The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, August 7, 1984 - Page 3
BALLOTS TO BE CAST TODAY
Dunn, Lousma wrap up campaign
From staff and wire reports
Voters across the state will go to the pol
primary elections which will pick canci
numerous national, state, and local positioi
In the most widely publicized of today's
the Republican fight over who will challe
bent Democratic Sen. Carl Levinin Nover
tion, candidates Jim Dunn and Jack Lousr
their bitter battle to a close campaigning in
rich Detroit area yesterday.
DUNN FLATLY predicted a 10 percer
victory, but Lousma backers continued
confidence that he will win.
The two conservative Republicans have
tant differences on the issues, and t
frequently focused on disputes over campa
and tactics.
Turnout is expected to be a potentially de
tor.
ELECTIONS DIRECTOR Chris Thoi
Council
hears from
funding
critics
By ANDREW ERIKSEN
The vast majority of public
comments at the Ann Arbor City
Council meeting last night dealt with a
proposal that would take regular
property taxes from new developments
and pledge them for a limited period of
time to pay for the cost of public
improvements.
The area covered under the proposal
includes the entire city except the part
of downtown under the jurisdiction of
the Downtown Development Authority.
The purpose of the proposal is to
prevent urban deterioration and
encourage economic development.
ULRICH STOLL, a city resident,
voiced opposition to the proposal
arguing that the projects could be
funded under the capital improvements
budget - like the way other projects in
the city are funded.
Councilmember Gerald Jernigan (R-
Fourth Ward) said after the public
comments session that the purpose of
the proposal is to allow smaller
projects, which are usually put aside
under the capital improvements
budget, to be completed.
"We're trying to streamline the
process," said Jernigan.
Councilmember Kathy Edgren (D-
Fifth Ward) said she received several
phone calls from people who were not
able to attend and would have liked to
have had the chance to speak at the
public comments session.
She recommended that Council have
another public comments session on the
issue but Mayor Louis Belcher said
that he would rather wait and see if
there was enough public demand for an
additional session.
In other council business, the council
gave preliminary approval to a
resolution that would forbid the
purchase and sale of martial arts
weapons known as nun-chuks and
throwing stars by or to minors. The
resolution would also forbid the
possession of such weapons in a public
place.
yesterday there are 5,668,050 voters registered for the
primary.
That is nearly equal to the number who were
registered for the 1980 general election.
He is predicting that between 21 percent and 25
percent of those registered voters will cast ballots.
That means between 1.2 million and 1.4 million
voters.
A LIGHT TURNOUT is expected to aid Lousma
because his campaign has more extensive ap-
paratus for getting its supporters to the polls.
An added boost is provided by the efforts of Right-to-
Life of Michigan, which has endorsed Lousma
because of his staunch anti-abortion stand.
Most of the organizations 60,000 members are being
contacted and reminded to vote, as are about 300,000
people who have been identified as anti-abortion
voters.
Dunn, in a statement, predicted he will win 55 per-
cent to 45 percent.
"The undecided voters are making their decisions.
And it is clear that they are breaking heavily our
way," he said.
The one-term congressman said he is surging
ahead on the strength of last week's televised debates
which "gave Michigan people a reason to go out and
vote for Jim Dunn."
Voters in the 2nd Congressional District, which in-
cludes most of Washtenaw County, will be choosing
between University researcher Don Grimes and
Plymouth teacher Mike McCauley to name a
challenger to incumbent Republican Rep. Carl Pur-
sell.
Also on today's ballot is the Republican primary to
select an opponent who will take on Democrat Perry
Bullard in Novermber. University student Gretchen
Morris, former president of the College Republicans,
is up against perennial candidate Paul Jensen.
County voters will also be voting for candidates in
the races for sheriff, several judgeships, county
commissioner, and drain commissioner.
~jy,. W i
..
,:
..
a
z
" :. s
_
e ,_
. ,:
...
'_ ., # s
,o
ate:;: >J-46
ARM& jw lq i
Associated Press
New Fords
The first production line Fords for 1985 roll off the assembly line ata Chicago assembly plant yesterday.
Railroad admin.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The government, reacting to a rash
of passenger railroad in which 11 people were killed
last month, announced yesterday an in-depth examination of
Amtrak's operations and a nationwide inspection of tracks
used by the railroad.
John Riley, head of the Federal Railroad Administration,
said inspectors will concentrate on examing Amtrak's
dispatching and signaling procedures along the Boston-
Washington Northeast Corridor, where more than half of the
railroad's passengers travel.
IN ADDITION, Riley said a special car that detects track
misalignments will be used to make a close check of the more
than 22,000 miles of track used by Amtrak trains nationwide.
Most of that track is owned and maintained by other
railroads.
But Riley acknowledged that the new actions may uncover
little that could have prevented the accidents last month.
Three of those crashes involved railroad crossing accidents
and another has been attributed to a sudden rail washout
during flash flooding.
Riley, joined at a news conference by Amtrak Chairman
W. Graham Claytor, said he has found "absolutely nothing
to inspect Amtrak
that indicates Amtrak ... is not a top notch operation" but
that the recent accidents warranted closer examination of
Amtrak's rules and procedures.
CLAYTOR WELCOMED the investigation, saying, "I am
satisfied that we are running the safest railroad in the United
States." He promised total cooperation with federal officials
in their inspections, which are expected to last three to six
weeks.
Amtrak over the years has been praised by transportation
safety experts, who say railroads generally provide the
safest mode of travel. But in July, a rash of fatal accidents
plagued the government-subsidized passenger line.
Among the crashes was the derailment of Amtrak's
Montrealer on July 7 in Vermont when a ravine crossing
washed out during a sudden storm. Investigators have said a
faulty radio system prevented the crew from being warned of
the severe weather conditions.
The Vermont crash, which killed five people and injured
137, was Amtrak's second-worst fatal accident since the
railroad began operation in 1971. About two weeks later, two
Amtrak trains were put on the same track by mistake and
they collided head-on in New York City,