi ,pe th ly, to ng nd