The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 31

SUNDAY, JULY 12, 1987 THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR- ounties or a new era of reconstruction ODUli 6B- National Association of Counties help offset the deficit. That interest, we feel, should go back into highway construction," Cockrum said. Worse than that, he said, is talk in Congress of increasing the gasoline tax to help cut the deficit. "We feel that would be bad news for us and states that rely on the gas tax to build roads." If the federal government Increases the fuel tax, it will make It politically more difficult for state legislatures to Impose their own tax Increases even If the revenue Is needed, he said. While no simple solutions appear to be forthcoming, increased flexibility to raise revenue would help alleviate some problems, Cockrum said.

The conference runs through Tuesday at the Indiana Convention Center. The president Is scheduled to address the conference Monday. ROB SCHNEIDER 'STAR STAFF WRITER A Visit by President Reagan will draw a lot of attention to the Association of Counties conference in Indianapolis, but county officials would like nothing better than to refocus that attention on public-works needs. Infrastructure and the Question of how to pay for Its 'upkeep was a hot national issue only a few years ago, but it has fallen by the wayside, said Richard J. Cockrum, executive 'director of the Indiana Association of Counties Inc.

I While the issue may have lost its fervor, the problems haven't gone away. At a time when federal officials are being forced to cut spending, local officials are hard-pressed to come up with money to pay for day-to-day services, let alone undertake major public-works maintenance and we also need to do a better job of disposing of waste." Infrastructure is an important consideration of new business when It decides whether to locate in a community. An attractive business site Is worthless unless roads leading to It are in good condition, local officials argue. But high inflation rates during the early 1980s forced many communities to postpone repairs as they struggled to pay for existing services. Federal spending cutbacks and changes in tax laws, which some say make it more difficult for local governments to sell bonds, have not made the task of raising money any easier.

In addition, county officials are becoming Increasingly nervous as Congress looks for ways to reduce budget deficits. "We see the Interest from the highway trust fund being used to A recent survey by the National League of Cities found that of- 545 cities, almost one-third predicted a decrease in their general fund revenues this year. A major factor in the projected declines is last September's elimination of the federal general revenue-sharing program. Cockrum noted that in Indiana, 75 percent of the state's 92 counties used some revenue-sharing funds to pay for road and bridge upkeep. In the past three years, 24 counties have adopted a local-option income tax.

One of the forces behind adoption of the tax was the need for additional revenue for road upkeep, he said. County officials hope that by giving Infrastructure its fair share of attention at their conference, the issue will gain more prominence on the national agenda. John Horsley, president of the counties association, has giv- Congress and the president In 1984. Its main task is to report on the state of the nation's Infrastructure. Last month, It released a series of studies that reviewed a number of needs from road repairs to mass transit.

According to the council, the studies showed that "while America Is not In ruins, there are signs that the nation's deteriorating infrastructure may have difficulty meeting future demands." Roads and bridges need to be better maintained, the council says. "Small water systems need to be upgraded. New sites need to be found for municipal waste, en a coalition of local government officials and others concerned about infrastructure the opportunity to use the conference to release a major report on public works. The group, called Rebuild America, studied problems facing 28 counties of varying size throughout the country, Cockrum said. Release of the Rebuild America report will come Monday, following two scheduled hearings today on public works.

A task force on Infrastructure will discuss the Issue, and the National Council on Public Works will hold a hearing. The council was created by Indiana native says city great choice as conference site I 1 1, 4 A -if if- "vi I i I v4 Li I uii ,1 ft 't z'm, 7 ft fit i I vif' if- A I 1 i 1 I imtmf mgt I President Reagan's last Indianapolis trip was in 1985; he spoke at the Indiana Convention Center. STAR STAFF PHOTO FRANK H. FISSE ances In Terre Haute, Indiana-polls, Evansville, South Bend, Lafayette and West Lafayette. He was in Indianapolis for the primary on May 4, 1980.

Mr. Reagan also came to Indiana for a rally in Kokomo for former Rep. Elwood H. "Bud" Hlllis in Septmember 1980. Hll-lls, a longtime congressman from the 5th District, easily won that year.

He announced his retirement last year and did not seek re-election. Reagan ir Continued From Page 1 "and Anderson as he tested waiters for his presidential bid. He also campaigned in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne on April 23. 1976. Four days later Jie was back to speak to the Madison County Lincoln Club as campaigned for the GOP jiominatlon.

He also made stops in Bvansvllle and Indianapolis. On May 1. 1976, the candidate stopped in Long Beach, 'near Michigan City, Hammond, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. Two days later he was In Indianapolis. Fort Wayne and South Bend.

On May 4, 1976, Mr. Reagan won the GOP Indiana presidential primary. After President Ford won the GOP nomination, Mr. Reagan came to Evansville on Sept. 22, 1 976, for a fund-raiser for Vanderburgh County Republicans.

He said he had made no plans to run for president in 1980. By BRUCE C. SMITH STAR STAFF WRITER Edward E. Ferguson is a Hoosler who found his way to the political atmosphere of the na tion's capital in Washington. rfe's back in Indiana this week with about 5,000 friends to discuss important issues for government and to hear Presi dent Reagan Ferguson and aspiring presidential candidates give their views on the nation.

Ferguson is deputy director of the National Association of Counties, which Is holding Its 52nd annual convention through Wednesday in the Indiana Convention Center. The 40-year-old native of Kentland In Warrick County graduated from the Indiana University School of Law In Indianapolis in 1974. He was executive director of the Indiana Association of Counties from 1980 to 1984, then was director of the League of Oregon Cities until December 1985, when he moved to Washington with NACo. In 1981, during those Indiana years, he helped prepare Marion County's bid to be the host for this conference of local and national newsmakers. Now from the Washington office perspective, he says "we've been extremely pleased with the cooperation of the host county.

They have been working for two years to get ready for this." About two-thirds of the counties in the United States are members of NACo. Indiana has Just 20 of its 92 counties on that roster, but he said Marion County has always been a big supporter. "We sold Indianapolis and Marion County as the convention location because of its enthusiasm and the attitude that the city can provide hospitality," he said. "Indianapolis does not have a physical attribute like a Seattle or a Miami, or the glittery lights of a Las Vegas. But Indiana can offer a place to have a productive convention with plenty of sightseeing and relaxation work hard and play hard." fl 1 Teen prostitutes called concern for counties By BETH L.

ROSENBERG STAR STAFF WRITER While he had hoped that a new Indianapolis Zoo and another convention-size hotel would be completed, Ferguson said Indianapolis Is nevertheless a changed city that will make an impression on delegates. They will see the obvious tourist sights the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, The Children's Museum, Museum of Art, Nata-torium at IUPUI, Major Taylor Velodrome. Conner Prairie and Pan American Games venues. Another certain stop Is Columbus, whose reputation for architecture is well-known. In the working hours, the county officials also will see government buildings ranging from the Statehouse to the new Marion County Jail.

"Some of these people probably have an old Idea about In-diarfapolis as a city in the cornfields. But that's not what they will find," Ferguson said. The Indiana flavor to the convention will cast an additional Image, so to speak. In separate sessions Monday, Marion County officials will describe the new Indianapolis Mapping and Geographic Information System, IMAGIS. Little known here, IMAGIS Is widely known around the country as the trend In computerized mapping and government recordkeeping.

Explanations of IMAGIS will be made by Indianapolis Department of Public Works Director Barbara S. Gole, DPW Chief Engineer Patrick L. Stevens and Marion County Recorder Beth O'Laughlin. Stevens said work to create the computer pictures that can map every foot of Marlon County In amazing detail Is Just beginning. The use of computers at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis in a teaching project for computer students means Information based on at least 53 attributes will be easily accessible to answer even difficult questions.

"Say a major developer comes to town and he wants to know all of the 50-acre sites with utllfi ties available and Interstate highways within a few blocks) anywhere in the county. We could tell him In less than a minute," Stevens said. IMAGIS will have information; about ownership and size of a piece of property. But it also will be a planning and zoning toolj 3-vehicle collision; on 1-74 takes life of Cincinnati man" A Cincinnati man was killed early Saturday morning in three-vehicle accident on 1-74 lij Shelby County. i James A.

Blair 40, wa declared dead at the scene of thp accident, according to the Shelby County Sheriffs Department. St occurred at 3:37 a.m. on a bridge over Brandywine Creek, near thp. Fairland exit. Blair was driving west In thfc light-hand lane when his trucjc struck a guardrail, traveled Into the other lane, struck a guarcf- rall on that side of the road anfl spun around, according to thfc Sheriffs Department.

The truck came to rest facing the wrong way in the passing lane. Blair's truck was left withouj: power, so the driver of an ap-preaching car. Lynn P. McKirv ney. 22.

of Indianapolis, did not see it and struck it head-on. Thf collision pushed Blair's truck Into the left lane, where it was struck again by a car driven by Michele L. Fillmore, 18, of Lo-gansport. i trying to completely change their which requires a whole support How much are we willing to pay for who Is active In the association's Justice and public safety committees, counties need to disseminate public Information on the deadly acquired deficiency syndrome and information sexually transmitted diseases to teenage prostitutes and the general public. she said, counties should provide an to the streets through their own private non-profit agencies, foster programs and crisis lines.

report Is an indication that counties developing an awareness of the problem to talk about it." Carpenter said. will be what counties do across the address prostitution, drug abuse Issues, and whether the efforts will coordinated." tion. A copy was obtained Saturday by The Indianapolis Star. How well counties are addressing Juvenile prostitution varies across the nation. The report suggests plans of action for counties, including policesocial worker teams, development of a multiservice center, coordination of existing community services and residential treatment.

The methods suggest the difficulty in helping young prostitutes and the need for a many-faceted approach. "You have to locate a youngster first," said Carpenter, whose home county includes Phoeni. "But do you arrest the Juveniles or send them to a shelter? How do you get them back into the mainstream and out of the situation where physical safety and health are concerns? Do you send them home? If you've tried all those and they're not committing a crime, what do you do? Combating Juvenile prostitution Is an Increasingly important concern for counties of the AIDS threat and local government's responsibility for courts and social service programs, an Arizona official said Saturday. "The public health issue of AIDS makes any situation of young people prostituting themselves life-threatening for them and everyone In contact with them," said Carole I. Carpenter, a Maricopa County, supervisor and former prosecutor.

She is attending the National Association of Counties conference at the Indiana Convention Center and Hoosler Dome. As many as 300,000 Juveniles In the United States are selling themselves on the streets, including many girls and boys who are only 11 or 12, according to a new report. Identifying and Combating Juvenile Prostitution, to be released Tuesday by the associa On May 16. 1978, he spoke about national defense before the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. He spoke at a GOP fund-raiser at the Indiana Convention Center on July 12.

1978. And on Oct. 17. 1979, he attended a fund-raiser at the Columbia Club In Indianapolis for those who donated at least $250 to his presidential campaign. In April 1980 he prepared for Indiana's primary with appear TOUCH I nominate.

to carry the torch Aug. oecause Your name Address. Phone 'You're lifestyle, system. that?" Carpenter, said health Immune on Also, alternative facilities, care "The are and willing "The test nation to and other be Who would you like to light torch for Pan Am Games? NOMINATION FORM into the Pan Am Games opening ceremony I la Estrella, on a hill southeast of Mexico City. From there the torch will be taken about 12 miles to the headquarters of Mexico's National Olympic Committee, a training site similar to the U.S.

Olympic Committee center in Colorado Springs, Colo. A 45-minute ceremony there Involves a dance of "vestal virgins" and passing of the torch to PAX-I. The torch and flame will be transported In a ventilated container on a cargo plane. After landing in Chicago, the torch run will begin Saturday in Gary, weaving south to Terre Haute (July 21). Evansville (July 25), then to New Albany (July 27), and north to Richmond (July 30) and Fort Wayne (Aug.

2). From there, it will go to South Bend (Aug. 4) and then south to Indianapolis, reaching Monument Circle on Aug. 7. Torch carriers will be accompanied by Klwanis runners, a state trooper, an ambulance, a recreational vehicle and 10 additional torches.

Who should carry the torch at the Pan American Games opening ceremony Aug. The moment promises to be one of the most dramatic in the city's recent history. The Indianapolis Star and PAX-Indianapolis, the games' organizers, want you to nominate the person who should light the flame to signal the start of the games. The torch will be carried 1,100 miles across Indiana before it is brought to the Pan Am opening at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It will be there, before a huge crowd gathered to witness the opening ceremonies and parade of athletes, that the final leg of the torch's trip to Indianapolis will be complete.

Your nomination of a person to take the torch on the last of Its Journey must be made by Thursday on the form printed elsewhere on this page of The Star today. The gold torch weighs about 5 pounds. It will be lighted at a ceremony this week at Cerro de Mail to: Torch carrier PAX-Indianapolis 4475 Allisonville Road Indianapolis, 46287 DEADLINE: Thursday.