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PRICE: 25e DAILY
United Press International
CHICKASHA, OKLAHOMA, FRIDAY, APRIL 5,1985
FOURTEEN PAGES
VOL. 94—NO. 82
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1002
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‘Aka
g
Jobless Rate Remains Steady
WASHINGTON (UPI) - The
State Businesses In ’85
President ‘Brushes Off Peace
Plan Rejection By Nicaragua
County Elections Held
I
Lower Unemployment
Insurance Rates Greet
HELP
MENIAL f
I
t
Tonight At 7
The Chickasha Mighty Mite
Football, Inc. Board of Directors
will meet tonight at 7:30 at the
Chickasha Public Library.
Anyone wishing to coach
should attend. The public is in-
vited.
Dale Crim in Minco’s Ward 4 pol-
ling battle.
Joyce J. Smith won the town
clerk’s post for East Ninnekah,
topping opponent Jennifer
Crabb, 70-24. Only one candidate
field for each of the council seats
from Wards 2,4, and 5.
Karen Stephens was elected
city treasurer.
At Rush Springs polling
places, Wayne Gardener edged
Jim Rennaker, 146-81 in Ward 2;
Tommy Dyson won Ward 4’s
council seat, 159-71 over Jack
Rountree; and Ward 5 chose Ne-
Ida Stewart over Johnnie E.
Hines, 144-96.
The only race to develop in Tu-
ttle was for Ward 3’s highly-
contested council seat with
Windle Hardy besting Joe
Potter, 599-306.
Tuttle residents denied a de-
annexation appeal, 603-210 in a
special election ballot.
Civilian employment totaled
107.1 million in March.
The unemployment rate for
most groups of people remained
virtually unchanged during
March.
The unemployment rate for
blacks dropped by 1.1 percent in
March — to 15.2 percent — but
still remains a serious problem. ,
The unemployment figures
also showed that in March, 1.3
million people had been without
jobs for six months or longer.
The median duration of job-
lessness was slightly more than
seven weeks, the statistics
showed.
The March unemployment
rate for agricultural workers
remained high, at 12.2 percent,
but showed a decline from the
February rate of 13.6 percent
and January’s level of 15.5 per
cent.
HELP
XEMu
citM
Nigh Pushes
Tax Passage
OKLAHOMA CITY (UPI) — Oklahoma will need to extend the
1-cent state sales tax regardless of whether voters approve a change
in the revenue estimate formula April 30, Gov. George Nigh and
Senate leader Rodger Randle said Thursday.
Nigh reminded that the 1-cent extension had been in his budget
since the start of the session.
“It is imperative we pass it,’ ’ Nigh said.
“It appears to me that the end conclusion we will have to come to is
to make the sales tax increase permanent, ’' Randle said.
House Speaker Jim Barker has also said the sales tax extension is
virtually certain, although the House will make no firm decision on
tax bills until after April 30.
Randle also said he hopes the Legislature will “restrain its spen-
ding” and carry over until next year a rainy day pot of about $170
million. Of this $100 million would accrue this June 30 and would
normally be called surplus. He suggested the remaining $70 million
could come from spending only half of the $143 million to be made
available by the revenue formula change.
He said that would be conditional on the Legislature re-enacting
the 1-cent sales tax increase and picking up additional revenue from
the new liquor tax, equalization of pickup and auto tags and possibly
a premium tax on domestic insurance companies.
The last Legislature increased the state sales tax 1 cent, to 3 cents
on the dollar. That expires Dec. 31. It would bring the state $88 million
to extend it the rest of the 1985-86 fiscal year and $212 million per year
thereafter.
Asked if it might be difficult to get the people to support changing
the revenue estimate formula as well as a sales tax increase and still
have a $170 million carryover, Randle said it is important to look to
future stability.
He said the Legislature should not spend all the money just because
it was there. He said the $143 million to be made available from the
revenue formula change “does not create any new money.”
He said it simply increases the legal estimate of what can be
appropriated. He said it would be wise to hold some back in view of
uncertain economic conditions.
The proposed constitutional amendment would permit the Legis-
lature to appropriate 95 percent of the economic estimate of next
fiscal year’s revenue. This would be about $143 million more than the
present formula would permit.
Nigh, whose news conference followed Randle’s said, he, too hoped
the Legislature would not spend all available funds.
“I am not opposed," he said. “I would say it is healthy if we can do
it and still provide needed services. Carrying money forward is good,
but I would hate to carry so much forward that we did not address
needs.”
Randle also said the Legislature can look at other alternatives if
the revenue formula change fails to pass.
“If it fails, it is not the end of the world,” he said.
Both Randle and Nigh, however, said its passage is critically
needed.
Randle and Nigh also stated their talks with Barker the past 24
hours on reform proposals have been productive. They declined to
discuss details.
Of the insurance premium tax, Randle noted the current tax law is
involved in a federal lawsuit because out-of state companies must
pay a 4 percent tax while in state companies are exempt. He said
because of the lawsuit, much of the current revenue can’t be spent
immediately and there is a possibility the revenue will be lost next
year.
“Oklahoma's Most Interesting—And Most Readable—Daily Newspaper
We Saw
Janice Day, getting ready for a
meeting...John Gardner, being
congratulated... Bill Wallace,
stopping by the Daily Express...
Opal Pettigrew, doing some
baby sitting... Ann Calhoun, mak-
ing bunny cakes...Evelyn Reed,
busy at work...Eddie Binyon, in
a telephone conversation.
Leon Pfeifer and Julie Craig,
being honored at a shower...
Judy Howell, placing an ad...
Royse LeBleu and Les Wyatt,
getting oodles of eggs from the
Easter bunny...David Carter, in
a conversation...John Quinton,
in a telephone conversation...
Nona Sue Sheerer, picking up a
poster at the Daily Express.
In 1984 each employer paid UI
taxes on the first $7,000 each em-
ployee earned. Robert A. Re-
agan, chief of contributions of
OESC, said because of the
change in the law which takes
effect Jan. 1,1986, the wage base
may increase next year. After
Jan. 1, the wage base will be re-
computed each year and will
equal 50 percent of the state’s
average annual wage for the
preceding calender year.
UI tax decreases this year for
Oklahoma employers ranged
from 0.1 percent to 6.9 percent of
their 1984 tax rate. Increases
ranged from 0.1 percent to 2.0
percent, the maximum increase
allowed under current state law.
Oklahoma’s 1965 UI tax rates
will range from 0.3 percent for
those employers with the lowest
benefit payout records to 9.2 per-
cent with high layoff rates. The
largest group — 32,230 — will be
paying the lowest rate in 1985.
Only 2,065 will be assessed at the
highest rate.
Municipal elections were held
in four Grady County townships
Tuesday.
Warren Barr tied Nell Maupin
in Minco’s Ward 1 race, 135-135,
while Joe McComas won a
three-man race for the Ward 2
spot, 164 votes to Lee Rinehart’s
34 and Brian Roach’s 72.
Roy Hayes was the only candi-
date to file for Ward 3.
Donald R. McDaniel’s 128-vote
showing overcame challenger
Phil South’s 104 tally and 37 for
The Chickasha Express
Invites
Richard Warden
To the Washita Theater to see
FRIDAY THE 13TH
PART FIVE
This coupon good for two
tickets to see the above pic-
ture.
■ Husi l MGbAd
Daily Express / Doris J. Wentworth
CHICKASHA COUNCIL of the Knights of Columbus of Oklahoma will be conducting its annual Fund
Drive for the Mentally Retarded during the weekend of April 12,13, and 14. The local drive is a part of a
state wide campaign to raise funds for the Knights of Columbus home for the retailed, the Center of
Family Love, which is located in Okarche. Local Knighs of Columbus members will be out at various
stores Saturday and Sunday, April 13 and 14, handing out candy and accepting donations. Past years fund
drivers have helped to build and operate the Center of Family Love, which has rapidly developed into the
finest residential treatment centers for mentally retarded adults in the state. Pictured from left to right
on the front row are: John Friedlan, Edmond Dobry-Grand Knight, Vince Bergschneider and Joe Santos.
Back row from left to right: Mayor Bruce Storms, Carl Looney, Leonard Voegeli, Fred Lindsay and Andy
Reding.
HELP.,
MENTALV
R.K 1ARDM
I CITIZEN
Trade Envoy
Pleads Case
For Japanese
WASHINGTON (UPI) —
Japan's trade envoy, trying to
head off protectionist legislation
in Congress, sought today to tell
U.S. officials of his nation’s side
in the increasingly bitter
U. S. - J apanese trade dispute.
Reishi Teshima, Japan’s
deputy foreign minister for
economic affairs, was scheduled
to meet today with Commerce
Department officials and Rep.
Thomas Foley, D-Wash. Later,
he was meeting with an
Agriculture Department rep-
resentative and other U.S. trade
officials.
Teshima was sent by Prime
Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone to
explain Japan’s side in its cur-
rent trade dispute with the
United States. Washington
wants Japan to open its markets
to U.S. goods as much as U.S.
markets are open to Japanese
products.
Japan has made a series of
moves in that direction in recent
years, but U.S. officials and
members of Congress say it
hasn’t been enough.
The Senate and House have
each responded with nonbinding
resolutions urging President
Reagan to restrict entry of
Japanese goods if Japan doesn’t
further open its markets. The
Senate Finance Committee has
approved a stronger measure di-
R
HI (
MENT d
JETA! I
(DTIZ 1
Ameomsoni 1
He said it was “curious” that
in neighboring El Salvador, it
was the government that made a
peace offer but in Nicaragua it
was the rebel guerrillas.
Asked again how he could sell
the peace plan in the face of
strong Nicarguan opposition,
Reagan said, “I don't think
they’ve heard from everybody.
Their neighbors are going to be-
gin leaning on them also. ’ ’
Earlier today, Secretary of
State George Shultz said Re-
agan's offer will remain open
despite the early rejection.
"We will keep the offer on the
table,” Shultz said in an inter
view on ABC’s “Good Morning
America” program. “We hope
Nicaragua will think it over a
little more carefully. ’’
In announcing his plan Thu-
rsday, Reagan said if it is
adopted the United States will
provide money to the Contra re-
bels only for humanitarian pur-
poses for the next 60 days.
But no matter what happens
after that, Reagan declared,
“We’re not going to quit and
walk away” from the Contras,
who are fighting to overthrow
the leftist Sandinistas.
In a series of interviews today
and Thursday night, Nic-
aragua's Foreign Minister
Miguel D’Escoto firmly rejected
the Reagan plan.
“What President Reagan has
said is ‘You drop dead or else I
kill you.’ If you do not cry uncle
by June 1 he will continue the
war against our people, cotinue
to finance his thugs to murder
and kill our people,” D'Escoto
said on ABC’s “Good Morning
America.”
D'Escoto said if Reagan really
wants peace, the United States
should engage in direct nego-
tiations with Managua. “We
tried that,” Shultz responded,
and after “eight or nine meet-
ings... got nowhere.''
“With regard to this so-called
peace proposal, I would say
there is no peace proposal at all,
that it is much more like a de-
claration of war,” D’Escoto said
hours after Reagan’s an-
nouncement.
District Weather
After a 20 percent chance of
showers Friday morning, chan-
ces of District rainfall and over-
all cloudiness decreased for a
cooler daytime high in the mid
60s. Overnight lows were to be in
the lower 40s while Saturday’s
high was expected to climb into
the lower 70s. Friday’s noon
thermometer reading 60.
The Chickasha Express
Iuvites
Tommy M Baxter
To the Southland Twin to see
POLICE ACADEMY
FIRST ASSIGNMENT
This coupon good for two
tickets to see the above pic-
ture.
HELP
MMJALU
Trinity Baptist
Easter Pageant
Is Set Saturday
Once again the people of
Chickasha will be the guests of
Trinity Baptist Church at then-
annual Easter Pageant.
The pageant will be held Sat-
urday night before Easter to ac-
comodate people who will attend
other services Sunday morning.
The play will start promptly at
8 p.m. and everyone should be in
their seats in order for the cast to
move about the auditorium dur-
ing the course of the Easter pre-
sentation.
Costumes and special settings
will enhance the performance.
Past audiences have remarked
on the unique experience of the
cast moving among them.
“A lot of detail has gone into
the production ”, says Bill
Clabom, music director.
Every effort is made to make
the play an authentic and scrip-
turally sound portrayal of the
passion as presented in the
Bible.
“Behind the scenes there are a
lot of unsung heroes. Marvin
Rice, for one, has constructed
the cross and lighting system.
Others helped with costumes and
many pray for us as we prepare
to perform ”, Clabom added.
The Trinity Baptist Church is
located at Ninth and Oregon.
There is no charge for admission
to | the Saturday eveing per-
formance, 8 p.m. April 6. A
nursery will be provided for
children three years and
younger.
remained essentially unchanged
since last fall although it re-
mains high by historical stan-
dards.
The March unemployment
figure that includes military
personnel was 7.2 percent — also
the same as in February. In
January, that figure was 7.3 per-
cent.
Civilian employment rose by
430,000 people during the month
and "the proportion of the civi-
lian population with jobs was the
highest ever recorded,” the
Labor Department said.
Particularly significant job
gains were seen in the ser-
viceproducing sector of the
economy.
Job gains also were experi-
enced in the retail trade and con-
struction sectors of the economy.
But manufacturing employment
has been in a slump since last
August — with automobile
workers experiencing additional
layoffs for the past two months.
People in the steel, textiles,
petroleum and leather industries
also continued to lose their jobs.
In March, the factory work
week rose by half an hour, re-
bounding from depressed levels
in February, largely due to in-
clement weather.
More than 10,000 Oklahoma
businesses and other employers
will pay a lower rate for their
Unemployment Insurance
coverage this year than in 1984.
Information released Friday
by the Oklahoma Employment
Security Commission showed
that 10,994 Oklahoma employers
will have their UI tax rates red-
uced for 1965. Another 18,070 will
be paying higher rates this year
while 38,281 will see no rate
change 1984 to 1985.
UI tax rates are computed an-
nually in March for each em-
ployer required to pay UI taxes.
Rates are based on a formula
which takes into consideration
the statewide payout over the
previous three years of un-
employement benefits to eligible
jobless workers, each
employer’s record of benefits
paid to laid-off workers and the
condition of the State UI Trust
Fund which finances benefit
payments.
WASHINGTON (UPI) — Miguel D’Escoto’s statement
President Reagan today brushed that the administration's call for
off Nicaragua’s rejection of his a cease-fire and negotiations
peace plan, saying, “They don’t with the Contra rebels amounted
want to give up the cushy spot to “a declaration of war.”
that they’ve got right now,” but “They were saying that before
added the hope that Nicaragua’s they even heard what the plan
Central American neighbors was,” Reagan said. “I under-
“will begin leaning on them” to stand it. They don’t want to give
accept.                           up the cushy spot that they’ve got
At an impromptu news con- right now,” he said, predicting
ference upon his departure from “the people of Nicaragua will be
the White House for California, highly supportive of it.”
Reagan was asked about Nic- Reagan, who was eager to talk
araguan Foreign Minister about Nicaragua and his new
budget compromise with Senate
A/• l _    A/•. Republican leaders, ordered the
IVIIIILY VIIL engine of his departure heli-
— J                 copter turned off so he could en-
R Aarr V aafe gage in questions and answers on
HV4I V IVI U9 the White House South Lawn.
reeling the president to either unemployment rate remained at
obtain trade concessions from 7.3 percent in March, the Labor
Japan or restrict Japanese im- Department reported today, the
ports.                           same figure as in February.
Sens. John Danforth, R-Mo., Civilian jobs were the highest on
Lloyd Bentsen, D-Texas, and record but some 8.4 million Arn-
Frank Lautenberg, D-N. J., Thu- ericans were still out of work.
rsday announced they were draf-    “Employment rose markedly
ting still another bill, this one in March, and unemployment
dealing with trade in tele- was unchanged,” the Labor De-
communications equipment. partment’s Bureau of Labor
Japan agreed in 1980 to open its Statistics reported. The reason,
telecommunications market to it said, was because the labor
U.S. firms. The senators say that market continued to expand in
agreement has not brought sig- March.
nificant results.                   The unemployment rate has