Indiana Gazette from Indiana, Pennsylvania • 4

Ridge defends elimination of funds Budget plan receives praise western Pennsylvania. The $16.1 billion budget, which now goes to the Legislature, would cut taxes by $215 million. Spending would rise by about 2.3 percent. Ridge's visit was the first stop of a statewide tour to promote the budget. The plan includes an immediate cut in corporate net income taxes from 10.99 percent to 9.99 percent.

The cut, which will cost the state $143.3 million, had been scheduled to take effect in two years. The personal income tax would remain at 2.8 percent. The corporate tax change would make competing with New York, New Jersey and Ohio easier, Ridge said. CRANBERRY, Pa. AP Business leaders praised Gov.

Tom Ridge's proposed state budget, saying it would improve the business climate and create jobs. About 15 executives and trade organization representatives Wednesday went along with the governor on the hour-long tour of the TRACO window and door factory-north of Pittsburgh. Timothy Parks, president of the Pittsburgh High Technology Council, said the planned S186 million business tax cut and other industry-friendly provisions would encourage investment and expansion. The private industry trade council, the nation's largest, represents 1,100 high-technology business in south By PAMELA SAMPSON Associated Press Writer HARRISBURG Advocates for people with arthritis and diabetes have criticized Gov. Tom Ridge's proposed budget because it eliminates money for research and services to two diseases that affect a total of 2.4 million Pennsylvanians.

In bis budget proposal for fiscal 1993-96, which begins in July, Ridge dropped state funding for arthritis research and services for diabetics. The programs were two of 19 he proposed to remove from the state's 516.1 billion general fund. "It's never easy to eliminate programs," Ridge said Tuesday in his budget address to the Legislature. "In fact, it's dam tough. Each has a constituency.

But it must be done." Michelle Knight, assistant executive vice president of the state American Diabetes said the cuts would harm programs that play a vital role in helping sick people manage their disease. 'Definitely, it's going to hurt," she said. Diabetes, an illness that results from the body's inability to produce insulin, is the fourth leading cause of death by disease in the United States -and can lead to blindness, heart disease and strokes. Diabetics also face complications that can lead to leg and foot amputations. This year, the state Diabetes Task Force received $457,000.

The money was used to help pay for programs to diagnose the disease, educate health care professionals and provide foot and eye screenings for patients. Tim Reeves, the governor's spokesman, did not dispute the necessity for such programs, but said it is impossible for state government to pay for every program for every malady. "If that were the case, we wouldn't be able to educate our children, or provide health care for the poor, or imprison criminals," Reeves said. "It's not fun to take money away, but the governor believes he was elected to look critical By The Associated Press Committee adopts repeal of union fee HARRISBURG State and municipal employees who do not want to join work-related unions should not be required to pay fees to those unions, according to a state lawmaker who wants to repeal the Agency Fair Share Fee. The Senate Labor and Industry Committee voted Wednesday to adopt a three-bill package sponsored by Sen.

Edward Helfrick that would repeal the fees. The 7-4 committee vote was along party lines, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the measure on Tuesday. Current law, enacted under the Democratic administration of former Gov. Robert Casey, requires municipal and state employees including police and school employees to pay the fees.

Helfrick. R-Northumberland. said' the fee is tantamount to requiring people to pav for their jobs and is "immoral." Sen. Albert Belan. D-AlleghenyT said the fair share fee is needed to help unions pay for contract negotiation, representation and administrative costs.

FDA chief: Smoking pediatric disease' WASHINGTON Food and Drug Commissioner David Kessler says cigarette makers contemplated targeting T-shirt giveaways and other promotions to stores near high schools as part of a campaign to entice young people to start smoking. "Nicotine addiction begins when most tobacco users are teen-agers, so let's call this what it really is: a pediatric disease," Kessler said Wednesday in a speech to Columbia University law students in New York City. The Food and Drug Administration caused an uproar last year when it began considering regulating nicotine as an addictive drug, a move that threatened to pull some tobacco products off the shelf. It spawned a series of heated congressional hearings where tobacco executives denied their products were addictive or harmful, despite internal industry documents that stated otherwise. The issue died when the Republicans took control of Congress and ended the hearings.

PNC to expand into New Jersey PITTSBURGH PNC Bank Corp. hopes its first foothold in New Jersey is just the beginning of a bigger expansion in that state. "There is no question. New Jersey is a market we'd like to expand in," said Thomas H. O'Brien, PNC's chairman and chief executive.

The bank said Wednesday it will acquire 84 branches serving about 200,000 households in southern and central New Jersey from Chemical Banking Corp. in a deal worth about S504 million. Chemical, based in New York, will keep 40 branches in northeastern New Jersey. The deal a combination of cash and up to S300 million worth of preferred stock is expected to close by the end of the year and is subject to the approval of federal and state regulators. The move into the densely populated, relatively affluent New Jersey market is logical for PNC.

which already has a strong presence in eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware, analysts said. IBM wins stress-injury lawsuit HASTINGS. Minn. A jury sided with IBM against a former high school secretary who blamed the computer giant for disabling repetitive stress injuries to her hands and arms. In the first case of its kind against IBM to reach a jury, Nancy Urbanski had accused the manufacturer of negligence in designing keyboards and warning users about the injuries, known as RSI.

But jurors decided Wednesday that IBM used "reasonable care" in designing the keyboards, and wasn't negligent for not putting warnings on them. Jurors were not convinced that keyboards caused Urbanski's injuries, and a few thought she was making ihcm up, one of the jurors said. Urbanski said she could not perform her job or household tasks. Jurors also felt responsibility should rest with an employer, not the company that built the equipment, Rancourt said. USAir to cut back flights WASHINGTON USAir plans to cut nearly 10 percent of its daily flights by July in an effort to save more than S100 million a year and move back toward profitability.

The reductions and plan to add 70 new flights will reduce USAir's overall capacity by about 5 percent, the company said Wednesday. USAir said the cuts will be phased in beginning next month. Bv July, the number of flights that do not involve landing or taking off from one of the airline four hubs Baltimore. Charlotte. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh will shrink to fewer than 10 percent.

USAir will substitute regional aircraft in areas where passenger loads have been too low to justify jet service, USAir Chairman Seth Schofield said. Fifth graders to air out concerns with Clintons By HEIDI RUSSELL Associated Press Writer Some Pike County fifth graders with an interest in news have mailed so many questions about current events to President Clinton that they've garnered an invitation to the White House. Their top priority is to meet Chelsea Clinton and her cat, Socks, when they visit Washington May 4-6. Former White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers invited the group, said teacher Sharon Siegel. About 54 pupils from the Delaware Valley Elementary School near Mil-ford have been writing to the White House since they started filming their own 15-minute newscast, broadcast live each morning oa the school station, DVT-TV.

The program jarred an interest in the world's problems, Siegel said. They write to first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton about health care, to Vice President Al Gore on the environment and even to Socks. The children rewrite their stories from local newspapers and radio stations. Their graphics aren't computer-generated, but they use props such as stuffed skunks, world maps and crayon-colored pictures. The newscast program, which' started three years ago for the fifth grade, has grown from 20 pupils to 54, Siegel said.

Pupils rotate in different jobs, from" anchoring to camera shooting to reporting. "It's helped a lot with their interest in leaders of the nation and issues. And it's given them confidence that they can do something about a story they see in the news. They also have developed great public speaking skills," Siegel said. Ryan Diptre and Dana Vieiazny, both 11, said the trip to the White House means they can talk to the Clintons face to face about their ly at every expenditure of state money." Arthritis, which includes 109 related diseases that refer to the inflammation of the joints, causes swelling, pain and loss of movement.

The state is spending $233,000 on arthritis research this year. The money was split between researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University and Geisinger Medical Center in Montour County, according to Health Department spokesman Bob Fisher. Brian Butcher, vice president for research at the Arthritis Foundation in Atlanta, said state funding for research is needed, even the small amount cut by Ridge. "In the big scheme of things, it may not seem like much. But it is quite drastic," be said.

"There's a very limited amount of money for arthritis research." Ronald Fritz, president of the central Pennsylvania chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, said arthritis research should be a priority of the Ridge administration because so many people suffer from it. "Arthritis is the nation's number one crippling disease. It seems the state should be doing a little something," he said. "If you're going to find a cure, research would be important. I don't think you're going to find it any other way." House GOP unveils plan for tax cuts By ALAN FRAM Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON The House's top tax-writer says his plan to lower levies for families with children, savers and many businesses fulfills what House Republicans promised to do in their "Contract With America." "If you had to track it, the contract will be 90 percent there," Rep.

Bill Archer, R-Texas, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said of the legislation he planned to unveil today. "We're committed to the contract. We ran on it, we ail signed it, and we'll do what we said we were going to do." But Democrats complained that the tax cuts, worth about $200 billion over five years, would be a boon to the rich, paid for with cuts in welfare and other programs that largely serve lower-income Americans. "They are shifting it from the children, who they're so brutal and cruel to, to the wealthy and rich who voted for Republicans last November," said Rep. Harold Ford.

a member of the Ways and Means panel. As the "contract" promised, the Ways and Means measure will include a $500 tax credit per child below age 18 for families earning $200,000 a year or less, reductions in the capital gains tax rate paid by people who sell land and other property, and more generous individual retirement accounts. Majority Republicans say they plan to pay for it with savings from revamping welfare, renewing some restrictions on Medicare and cutting other programs. Along with their pledge to eliminate federal deficits by 2002, the Republicans' promise to reduce taxes for millions of Americans was the main thrust of the "contract," their guiding doctrine during last fall's election campaign. Polls show that some voters would prefer greater deficit reduction to lower taxes, but many lawmakers find tax-cutting legislation hard to oppose.

President Clinton and House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, have each proposed their own, less expensive tax cuts, both aimed at lower-income people than Archer's legislation. Jury selected for man accused of killing cop EBENSBURG, Pa. (AP) The murder trial of a Harrisburg man charged with shooting a Cumberland County police officer during a coin shop robbery last summer is set to begin in Carlisle. Jury selection for Seifullah Abdul-Salaam, 24, was conducted in Cambria County because of widespread publicity surrounding the Aug. 19 death of New Cumberland police officer Willis Cole.

"I'm very happy with the way jury selection progressed," said Spero T. Laappas, Abdul-Salaam's court-appointed attorney. "It's a nice composition of men and women and people from different backgrounds." Cumberland County District Attorney J. Michael Eakin agreed. "They're good, solid citizens," he said Wednesday after the selection of the eight men, four women and three alternates was completed.

"That is all that we can ask." Abdul-Salaam's trial is scheduled to begin today. Eakin has said he intends to seek the death penalty. Lit 1 n- Delaware Valley Elementary School student James Marione and TV coach Susan Couture review the script for the school's morning newscast. (AP photo) Dana wants to find out more about the president's plans to stop crime against kids her age. She said she's troubled about reports from New York City about children's murders.

But she said she also wants to talk to Chelsea. "I'd like to know what it's like to grow up in the White House and how she likes visiting other countries," Dana said. concerns. Ryan, who most enjoys being a cameraman, and Dana, who likes doing the weather, said they and their classmates have some important things to say to the president. "I'm afraid about the Russian and American ships docking in space together.

If we start a war, then we will have shared too many secrets with them," Ryan said. 39 -'A Z5H 251 20 32W 2D 11 Detective disputes Simpson defense team's drug-hit theory NEW YORK Stocks: AMR Corp AT4T Cora Aim as AirToucI AlcanAlum AlcoSMnd AUaPowcr Alcoa AHomtPrd Arrsco Am; to Inc ArmstvsiiM) Asa co Inc AIIRicMJd B-HAri BenctciCp Beth Si eel Brunswck CBS 5 Chevron Chmier viCtXGa Comsat Mobil OiinCp PECO PPSlnds PenowJC PaPwt-l Peps-ce Polaroid Praxair Proct Gamble Salomon BFd SearsRoeb SwBell TCW Conv Tesaco UAL Corp US West usx-AAaramn USX-USS UnCarbde UnPac UnisysCp VaiMart Weston El Whitlaker Wool worth 2eniit)E ConEdiscn Dana Corel DowChem EwKooafc Exxon FMCCo FordMOWs GTE Co GenCoro GenOvnam i GenElecs GenMills GenMolori GPU Gen esc Inc Goodrich Good veer Humans VTi Corp IBM in1IPocr mart LiVvAIISt LoewsCp McDermtnt Merck 45' 26 1-14 By MICHAEL FLEEMAN Associated Press Writer LOS ANGELES Faye Resnick said in her book that O.J. Simpson is a murderer. Simpson, in turn, hinted in his book that Resnick played a role in the slayings of his ex-wife and her friend-Now, Simpson's attorneys have finally spelled out their "Faye's fault" theory: the killings were drug hits intended to send Resnick a message to pay her cocaine bills. Although attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr.

offered no evidence, he spent much of Wednesday aggressively questioning detective Tom Lange about a possible drug connection. Cochran went so far as to say the murders may have had a drug lord's signature in the form of a "Colombian necklace," defined by Cochran as an ear-to-ear throat slash. Lange insisted there were no signs that drugs were involved in the June 12 killings. He was to return to the stand today for an eighth day of testimony. Legal experts said Cochran may have taken a major risk that could backfire.

"The jury is absorbing all of this. I'm beginning to wonder if they're not thinking. 'Is the tide beginning to turn? Is the defense team beginning to get desperate? said Southwestern University law professor Robert Pugsley. "At the moment, the defense is in need of regrouping." Loyola Law School professor Stan Goldman warned that the defense must produce evidence to make its theory palatable to the jury. "It's not like Faye Resnick has been tough to find since then, and I haven't seen too many hitmen following her with big knives," he added.

Resnick's lawyer, Arthur Barens, scoffed at the defense allegations. "They appear to be grasping at straws to create a hypothetical defense," he said. "There is no evidence and will be no evidence that she was ever indebted to any Colombian or anyone else for drugs." He said Resnick has not been subpoenaed to testify. In her salacious book "Nicole Brown Simpson: The Private Diary of a Life Interrupted," Resnick admitted to using cocaine last spring but did not say she used it in Ms. Simpson's home.

She was more than clear, however, about her views on who killed her friend. "I truly believed that O.J. Simpson had murdered Nicole," she wrote near the end of the book. "It was as pre-ordained as the path of the sun across the sky." Simpson made his own allegations in his book "I Want to Tell You." "I know in my heart that the answer to the death of Nicole and Mr. Goldman lies somewhere in the world that Faye Resnick inhabited," he wrote.

Under earlier questioning from prosecutor Marcia Clark, Lange insisted the murders had none of the telltale signs of a drug hit. Among other things, he said he found no drug paraphernalia at Ms. Simpson's home, the condo had not been ransacked for money, drugs or incriminating papers, and that a gun is usually the weapon of choice in drug slayings. Cochran asked Lange whether his theory about the crime would have been affected if he had known that Resnick lived at Ms. Simpson's condominium from June 3 to June 8 and free-based cocaine daily just before she went into drug rehab.

Lange said he had conflicting reports on whether Resnick lived at the condo and no evidence of such drug use there. HARRISBURG IAP) Here are the winning numbers selected Wednesday in the Pennsylvania State Lottery: Daily Number 3-3-7 Big 4 9-9-7-9 In Wednesday's "Pennsylvania Hearts and Diamonds" game, 11 players matched all five winning cards and each will collect $20,596, a lottery official said. Lottery director Charles W. Kline said 1,183 players matched four cards and won $72 each; and 23,763 players matched three cards and won $2.50 each. Thursday's Pennsylvania Cash 5" jackpot will be worth at least $100,000.

The winning numbers drawn Wednesday in the "Pennsylvania Hearts and Diamonds" game were: 3-H, 9-H, I0-H, 2-D and J-D. In Wednesday's "Pennsylvania Million Dollar Spin" game, Naomi Harden of Harrisburg won the grand prize of $75,000. Nine finalists won $5,000 each. Players are entered in the "Million Dollar Spin" after winning a ticket in the instant lottery game..