OPINI NON Page 4 Wedn ,sdayJuly 21, 997 EDITOR IN CHIEF James M. Nash EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS Patrick Javid Jason Lichtstein 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan. Unsigned editorials present the opinion of a majority of the Daily's @ editorial board. All other cartoons, signed articles and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Daily. W hat can we do about the crime, despair and rising death tolls in our inner cities? This week, Congress appears to be close to coming up with its answer - the wrongone. The House andSenateseemclose to passing anew omnibus crime package that would "fight crime" by increasing sentenc- ing requirements and further legitimizing the use of the death penalty. This would be a mistake of the highest order. The road to fightingcrimeispaved withprovidinggreater economic prosperity and ensuring physical security, not with useless symbols of lethal injections and cruel and unusual electrocu- tions. The widespread use of the death pen- alty clearly misses the point, in light of the real source of the crime problem. The current version of Congress' $22 billion bill contains, among other things, the showboat "three strikes and you're out" sen- tencing requirement, and a watered-down version of the House-backed ban on 19 types of semi-automatic weapons. While many of A Democratic Crime Bill? Focus on death penalty dooms omnibus bill its measures are badly needed, such as a ban on juvenile weapons possession and new procedures to help prevent violence against women, the focus of the bill is to spend huge amounts of money on questionable federal programs. There are two major problems with this bill: First, only 19 semi-automatic weapons are to be banned. Second, it authorizes the deathpenalty fordozensofnewfederalcrimes. The real worry is that this shift toward capital punishment will further weaken our respect for true justice and defendants' rights in this country. The new list of capital offenses not only includes the crime of killing a federal poultry inspector, but it also allows the death penalty to be meted out for certain crimes involving a gun that crossed state lines. This last measure is almost certain to make some crimes eligible for the death penalty even in states that otherwise would not allow it. The third major shortcoming of the crime package is that it gives too little credit to projects and efforts aimed at fighting crime at its roots. Many of the more productive, for- ward-looking measures in the package are pathetically underfunded. For example, ol the $22.3 billion that Congress plans to sp to combat crime, only $60 million has beer committed toward drug prevention and treat- ment - less than 0.3 percent of the total. There are a couple of positive aspects ir the package, though. One of the bill's main points is anaidpackage designedtoputabout 100,000 new police officers on the streets. And the bill also helps establish "alternatives to incarceration" programs, where young fir - time offenders can perform community s vice as punishment. Overall, this bill is not "fighting crime." Truly addressing crime in America will take a dramatic shift away from the present "lock- 'em-up" mentality and toward a re-emphasis on cities, families and local communities as centers of responsible social life. This issue demands the full attention of the Congress in conference, without the demagoguery. City-'U' wrangling Ann Arbor would be Dexter without 'U' To many of Ann Arbor's elected leaders, the University behaves like a schoolyard bully,swipingtoyswithimpunity.Twoweeks ago the biggest kid on the block added an- other plaything to its list: the $7.65 million Eisenhower Corporate Park West building. The purchase took the property off the city's tax rolls, sapping an annual $37,700 in rev- enue from the municipal coffers. This time it was the city that acted like the spoiled brat. The University Board of Regents' ap- proval of the purchase on July 14 provoked shrill and misguided statements from city leaders. A council member publicly chided the University for showing its "true colors." City Administrator Alfred Gatta, in a memo to council members, rebuked the University for its "lack of... social responsibility to this community."Andothercityleadersprivately sniped at the University for its ignorance of the city's fiscal plight. Yes, the city has been forced to make oftenpainfulbudgetcuts. Andyes, the loss of $37,700 a year will sting. But city leaders overlook the essence of their relationship with the University when they denounce the purchase while ignoring the University's eco- nomic contributions to the community. The relationship is symbiotic, with the University drawing industry, investment and talented people to Ann Arbor and the city providing services to the University population. Yetcityleaders, likeGatta, insistonpaint- ing the relationship as adversarial. Their motive: pressuring the University to reim- burse the city for alltax dollarslost to Univer- sity development. Another suggestion de- serves more serious consideration: a plan to levy a city-wide income tax. The income tax would extract revenue from University em- ployees, including those who live outside Ann Arbor and currently pay no taxes to the city. But Gatta's income tax proposal has repeatedly beenquashed by the City Council. The income tax, which would more effec- tively harness the economic might of the University, has been endorsed by President James J. Duderstadt. The city's grievances are not totally with- out merit, however. While the University bringsgrowthtoAnnArbor, itoftentreats the city as a junior partner. University officials were too quick to reject a suggestion from Gatta that they issue an economic impact statement for major projects. Such a state- ment would at least allow the city to brace for the University's next move. Even if the Uni- versity continues to resist the suggestion, city leaders have little reason for complaining. When state officials were seeking a site for the campus last century, Dexter and Ann Arborwereontheirlist. Now, in 1994, Dexter is a small hamlet in western Washtenaw County; Ann Arbor is a thriving urban center. Gender politics Women in the political process: imperative ramed on the television screen, U.S. Sen- of the U.S. population. Not every femi F ate candidate LanaPollackemerges from politician brings more liberal or more femi- a sea of cardboard cutouts, depicting the nist ideas to government - if she did, than same smiling male politician with the same endorsing a woman would be no different dark suit and red-striped tie. The only way to from endorsing a Democrat. What she often change things in Washington, she says, is to does bring is a different perspective on issues change the people you send there. Michigan as diverse as reproductive rights, education residents can do this by voting more women, and crime. Psychological studies have con- like Pollack, into office. cluded that legitimate sex differences in atti- Michigan voters will head to the polls for tudes do exist: Women, on the whole,*0 the primaries on Aug. 2, and a plethora of more prosocial and group-oriented than men women from Ann Arbor will appear on the are. Bringing more womenintopolitics could ballot. Michigan Sen. Lana Pollack is run- affect national and state policy to the benefit ning for the Democratic nomination for the of all. Moreover, voting patterns suggest that U.S. Senate; Lynn Rivers seeks the nomina- women are more socially and economically tion for the U.S. House (13th District), and liberal than men are, which bodes well for former Ann Arbor Mayor Liz Brater is vying comprehensive health care, welfare and pe- for the 53rd District seat in the Michigan nal reform. HouseofRepresentatives.Inaddition,Debbie Just as other politicians represent th Stabenow is seeking the Democratic nomi- constituents, female politicians represenk nation for governor to challenge the incum- sizable population of Americans which has bent, conservative anti-hero, John Engler. traditionally had little say in government. Remember: 1992 was trumpeted as the Women received the right to vote a mere 74 "Year of the Woman" in politics, and ended years ago, and discrimination injury service with four new women elected to the U.S. was still going on in the 1970s. Senate. This brought the total to six women We commend these Michigan women for senators, a 300-percent increase from the participating in the political process and wish previous count of two. With the recent addi- them success in the coming primary. The tion of Kay Bailey Hutchinson from Texas, legislatures of the United States might so@ the Senate now has seven women in resi- come closer to representing 52 percent of the dence. Yet this is still only 7 percent of the population - and a government would Senate --representing the female 52 percent emerge that "looks like America."