The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 33

CffyStafe The Indianapolis Star TUESDAY, MAY 14, 1991 Obituaries 9 a Classified 10-16 Candidates unsure about tax plan Dan Carpenter I'm Should food charge be extended to expand dome? They speak necessary for the complex to remain competitive so It can attract events that bring revenue to the city. The tax was due to end In 2013, but the Capital Improvement Board announced last week a plan to extend the tax an extra nine years, through 2022. The board operates the complex. The tax was adopted In 1981 to pay for bonds that helped to finance construction of the dome, which opened In 1984. The tax is levied on food and beverages consumed in restaurants and bars and take-out orders.

Some of the project's compo nents "at first blush seem lo be of marginal utility," such as the proposed two new video screens at the dome, said Mahern, a state senator. If only the essential components were Included, and If an extension of the tax was needed to pay for the plan, "I think the food and beverage tax is the best (option)," Mahern said. "At least a third, and maybe more" of the tax revenue Is "paid by people who don't live in Marion County," he said. The tax also Is fair because "there Is a correlation between how much money you make and how much you spend to eat and drink out," Mahern said. Goldsmith said that for the convention complex "to stay competitive, they have to expand." He said he does not know if all the tax revenue would be earmarked solely to pay for the dome's original construction bonds and the new ones to be sold for the renovation and expansion.

If that were the case, "I'm Just registering my apprehension about limiting future options" with what to do with the tax See TAX Page 2 By DOROTHY PETROSKEY STAR STAFF WRITER The two Indianapolis mayoral nominees said Monday they have some reservations about a plan to extend the 1 percent Marlon County Food and Beverage Tax for a longer period. Republican Stephen Goldsmith said he Is apprehensive about extending the tax to pay for a $43 million expansion of the Indiana Convention Center and Improvements at the Hoosler Dome. Democrat Louis J. Mahern said he would favor the plan If all the project's components are Louis Mahern says he would favor extending the 1 percent tax if the complex's expansion is needed for it to stay Stephen Goldsmith says the city needs a well-defined economic and tourist vision before the project begins. I Y.

1 rm i il I ST) i. I f- 1 for women, children hurt by war They are religious women on a prophetic mission. They do not expect a standing ovation from gress. "It Is not a popular position to be taking at present," Judy Vaughan conceded. "But I think some people are glad to find a way to put a different face on this war.

Those who are suspicious of the war euphoria are glad to see some concrete data." The concrete data, gathered by civilian observers in Iraq since the 45-day war ended In February, tell Vaughan and her fellow peace activists that the dying has Just begun In that place we are trying to put behind us. "The media have given no coverage to the Impact on the Iraqi people and the Palestinian people," Vaughan said last week as she led a national "Caravan of Solidarity" through the city. "Our Intent Is to lift up those voices and to show In a special way how the war has Impacted women and children. Six hundred women and children died In that bomb shelter (destroyed by United States planes in Baghdad). And the casualties go on.

"The Intent was to destroy the Infrastructure of Iraq. This means prolonged and delayed casualties. By conservative estimate, 100 In-: fants are dying every day from diarrhea and malnutrition." Vaughan Is director of the Chi- cago-based National Assembly of Religious Women, one of a host of i organizallons Involved In the 15- city "relay" by various groups of i speakers. It began April 30 In San Francisco and Is scheduled to end In New York City on Friday. I 1 Traffic hassle It must be almost time for the 500-Mile Race.

One sure sign is construction work that ties up traffic on major roads such as the shoulder repair work that was blocking traffic Monday on the west leg of 1-465 near West 71st Street. STAR STAFF PHOTO FRANK ESPICH I A. 1989 death of gas station manager was an accident, lawyer tells jury 107m General Assembly Subtitled "Women Resist and Respond." the tour Is raising mon-). ey to buy medical supplies for women and children In Iraq, the occupied territories and Jordanian refugee camps, and gathering slg- natures to be delivered to Congress and the White House. The petitions ask that sanc-v Hons be lifted to "stop the punlsh-! ment of the Iraqi people" for Saddam Hussein's crimes.

Vaughan said. Not Just Kurdish refugees, but 1 8 million Iraqis face food shortages and other hardship after losing transportation, communlca-' Hon. sanitation and foreign trade to the war. Another Important purpose to the cross-country trip. Vaughan said.

Is to show the connection between military spending and the deprivation of women and children In this country. The organizations distribute a flyer showing, for example, that the money spent on 10 days of Operation Desert Storm equaled a year's federal expenditure on low-and moderate-Income housing: four days, the annual job training budget: and 2'a hours, the annual allocation to handicapped educa-- tlon. "There's not enough money for education and other human needs," said Mary Catherine Glb- son of Indianapolis Women's Group, a Roman Catholic activist circle that helped bring the cara- van here. "But nobody ever says there's not enough money for kill- mg." Police say Keller, a rural Alexandria man, confessed and led them to Goldmann's body. But his defense attorney, Robert J.

Hill told a Jury Monday In opening arguments, "After you hear the evidence, you will agree this Is not a murder case. It's going to boil down to self-defense or voluntary manslaughter." Hill portrayed Goldmann, manager of Kocolene FoodFuel Mart, 8602 Michigan Road, as an aggressive, abusive man whose employer, Kocolene suggested he get counseling. Keller, he said, asked Goldmann for a loan, but a struggle ensued after Goldmann turned him down on Dec. 16, 1989. Goldmann swung at Keller and bit his finger, Hill said.

Keller pushed Goldmann down and his forearm crushed Goldmann's windpipe, causing him to die. Hill contended. That's not what the evidence will show, argued Deputy Prosecutor Mark K. Sullivan in Marlon Superior Court, Criminal Division, Room 4. Sullivan acknowledged Goldmann had flaws one of them being he liked to flash his money.

But the victim also was a generous man, who loaned money to Keller's sister and co-signed a loan for his mother, Sullivan said. Keller was a spender who squandered Jobs and money, Sullivan claimed. Keller went to Goldmann's house In the 6100 block of King Avenue to get money, Sullivan said. After the two men quarreled, Keller strangled Goldmann with a telephone cord, Sullivan said. Within a week, Keller allegedly went on a shopping spree and spent S650 In forged checks.

By BARB ALBERT STAR STAFF WRITER Wayne R. Keller was out of work and needed money. Denny "Jack" Goldmann was the manager of a Northwestslde gasoline station, generous and liked to flash his money. Those factors proved to be a deadly combination for Goldmann, who allegedly died at Keller's hands In December 1989. The consequences for Keller will unfold this week during his trial for murdering and robbing the 49-year-old man and using his money to buy Christmas presents.

Goldmann's body was found In a self-storage building between Anderson and Alexandria seven weeks after he was killed. Keller, leaving a trail of credit card bills and canceled checks, was arrested in February 1990 and charged with murder. Goldmann's wallet was found In his car. Legislators spend the day waiting for some progress By MARY BETH SCHNEIDER STAR STAFF WRITER The special session of the Indiana General Assembly began Monday more with a whimper than a bang. The first day ended that way as well, with most legislators having little to show for their long hours except fatigue, frustration and the knowledge that the session will drag on this week.

At 1 p.m., when the House FILE PHOTO Wayne Keller acted in self-defense, lawyer says. Hill acknowledged that Keller made a mistake by forging checks. And signing for the rental storage unit with his own name wasn't too bright either. But it wasn't murder. Hill told the Jury.

and Senate were scheduled to be gaveled Into session, only a few legislators were at their seats. The Senate leadership held a news conference Instead: the "My own daughter came home from school and said, 'My principal said balloons kill Jeannie Sturtcvant, president of Balloon Invasion 500' balloon-bashers full of hot air? More legislative news on Page D6. House merely was a little late getting started. House Speaker Michael K. Phillips.

D-Boonvllle. called the House to order five minutes later. Legislators booed and hissed as the message from Gov. Evan Bayh, announcing the special session, was read. After the usual dally Pledge of Allegiance and the prayer seeking wisdom, the Democrats immediately announced they would "caucus" legislative talk for meeting in private.

And thai was pretty much the way the rest of the day went, as negotiations on the budget and redisricting continued behind closed doors. For those legislators not dl- see Waiting Pag? 2 Vaughan stressed that the protest effort supports American troops. "Many are African-American and Latino, who enlisted In peacetime because they needed education or jobs or a way out of the oppression of poverty." The pilgrimage grows out of opposition to the war going back to last summer. The women blame the news media for underselling the possibility of a diplomatic solution to Saddam's Invasion of Kuwait and for promoting the myth of a "clean war" after the bombing commenced. "We are acting out of frustration, sadness, embarrassment, anger, guilt," said Sister Kathleen Dcsautels, a Chicago peace activist who was born In Indianapolis.

"This Is an act of reparation, an act of repentance, In light of what done." "My own daughter came home from school and said, 'My principal said balloons kill animals," said Sturtevant. Speedway officials said last week they will go ahead with the mass balloon release, despite the Brownies' anti-balloon posters and petition. The pro-balloonlsts have a national voice, the Balloon Council, formed recently by balloon sellers to promote their product. An Information packet from the Washington-based group notes that latex balloons are By JEFF SWIATEK STAR STAFF WRITER A public campaign by a Brownie troop to ground the Indianapolis 500's balloon launch doesn't air well with balloon sellers. Put on the defensive by growing anti-balloon sentiment, the small Industry of balloon sellers has organized and begun fighting back.

Their argument: Latex balloons such as those used by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on race day decompose as quickly made of tree sap. Filled with helium and let go. they rise to a height of about five miles and pop. The shreds fall to the ground and rot. "We only use biodegradable balloons," said Sandy L.

Muehl, manager of Paper Caper, another local balloon seller. She said she often has to hand out brochures about the environmental safety of latex balloons to ease customers' fears. Another brochure, put out by a Pennsylvania balloon maker See BALLOON Page 2 as a leaf and don't pose dangers to wildlife. "Brownies are cute, but that doesn't mean they're right. There has never been a proven case of an animal killed from a balloon," said Jeannie Sturte-vant, president of Balloon Invasion in Indianapolis.

Sturtevant and others say the effort by Brownie Troop 245 In Muncie to pressure the speedway to cancel Its traditional release of more than 30,000 balloons is based on a typical belief that animals and birds eat balloon fragments and die..