2 - The Michigan Daily - Thursday,_March 17, 1994 WH ITEWATER Continued from page 1 ward the White House meetings" with regulators could become "a method of backing into the fundamental ques- lions involved in W4iitewater issues in Arkansas." On Tuesday, Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-Ind.) said hearings might be the best way to get the facts out "quickly and completely." Known for his bipartisanship, Hamilton is chair of the House For- eign Affairs Committee and was co- chair of the House-Senate Iran-Contra Committee. Foley said Democratic lawmak- ers "are free to say what they think" about the need for hearings into the president's Whitewater real estate investment; its relationship to a failed savings and loan; the death of a White House lawyer and any possible ad- ministration interference in the case. Asked whether Whitewater was -affecting the agenda, Foley said, "I .don't think it is yet, but it could." Rostenkowski, fresh from a re- nomination victory in Tuesday's Illi- nois primary, would not predict whether a congressional investiga- tion would be productive, saying that depends "on whether it becomes a circus or not." SING US A SONG, YOU'RE THE PIANO MAN... Michigan residents. anticipate tax hike MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily Assistant piano technician Paul Brunno tunes a 9-foot Grotrian concert piano yesterday in Rackham. ,ENGLER Continued from page 1. homeowners of Michigan," said Senate Minority Leader Arthur Miller. "The loser of the day was Joe Camel." Joe Camel is the infamous mascot of Camel cigarettes, a reference to the tobacco industry's well-funded cam- paign against Proposal A. Beginning May 1, the tax on each pack of ciga- rettes will rise from 25 cents to 75 cents. One student who voted for Pro- posal A said the tax is long overdue. Meg Whittaker, a School of Public Health representative to the Michigan Student Assembly, enthusiastically en- dorsed the cigarette tax hike as a tool to curb smoking. "It's good from a public health standpoint," she said. Factors influencing the vote for Proposal A were as varied as the vot- ers who trickled to the polls at the Michigan Union Tuesday. Voters rattled off a list of pluses and minuses about Proposal A and the plan that would have taken effect if the ballot plan had failed. All of them agreed the barrage of advertising on both sides did little to influence their decision. "I didn't understand it, and I couldn't believe it," Rackham stu- dent Ken Blochowski said of adver- tising for and against Proposal A. "I voted mainly based on talking to people, experts on school finance." Voters at the Union went to great lengths to separate their decision on Proposal A from the gubernatorial race. Engler, who is running for re-elec- tion in November, was Proposal A's most influential backer. State Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Lansing, aDemo- cratic contender forEngler's seat, was among the most vocal opponents of the ballot plan. The overwhelming victory of Pro- posal A will strengthen Engler's posi- tion in November's election, but ex- perts disagree how much. "I don't know that this is a particu- larly big deal," said Edward M. Gramlich, director of the University's Institute of Public Policy Studies. "It will put (Engler) in pretty good shape this fall, but I think it's too early to say whether the election will depend on it." Englerhimself brushed aside ques- tions about Proposal A's effect on his re-election bid. "It's too early to look at that. I'm delighted to have this behind me," the first-term Republican governor said. Italian Restaurant I -i "I'm not going to say that (it guar- antees re-election). This is about cut- ting taxes and getting Michigan's economy on the positive track. Most Democrats took the election in stride, butoneparty leaderpredicted the outcome would be another nail in Engler's electoral coffin. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Gary Corbin said Proposal A will short- change Michigan schools by $1 billion. "The bill will come due," he de- clared. "Maybe not this week... Maybe not next month. ... But the handwriting is on the wall -and both the governor's budgetary shortfall and shortcomings of leadership will be abundantly clear to every Michigan parent by November." Partisan swipes aside, the con- vincing victory will inject a surge of morale into the Engler campaign. But it could be temporary. As the Democrats are fond of say- ing, President George Bush rode a wave ofpublic support after the U.S. victory in Operation Desert Storm. Less than two years later, the electorate cast him out of office. The Associated Press contributed to this report. f1(erdse Room *Studiy Lounge * TiVLounge Computer oom * Laundry fadities 24 fourAttendedLobby * Game Room Heat and'ater IncludLed nivergIty Towem Apart}lts 536 S. Forest Ave. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 761-2680 Economists expect retailers to push big- ticket items, urging consumers to beat higher sales tax DETROIT (AP) - Beat the sales tax. Buy now and save, save, save! Economists and consumer repre- sentatives said yesterday that con- sumers should be prepared for such advertisements over the next six weeks as retailers - particularly those sell- ing big-ticket items such as appli- ances and cars - try to push sales before the 2-cent sales tax increase goes into effect on May 1. But they say they don't think it will have much of an effect on overall sales. "When you think about buying an $18,000caryou're talking about pay- ing $360 more spread over payments of 36 to 48 months, I just don't think it's that big a deal," said Alan Baum, an analyst with Autofutures. "The consumer may go into it with a differ- ent mindset, but I think they're going to be more concerned about whether the product they want is available." Ron Fisher, a Michigan State Uni- versity economics professor, said the 2-cent increase - to 6. cents on the dollar - may cause people to speed up their major purchases slightly, but he doesn't think it will cause an over- all increase. "I don't think someone who doesn't need a new refrigerator is going to go out and buy one just to beat the sales tax." he said. "But I think someone who is planning to purchase an automobile this spring will try to buy one by May I and save some." Paul Greene of Birmingham falls into that category. He said he's been contemplating buying a piano for a while now and the looming sales-tax increase may motivate him to go ahead. HARDING Continued from page 1 Before accepting the plea, Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Donald Londer asked Harding if she had any emotional or psycho- logical problems. "I. don't know," Harding replied. Harding later issued a statement saying there was no excuse for the bad decisions she had made. "I am committed to seeking pro- fessional help and turning my full attention to getting my personal life in order. This objective is more im- portant than my figure skating," the statement said. Kerrigan was clubbed on the knee Jan. 6 as she practiced for the national championships in Detroit. She was forced to withdraw, and Harding then won the championships and qualified for the Olympics. Kerrigan's father, Daniel, told re- porters outside the family home in Stoneham, Mass., that Nancy and the family were not ready to comment on Harding's plea. Gillooly pleaded guilty Feb. 1 to "I'm not upset about it (the sales tax increase), but I'd definitely want to buy it before May I if I'm going to," he said. But Joe Ross of Ross & Associ- ates, a Lansing public relations firm, said consumers should be wary of sales pitches based on beating the sales tax. "What's two cents? At a grocery story two cents is really two cents. But when you're talking about going to an appliance store or a car dealer, it's not as relevant. There's more of a fudge factor," he said. 0 Ross said consumers may actually be able to get a better deal on May 2, if the seller lowers prices more than the difference of the sales tax in- crease. "If you're a good, savvy shopper you'll be able to get a good deal anytime," he said. He said a survey he conducted of print and advertising managers found that some advertisers started plan- ning ads based on the sales-tax in- crease two weeks ago. A random sampling of shoppers at a Southfield appliance store yester- day morning found few people plan- ning to push up there purchases. "I don't buy much anyway so it really doesn't matter much to me," said Paul Tyler of Southfield. Voters showed they weren't tha concerned about a 6-cent sales tax on Tuesday, when they voted over- whelmingly for it instead of plan would have raised the income tax from 4.6 percent to 6 percent on May 1. Proposal A also increases the ciga- rette tax from 25 cents a pack to 75 cents. For someone who smokes a pack a day, it will cost them $182.54 more a year. "It will definitely causeme tothink about it," said Gary Gold of Southfield. "I've been thinking about it for a while anyway and this might definitely do it. I'll at least cut back." racketeering in apleabargain with pros- ecutors. He told authorities Harding was in on the plot and gave the final goa ahead. Harding has denied knowing about the attack beforehand. After the hearing, Deputy District Attorney Norm Frink said there was "substantial evidence to support Ms. Harding's involvement prior to the assault." "She's not going toplead guilty to it, but I think the facts speak for them- selves," he said. The state accepted th plea agreement because of the poten tially large cost of a trial, he said. Eckardt, attacker Shane Stant and getaway driver Derrick Smith have been charged with conspiracy. They have confessed to their roles but have not been indicted. William Hybl, chair of the USFSA panel that investigated Harding, said the USFSA would continue its inves- tigation and that Harding could stilO be stripped of the national title she won in Detroit. A grand jury deciding whether to indict Harding met throughout the day. Among those testifying were Gillooly, Harding's choreographerEricaBakacs, and a handwriting expert. 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