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,