Liberals vs. Conservatives

John Malcom directed the Student Union plant sale held in LaFortune last week, [photo by Bob Gill] WASHINGTON [AP] Liberal tax activists, facing a heavy sched­ ule of Proposition 13-style initia­ tives and referenda on Election Day next month, are vowing to wrestle the tax issue from conservatives. Their battle cry is a call for “ tax justice,” essentially an increase in corporate tax collections and a redistribution of the tax burden from low er-and m iddle-incom e families, where property taxes hit hardest, to wealthier taxpayers. A weekend tax conference con­ vened by the National Conference on Alternative State and Local Public Policies revealed frustration among tax officials faced with across-the-board tax cuts along the lines of California’s Proposition 13. That proposal was approved by California voters on June 6 in what many saw as the beginning of a taxpayers’ revolt. Conservatives around the country have attempted since then to adopt the issue as their own. “ Tax cutting is not tax reform ,” says Byron Dorgan, the North Dakota tax commissioner. “ Tax limitation has nothing to do with tax justice.” Thus, tax observers are anxious­ ly awaiting the November votes in a least 10 states where tax relief m easures are on the ballot. Proposals range from Proposi­ tion 13 look-a likes in Oregon, Idaho and Nevada to measures in Colorado, Arizona and Michigan that would impose limits on reven­ ues or spending. An initiative that would ease the burden on taxpayers in “ Taxachusse ts” so dubbed because its property tax rates are among the highest in the nation earned the most attention at the weekend meeting. That is because it has the backing of liberal labor and com­ munity groups the same groups that opposed Proposition 13 in California. The M a ssac h u se tts in itia tiv e would authorize the use of differen­ tial tax rates, allowing residential property tax rates to be set lower than commercial rates. Michael Ansara, head of a c itiz en s’ group calling itse lf M assachusetts Fair Share, said Saturday that the defeat of Gov. Michael Dukakis in last month’s Democratic primary was due to his lack of concern over the tax issue. dure which the vice-president for Student Affairs must follow relative to legislation from the CLC. According to the proposal, the VP for Student Affairs must either act upon or veto any CLC proposal. In the event of a veto, he must state to the Council the reasons for his negative decision. The decision may then be appealed to the Provost, and if necessary, to the President of the University. Under the proposal, the Consti­ tution of the CLC would state that the purpose of the CLC is to “ establish through legislation rules governing student life.” McKenna is drafting a set of bylaws to this procedure. McKenna said last week that while Fr. John Van Wolvlear, University VP for Student Affairs, has been very cooperative with the Council and has been following this procedure, it is necessary that the proposal be passed, “ so that it is clear in the future that we have (the Administration’s) accountability.” Van Wolvlear stated last week that he approves of the proposal. He said that it would probably be approved by the board if put up for a vote, since it is the same procedure outlined in the Student Life Council’s (SLC) Constitution, which the Board approved in 1977. The CLC replaced the SLC last October. McKenna and other student leaders will meet with the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees next Thursday to report on housing problems, the CLC proposal, and student life. The ten-member committee will pre­ sent these reports to the entire board at its biannual meeting Friday. Van Wolvlear is an ex-officio member of the com­ mittee. McKenna said he will remind the committe of the overcrowding on campus and the problems of offcam pus s tu d e n ts . Two of M cKenna’s suggestions to allevi­ ate overcrowding on campus are the immediate construction of a residence hall to accomodate 300 women, and the conversion of Brownson and St. Joseph’s Halls into undergraduate residences. At its last meeting on May 12, the Board voted to gradually in­ crease the number of undergradu­ ate women while gradually increas­ ing undergraduate enrollment, and [continued on page 5]