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Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 7

Publication:
Arizona Republici
Location:
Phoenix, Arizona
Issue Date:
Page:
7
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

HtPUBUB CITY The CEP 19 Page Arizona Experts fail to move panel on auto bill mm THIS SPACE FOR Republic April 14, 1971 TAXPAYER WORK AREA Paul Dean An open challenge to Peking newsmen Occidental capitalists are playing Oriental Communists at their own game, table tennis. And the implications leaking through this chink in Red China's armor are intriguing. It's possible that the Paris peace talks could have been accelerated by months had someone recognized North Vietnam's national sport and suggested a table tennis top for a conference table. U.S. diplomats seeking Asian posts well may be required to pass Ping-Pong orals.

Will future East-West trade talks open with the chal-lenge: "Shall we for serv- Reoublic Phot by John Willard ice?" Aside from the political nuances, however, Red China's admission of A young couple works on their joint income tax report at the federal building 40 hours and counting U.S. table tennis team has done the Mental health bill OKd 5-4 by Senate unit By BERNIE WYNN The key Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday approved by one vote the controversial House-passed bill set ting up a separate mental health department. On a 5-4 vote, the committee sent the bill to majority caucus for possible inclusion on the debate calendar later this week after fighting off an attempt to put the department back under the State Health Department. The committee room was jammed, mostly with opponents of the measure, who feared the independent mental health operation might result in involuntary committment of persons for religious and political reasons. Leading the attack for this group was Sen.

Joseph Shaughnessy, R-Phoenix, vice chairman of the appropriations panel. Shaghnessy read letters from several opponents of the bill, including one from a Flagstaff woman who cited "rage reduction therapy" used by local psychiatrists as a reason for opposing a separate mental health department. Dr. Philip D. Windrow of Phoenix advised committee members by letter to "be frugal" and keep mental health services where they are.

Under the present organization, mental health services are under the Health Department, but the State Hospital and community mental health clinics are under an independent five-member board. Dr. Helen A. Tovrea, who recently moved here from California, contended the mental health programs of this nation are dictated by the World Health Organization and have resulted in burdensome taxes in California. Elaine McFarland, a member of the State Health Board, argued in favor of Shaughnessy's amendment to keep mental health under her board's jurisdiction.

Under the bill as it left the committee, a special seven-member board appointed by the governor would direct mental health activities in the future. Sen. Ray Goctz. R-Sun City, who termed the bill "a terrible octopus," failed in an attempt to restrict the powers of the director to issue forms for committment and other procedures. He also was voted down on a proposal to ban involuntary committments except when the person was adjudged dangerous because of insanity.

Goetze then offered an amendment which would have required the examination of all persons being committed to the hospital by two physicians, including one who was a member of the American Association for the Abolition of Involuntary Mental Hospitalization. Under cross examination from Sen. Scott Alexander, R-Tucson, it developed the organization is new, is based in Syracuse, N.Y., and doesn't have a single physician member in Arizona. One witness said Mrs. Mary Larkin of Phoenix is the sole state representative of that organization.

Again, Goetze was voted down. Phoenix attorney Joseph McGarry, longtime member of the State Hospital Board, said the only reason for the bill is to consolidate fragmented state mental health services under one roof. He said there now exist duplication, overlapping and wasted motion in the tomorrow: that's all! Midnight As of Monday, 261,800 returns out of an anticipated By BRYCE McINTVRE Expert testimony and studies, from chemists, physicists, engineers, and lawyers failed to convince a state Senate committee yesterday that passage of a routine annual auto inspection bill to control air pollution was necessary. The committee decided to hold the bill for one week, pending further study. The scientists and lawyers, all strongly backing passage of Senate Bill 305; were joined in their support of the bill by state health department and safety officials.

In spite of strong support for the bill, however, members of the Senate Transportation Committee expressed dissatisfaction with the proposal. Objections came mainly from Sens. David B. Kret, Scottsdale, Leroy Palmer, R-Taylor, and Joe Castillo, -Tucson. The legislators appeared to agree that an inspection program was necessary, but they wondered how effective it Three legislators, Including the chairmen of the House and Senate Transportation Committees, banded together yesterday to solicit public opinion on the auto inspection bill.

Rep. Ruth Peck, R-Phoenix, and Sens. Howard Baldwin, R-Phoenix, and Leo Corbet, R-Phoenix, announced the formation of Auto Inspection Required (AIR) shortly after Baldwin's transportation committee held Senate Bill 305 for further study. They asked that, opinions for and against the bill be sent to Mrs. Peck, in care of the House of Representatives.

would be, how much it might cost, and whether SB 305 was the best way to begin such a program. At a critical moment in the nearly two hour debate, when the bill appeared doomed, an emotional appeal to statesmanlike action was called for by Boyd Gibbons, the governor's highway safety coordinator. "If there's ever a time when you need to be statesmen, it's now. If I hurt anybody's feelings, I'm glad," Gibbons said. "We're at a point now where we're trying to save peopie from themselves.

I couldn't be more sincere." A chemist told the committee that at present auto pollution contributes directly to the ill health of individuals, the destruction of agricultural crops, and the deterioration of consumer goods made of rubber and nylon. A health official said studies made of 1,500 cars during the past 15 months show that 43 per cent -I carbon monoxide emissions from autos could be eliminated with simple screwdriver adjustments to carburetors. A lawyer noted that the federal government would foot two thirds of the bill if the state began an auto inspection program. The estimated cost of such a statewide inspection program for both auto emissions and safety equipment is about $5 million, according to James Hill, an assistant to Gibbons. Much of the expert testimony on SB 305 came from members of Environmental Conscience a group of professional men who are working on auto pollution.

The group put together a booklet out-Continued on Page 20 Forty hours and still counting. That's the pressure facing thousands of Arizonans over their 8 a.m.. coffee today those who have not filed their 1970 federal' and state income tax. The deadline is midnight tomorrow. If the tax return is not postmarked by midnight, it is delinquent.

Federal and state tax agencies assess a 5 per cent a month late filing penalty which can go as high as 25 per cent. Almost 500.000 of the anticipated 660.000 federal filings have been completed to date, according to Charles Nixon, public information officer for the Internal Revenue Service. "It's going good," Nixon said. "The returns are pouring in 24 hours a day." He also noted there are fewer errors this year than last year. "Last year there was about a 10 to 12 per cent error factor," he said.

"But now we're running about 3 to 3.5 per cent." 600,000 filings had been sent to the Arizona State Tax Commission, director Robert Merrill said. "It's the same stdry year after year," he said. "Most people do manage to get their returns postmarked before the deadline, but they bury us. There's a tremendous last-minute panic." To help alleviate the last minute rush, the U.S. Post Office will have personnel on the street at three locations to collect returns, said Walter Kelly, public information officer.

"They will be out from 4 p.m. until maybe as long as 10 or 11 p.m. and take returns from people in cars," Kelly said. Personnel will be. on duty at the downtown station, Central and Fillmore, on the Central side and the First Avenue side; and at the main Post Office building, 1441 E.

Buckeye Road. "As long as we have the traffic, we'll have people out there," Kelly said. Off -road vehicles are top park problem more for this particular form of front parlor athletics than the game's 1891 switch from cork to celluloid balls. A basement sport barely publicized outside of a Sears Roebuck equipment catalogue is suddenly front page news. John Tannehill's chances in the Peking Invitational has rated more ink than Jack Nicklaus' bid at And people once secretly ashamed of youth misspent on plywood courts are Idling fisherman's lies about their table tennis talents.

So I'll tell you about mine. While you were jerking sodas, pumping gas or begging scholarships, 1 was working my way through school as a (able tennis shark. Southgate Slim they culled me in those days. A penny a point, best of nine, the next guy takes on the winner. I turned pro in my teens.

Victor Barna, Johnny Leach and Richard Bergmann were world champions, European kings and racket autographers during these early '50s. In the off-season, this trio would tour London's music halls and climax their exhibitions by playing with frying pans, then challenging any membsr of the audience to step right up and try his luck. I was the paid yokel who would blush his way from the stalls of the Finsburry Park Empire (or Wood Green Empire or Hackney Hippodrome) and push Barna hard enough to guarantee a grudge rematch and a full house the following night. Much, much later, in a Vietnamese mud puddle known as Soc Trang, I clashed rackets with Maj. Bill Harris, a U.S.

Air Force forward air controller. Harris fancied himself as the Soc Trang, Mekong Delta and district champion. We played in flight suits, combat boots, 90-degree temperatures and 98 per cent humidity. Much to the dismay of unknowing side -bettors from neighboring units, I whomped Harris' ears flat. Harris, incidentally, has been transferred to Luke AFB.

We still chat. But he complains of table-tennis elbow and retires to his tiddleywink board at any talk of Soc Trang. I mention all of this for a purpose. In Red China there are a bunch of fine American table tennis players. But they aren't exactly Hemingways in the writing department.

They are accompanied by veteran newsmen who write durn well but as far as table tennis is concerned don't know a chop from a chop-stick. And once this tour is over, the bamboo curtain will clatter down like a rattan blind and the United States and Red China will go back to glaring at each other. Obviously the world needs a table-tennis-playing newsman. So if there is anyone out there with a pipeline to Peking, I'm available if any Red Chinese reporter is looking for a bilateral series of exhibition matches. And if I can't hold up America's end, Till eat my George Plimpton coloring book.

Valley Park, which is just being put into operation with a $100,000 development program, and where extensive tree planting is scheduled; and at the Usery Mountain Semi-Regional Park, one of the outstanding desert flora areas in the state. Drive-by inspection was made of the desert wilderness-type White Tank Mountain Regional Park of 26,337 acres, where $40,000 is planned for additional ramadas near the park entrance off Olive Avenue. Not visited were Cave Creek Semi -Regional Park, where master planning will begin this year, and McDowell Mountain Regional Park, a area east of the McDowell Mountains, where development will begin with a Continued on Page 20 By BEN AVERY Vandalism, mainly by users of off-road vehicles, is apparently the biggest problem facing Maricopa County's regional park system. The problem was indicated yesterday on a tour of inspection by more than 60 Valley community and park boosters and county officials. Purpose was to review work accomplished and park needs for the coming year.

Conducting the annual park tour was Fred M. Guirey, chairman of the county park commission, and Thomas Wardcll, parks director. Several other park commissioners and Henry Haws, member of the County Board of Supervisors; County Manager Charles Miller; Deputy Manager J. J. Peattie; and William J.

Feld-meier, county finance director, also participated. Wardell reported the increasing abuse mental health held. Both Shaughnessy and Goetze filed minority reports urging that the bill "do not pass." of the park lands by off-road vehicles, particularly motorcycles, scooters and sandbuggies, has increased more in the past 12 months than in the previous five years. However, Wardell said the problem is being brought under control by enforcement of a park regulation forbidding any off-road use of vehicles in county parks and, in some cases, prohibiting unlicensed operators from riding such vehicles in parks. The tour began at 8 a.m.

at county parks headquarters, 70 East Washington Street, with the first stop at Eslrella Mountain Regional Park just south of the Avondale-Goodyear area, and inspection of the golf course there on the Casey Abbott Recreation Area. It included "drive-by" inspection of some parks such as Donny Hale at Cashion and Oasis near the Apache Trail, the only two small neighborhood parks in the system. Each consists of about 9'i acres. On-site inspections were made at Carl Pleasant Lake Regional Park, where there are plans to extend the three concrete launching ramps as the water level drops this summer; and at Black Canyon World Championship Shooting Range, which is being prepared for the 12th U.S. International Championships May 18.

A new Mexican Silhouette Range is planed there along with reactivation of the trap and skeet ranges. The group lunched at one of the shooting range picnic areas, then made on-site inspections at 340-acre Paradise John, Angelo Alessio fined, jailed for income tax evasion Associated Press Philanthropist Walker McCune dies of chronic kidney ailment SAN DIEGO Two brothers who had been involved in racing operations in Arizona, California and Mexico were sent to prison yesterday for income tax evasion and conspiracy. John Alessio, 60, was sentenced to three years, and his brother, Angelo, 54, to one year. Both men, who reside in La Mesa, also were fined $20,000. They had pleaded guilty.

computing their taxes in the years 1963 through I960. The three others named were John Alessio's son, Dominic, 28, of San Diego, and two other Alessio brothers, Russell, 65. of El Cajon, and Tony, 51. of San Diego. Charges against them are pending.

The five reported a total income of $2.4 million for the four years, the indictment said, when they are alleged to have earned $4.3 million. All of the unreported income, the indictment said, stemmed from business at the Caliente track in which all held executive positions. John Alessio was charged with allegedly evading $363,000 in taxes and Angelo with evading $137,000 in taxes. John from Alessio rose a shoeshine Multimillionaire Walker McCune, the man who built the $6 million, 40-room mansion on Sugar Loaf Hill in Paradise Valley, died last night in Good Samaritan Hospital. The 68-year-old philanthropist and Arizona investor died of "chronic kidney disease" three days after he was admitted to the hospital.

His doctor said Mr. McCune had suffered from the kidney ailment for the past l'i years and he had been using a kidney machine to "cleanse his blood of the byproducts of his metabolism'' for the past year. Mr. McCune, probably best known for the palatial hilltop home and the legal troubles that swirled about it, also was indirectly responsible for sparking the decision to build a medical school in Arizona. Continued on Page 20 boy to operator of race tracks in Arizona, California and Mexico.

One of Southern California's wealthiest and most powerful men, Alessio heads the Calien-te horse track, Tijuana, Mexico, and a far-flung financial empire on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Gilbert votes school bonds GILBERT A $395,000 bond issue to expand Gilbert Elementary School was approved here yesterday by a vote of 79 to 64. Officials said earlier the bonds will increase the $2.62 district tax rate by 5fr cents. Beer distributor strike settled An 11-day strike against Valley liquor and beer distributors by truck drivers and warehousemen has ended, a spokesman for the distributors said yesterday. Terms of the new 3-year contract were ratified by striking members of Teamsters Local 83 at a meeting Saturday, said Louis W.

Siebert, a staff representative of the Arizona Employers Council, which negotiated for the beer and liquor industry. The strikers returned to their jobs on Monday, Siebert said. Siebert said the contract is identical to a proposal rejected by the anion membership on Thursday. The pact provides a $2 package of additional benefits, including 95 cents in wages, spread over the life of the contract, Siebert said. John S.

Alessio Walker McCune Guilty cactus picker belatedly sends $5 The city parks department yesterday received a $5 donation for cactus planting. A note with the donation explained, "Many years ago, I picnicked in South Mountain Park. While walking along Horse Rock Trail, I dug cactus. This Holy Week I have thought about so many wrong things I have done. Please use the money to plant what you wish." The Alessio family built and operated dog tracks at one time in Phoenix, Apache Junction and Yuma.

They have not operated in Arizona, however, for a number of years. John and Angelo Alessio were named in a 31-count federal indictment charging them and three relatives with evading "$992,000 in income taxes and failing to report $1.9 million. The five also were charged with conspiring to defraud the government in yr.wn i gj letterthat (no ml) fiii.is i mn'timasine sht) RECEIVED PROM I CAN UNDERSTAND THATRJPERTSRWIlNSl OJ A I H0U H00 FEEL. ANi EUIA3ETH 5ARRETT7 VTi I (WT SUPPOSE Z) 7r WED EVERiOKiE union was not A spokesman for the available for comment..

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