Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 22

FINAL CHASER HI The Aflonn Rrpuhllc 1 hiirsJuy, April 25, 1991 Both sides seem to be playing chicken on Indian School land deal KEVEN WILLEY Political Columnist provisions, could force Barron Collier to miss critical appraisal and notice deadlines, und nix the whole land swap. Johnson hopes that the possibility of the deal going south will force Barron Collier to the table to renegotiate the density. Indeed, about the only thing the two sides agree on is that if this deal falls through, there won't be another one. The odds of Congress authorizing another swap or even extending the July 6 deadline for this one are next to nil. Think about it: Mo Udall was the prime mover behind this deal in 1988.

lie saw it as a way for the feds to get control of Barron Collier's land, a choice chunk of prized Everglades nestled between the Big Cypress National Preserve and the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. But Udall is retiring next month. His successor as head of the Interior Committee- is Rep. George Miller, who in 1988 called the Indian School Florida land swap "rotten to the cere." So just what does each side want out of this deal? Johnson talks a lot about density. He's getting political pressure from competing developers to reduce it.

But Barron Collier insiders suspect Johnson will settle in the end for additional parkland, additional residential development, or maybe simply accelerated development of the 32 acres already set aside for parkland. Rhetoric vs. reality Why? Because despite the rhetoric, the city doesn't want this deal to fall apart either. The city knows that no trade means no development, at least for a while. The feds could bulldoze the land and leave it to grow weeds, or they could sell it off in parcels to the highest bidders.

Neither is a real attractive option. So let's face it: Both sides are pretty motivated to get to the bargaining table. That's good. Because what really needs to happen here is for Johnson to find a compromise. Sort of like what happened earlier this mouth when he got America West and Southwest airlines to negotiate an llth-hour compromise over maintenance facilities at Sky Harbor International Airport.

This, though, is more complicated. There are more players: the feds, Barron Collier, the city, a $35 million trust fund the legislation requires Barron Collier to establish for Native Apicricans, the 15 acres the Department of Veterans Affairs has its eye on for expanded medical facilities. And so on. Ex-legislators' roles But at least one face is familiar from the airline dispute. America West was represented by premier lobbyist Alfredo Gutierrez, another ex-legislator.

So is Barron Collier. In some ways, it's like Old Home Week. Gutierrez and Barr served together in the Legislature. Gutierrez was a Democrat and Barr was a Republican, though it was sometimes tough to tell the difference. Both are This whole complicated Indian School land-exchange deal is starling to look like a giant game of chicken.

Except what hangs in the balance is far more important than some teen-ager's putTed-up macho image. We're talking about the development, or non-development, of a prized chunk of real estate smack-dab in the middle of Phoenix: namely 105 acres on the northeastern corner of Indian Sch(X)l Road and Central Avenue. So who's going to flinch first? We'll soon find out. Phoenix Mayor Paul Johnson tightened the screws earlier this week when he went to Washington, to tell Arizona's congressional delegation that the city is prepared to walk away from the land-exchange mess if IJarron Collier Co. refuses to budge from a 5.9 million-square-foot density outlined in a master plan.

That plan was submitted to the Interior Department last month by a citizens panel headed by ex-legislator Burton Barr. Barron Collier is the Florida-based developer that wants the Indian practiced wheeler-dealers who ran circles around their own caucuses: They weren't called Mr. Magic and Capt. Chaos for nothing. Some say they're trying to do the same thing here with the city.

Clearly, Barron Collier has "been painted as the bad guy in this dispute. It's easy to do. They're the bijr, bnd boys from out of town trying to make a buck at Phoenix's expense. But Barron Collier insiders contend that negotiations blew up because of election-year political grandstanding by the City Council. They argue that the whole process got away from the new mayor and council half of hom weren't in office in 1988 and that Barr's panel has become' their political scapegoat.

It really doesn't matter. What's important now is whether Johnson can get both sides to the bargaining table. And what happens once both sides get there. Look for another llth-hour compromise. Sometime just before that July 6 appraisal deadline.

School property. Congress approved legislation in 1988 authorizing Barron Collier to trade more than 100,000 acres of land it owns in Florida for the federally owned Indian School property providing a series of Rubik's Cube-like conditions are met first. Phoenix threatens suit Johnson says that if the Interior Department accepts the master plan submitted by Barr, as expected, the city will file suit in U.S. District Court. The suit, which would charge that the plan violates the legislation's Agency backs Phoenix in Indian School flap fa Symington says Democrats in Senate delay '92 budget Fife Symington Calls on legislators to finish business in time for adjournment May 14.

"It's time for the Senate to conclude its budget process and send my House-approved budget recommendation to conference committee," the governor said. "The Legislature has been working on budget issues for almost four months, and I put my specific budget recommendations together in three weeks. "Could it be that the Senate Democrats are stalling to await the DOR (Department of Revenue) revenue estimates, hoping for more cash to spend?" he asked. "If there's more cash, we should save it; we shouldn't spend it." Rios, however, called the gover- Rios said. The exchange appeared to stymie efforts by Symington and the Democratic opposition to reach agreement on a budget.

The governor made his comments during an impromptu press conference in the lobby of the Senate, where his $3,458 billion budget was expected to run into opposition as the upper chamber took it up Wednesday. The measure has cleared the Republican-dominated House. Symington wants quick action on the budget, calling on legislators to finish business in time for adjournment on May 14. By William H. Carlile The Arizona Republic An impatient Gov.

Fife Symington prodded the Democratic-controlled state Senate on Wednesday to take action on his proposed fiscal 1992 budget, saying, "It appears that the Senate Democrats are delaying." "The longer this drags on, the larger the numbers get," the GOP governor said. Symington's remarks drew a sharp reply from Senate President Peter Rios, D-Dudleyville, who said the governor is trying "to paint the Democrats as tax-and-spend." "He is wrong on both counts," nor's remarks "unfortunate." He defended the Senate's action, saying it had received the governor's budget only 72 hours earlier. "What we have is an understanding that we don't want to raise taxes," Rios said. "We (the Democrats) are still holding on to that." Rios vowed "to take as much time as is necessary to review that budget with a fine-tooth comb to make sure that those programs that are necessary for the people of Arizona are funded." By Joyce Valdez The Arizona Republic A land-use proposal for the Phoenix Indian School site has no validity because it was not approved by the City Council, the federal General Accounting Office says in a preliminary opinion. The congressional investigative agency favors the city's position against the plan, which was submitted to federal officials by an advisory committee against the council's wishes.

But it is unknown whether the Interior Department will concur. The federally owned property at Indian School Road and Central Avenue is the focus of a proposed land swap involving the Interior Department and Florida-based Barron Collier Co. "We've told Mayor Paul Johnson that we agree a plan has not been submitted," John Baldwin, assistant director of the GAO's general government division, said Wednesday. "We don't feel the committee headed by. Burton Barr was the planning agency envisioned in the federal legislation" authorizing the swap, he said.

Barr headed a volunteer committee that submitted the plan to federal officials without the City Council's knowledge. The Interior Department appeared to side with Barron Collier and Barr's team earlier this month when -it initiated an appraisal of the site despite the city's objections. Agency officials said then that they would take the city's opinion under advisement. But Baldwin suspects the Interior Department won't be swayed. "Publicly, they're saying they haven't made a decision.

On the other hand, they're going through with the appraisal," he said. The proposal from Barr's group calls for 32 acres of public parkland. Barron Collier plans a large mixed-use development on the 57 acres it would acquire if that plan were approved. The remaining acreage would be used for veterans projects. In return for the land, Barron Collier would deed to the Interior Department more than 100,000 acres of swampland adjoining Everglades National Park in Florida.

The company also would designate $35 million for Indian education. Activists feel that the Phoenix, site should contain more parkland. City officials and business groups believe that the company's plans for 5.9 million square feet of commercial office space are excessive. Arizona leaders propose reforms to bolster state's finances holding public meetings. "We want to see if we can generate some significant interest in long-term reform," he said.

"We are still taking input on this effort. It is not locked in concrete. If we learn about something new, we will adjust the report." The group was formed more than a year ago by business and community leaders throughout the state. "What we have proposed is not that different than many of the things the governor has talked about," Day said. "And many of the things we have suggested, the governor has not come forth with.

However, that doesn't mean the governor will not." Day said the group, which has about 35 members, plans to take its message to the people of the state by An organization of statewide busi-; ness and community leaders calling itself Fiscal Accountability and Re-' form Efforts issued a report Wednes-; day that it says could lead to "a sound fiscal structure" for the state. "The most significant thing we are suggesting is that we take a compre-' hensive approach to this whole subject of state government," said Timothy T. Day, committee chairman and chief executive officer of Bar-S Foods Co. of Phoenix. "This has to be looked at with a long-term view as to where we are going to take this state and how are we going to come up with a fiscal structure of government that is sound and affordable." Other highlights of the report are recommendations calling for a ban on tax increases in fiscal 1992, an independent study of state programs and expenditures, and establishment of "a responsive education structure." The report also calls for taxation reforms that include simplifying property-tax classifications, lowering commercial-property assessments increasing reliance on user-license fees.

The study comes amid plans by Gov. Fife Symington to conduct his own survey of state government. The governor's SLIM plan, an acronym for State Long-Term Improved Management, is a yearlong study aimed at streamlining state agencies and cutting expenditures. ,,,.,..1 WJ 1 nmnMit.ii.o.i. iii.iir.iii-ri.n.iwiii.nr n.nm whmmm a "NEW DESIGN!" MINOLTA ntCCDOM ZOOM 105, JJ) If)) 1 I Governor to begin radio phone-ins Minolta Dnnqs you the latest technology jfjr zoom with intelligent autotocusinq Jf'jr Automatic Program Zoom with Eye-Slart Sen sor activation Minolta one-year warranty metropolitan Phoenix is 277-5827.

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Have praise or a gripe for Gov. Fife Symington? Today, you'll have a chance to talk with him when he answers calls in the first of a series of radio phone-in shows. The governor is scheduled to field questions from callers on a statewide radio linkup from 1 to 2 p.m. The broadcast will be heard in Phoenix on KTAR (620 AM). Diane Bonilla, KTAR's director of talk programming, said 10 stations in Arizona will broadcast the show.

Symington plans to do the radio phone-in show every three weeks. "It's a good way for people to contact the governor directly," said Doug Cole, the governor's press secretary. Callers will be able to dial the governor on a toll-free number. From outside metropolitan Phoenix, call 1-800-544-5827. The number inside "HOME VIDEO MADE EASY!" 90 DAYS SAME AS CASH! LEGISLATURE IN BRIEF Wednesday: Day 101 of the 104-day session ENSCO incineration permits: House voted 57-0 for a measure on air-quality permits that contains an amendment prohibiting the ENSCO plant southwest of Phoenix from putting its three incinerators into full operation during a proposed 90-day test period.

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