The Daily Journal from Franklin, Indiana • Page 14

FRIDAY. JUNE 12. 1992 DAILY JOURNAL. JOHNSON COUNTY. IND.

DeVore decides not to run for lieutenant governor WEATHER The Associated Press State Auditor Ann G. DeVore today announced she wont seek the Republican nomination for lieutenant gov-ernor even though she thinks she could win at next week's state GOP convention. DeVore, a Franklin College graduate, said she decided that in the interests of party unity she should support gubernatorial nominee Linley E. Pearson's choice of Vincennes businessman Robert D. Green for the No.

2 spot on the party's ticket Her announcement means that Green now will be unchallenged at next Wednesday's convention. "I have chosen not to pursue my candidacy to respect Mr. Pearson's decision and for party unity," DeVore said at a news conference. "I'm hoping my decision will help pull the party together for victory in the fall." After Pearson announced his decision last week, DeVore said she received calls from hundreds of local party leaders, supporters and even Democrats who urged her to run. DeVore had spent eight months campaigning for the office.

"I have come to the conclusion Republicans from the grassroots to the top are fighter and want com petition," she said. "I feel very confident I would have won a floor fight," she said. However, DeVore said she had to take into account that Pearson had interviewed her as a potential running mate and selected someone else. Making an analogy to her marriage to her husband, Roger, she said, "I cant imagine being married to somebody for 34 years who didnt want me in the first place." DeVore, of Columbus, declined to rule out a run for another office In the future. Now in her second term as auditor, she is barred from seeking another term in that office.

"I won't rule anything out There are a lot of doors out there that might open in the next two to four years," she said. The Accu-Waathar" forecast lor noon, Saturday. June 13. LZE Ml. 1 14 FROM PAGE ONE Deer Fight nutf STATIONARY 1M2 Aw-WMtar Ine HL EaratO ElEJElv dLA mm am (mcwm rroM Humum nam a tumr rr go clouot INDIANA larger, and a different type of forest it doesn't pose the same problems as the state park.

"Atterbury isn't a relatively mature forest," Mitchell said. "The deer have a lot more to eat. There are a lot of open fields and a lot of very young regrowth of brush and timbers." Because they can feed in the Atterbury area, deer haven't invaded the northern part of the county. "We haven't heard people talking about deer up here any more than usual," said Doug McPherson of the Ourdoorsman Sport Shop at 1010 S. State Road 135 in White River Township.

"I hunt a lot in this area and deer is no problem at all," he said. McPherson said he had not heard of an increase in the number of deer struck by county motorists. JV JOHNSON COUNTY Thursday's high 78 Overnight low 56 Temperature at 8 a 65 FORECAST Tonight Increasing clouds. Low 60 to 65. Saturday Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers.

High in the upper 70s. dry. Tuesday Warm and dry Eleven a.m. report by Hilliard and stripped vegetation in the Atterbury area, which includes 6,000 acres controlled by the state and another 35,000 acres on the military reservation. Last year hunters lulled approximately 600 deer in the Atterbury area, Rowe estimated.

"The state harvest rate is about 25-to 28-percent," he said. "You can't kill over 30 percent of the population, because you would eliminate it eventually." More than 11,650 people received licenses to hunt on the Atterbury grounds last year, Rowe said. The season this year begins Oct. 1 for bow hunters and Nov. 13 for gun hunters.

Jim Mitchell, a deer biologist with the DNR's Bloomington office, estimated the Atterbury herd at between 1,800 and 2,750. But because the Atterbury area is Coalition interfere with their lives, she said. What people do not seem to understand is that if government can prohibit abortion, it can also mandate abortion, Kennedy said. "That's the essence of the issue," she said. But a government watchdog group, The Center For Responsive Politics, located in Washington D.C., sees little danger in what the coalition proposes, said Ellen Miller, the center's director.

"A plurality of interests is gener EXTENDED OUTLOOK can afford it" he said. "It's not that we object to taxes. Taxes are the way of life you have to fund your community." But "it really irritates me to think in two years time, I might want to leave Franklin because I cant afford to live here," Yvonne said. Realizing the extent of the 1992 increase, she phoned Franklin and Johnson County officials, trying to find out why the tax had gone up. Officials told her that the 12 tax abatements Franklin has granted along with several other factors caused the increase.

Other officials say, however, that tax breaks to businesses are only a small part of the reason. Tax abatement is an economic incentive that allows a company to pay a reduced property tax bill on only improvements during the early years of an expansion project. The full amount of property tax the company owes just on the expansion is phased in gradually over a period of years. The Franklin City Council has given tax abatement 12 times to 10 companies to help them build or expand industries in the city and provide new jobs. But the city will lose out on $125,200 in property tax revenue that it would have had in 1992 without the abatements, said County Auditor Betty Stringer.

The fairness and timing of the abatements bother Edwards. "They were giving tax abatement during a recession when (businesses) were milling out already." she vtirl When officials talk about using abatement to open Franklin up to new industry, Edwards is cautious. "As far as drawing new business to Franklin, I don't want Franklin to be a Greenwood or Carmel," she said. "What's wrong with it being a college town? What's wrong with being away from it?" The couple also blames the 1990 Land reassessment on their high taxes. "The assessment on just the land, which was done by the state, is totally wrong," Doug said.

Before they built their house, the Edwards' lot assessed for $23,860, but they paid Sunday Warm and dry. Monday Warm and MARKETS ally to the benefit of a democracy, Miller said. If the coalition's movement is large enough, it could force the Democratic and Republican parties to be more responsive to its concerns. And that can be positive, she said. "It may not be what I choose," Miller said.

"But neither is simply raising campaign contributions the best way to choose a government." The coalition's political views include: Abortion. Protecting the right's of the unborn is the coalition's top priority, Lantz said. Along with many others, he believes the Supreme Court will not completely strike down its decision in Roe vs. Wade, which allows abortion under certain conditions. But Lantz believes the court's ruling in a pending Pennsylvania case will open up the way for state legisla- price chanje-s 23 n.c.

up 63 up 49H down 26H n.c. 4SV down V4 26 n.c. 72 up 10 n.c. 62 down 43 up 35 down V4 27 down 93 up 1 35 up 25 n.c. 65 up 16 down 43 up 36 up 16 up 47 n.C 66 up 56 down 30 up 22 down 54 up 37 up They weren't alone.

Many of their neighbors felt tax hikes and had the same concerns. "After the last big increase, I talked with my neighbors and they were real upset" Yvonne said. Edwards started a petition, demanding that the city not grant any more of the tax breaks. She and a neighbor, Lisa VanVleet went door to door in Paris Estates collecting signatures in the last several weeks. "I've had nothing but positive response for.

the petition," Edwards said. "People are not behind these abatements." Edwards also wrote a letter to the editor that was printed in the Daily Journal in late April, in which she detailed her complaints about taxes. Mike Scholl, a resident of the Knoll-wood Farms housing development, saw the letter and agreed with Edwards. He contacted her and joined the petition drive, and started collecting signatures in Knollwood. By Monday, 12S city property owners had signed the petition opposing abatements.

The petition was sent to the Franklin City Council during its Monday hearing on a six-year, $46,500 tax abatement for the renovation of the Northwood Plaza shopping center. The council gave preliminary approval to the abatement, but council member Tim Dobbs read Edwards' petition aloud at the meeting. Dobbs said he sympathizes with Edwards and other property owners. "I'm trying to have as conservative approach to abatement as I can, and still keep the interests of Franklin in mind," he said. But "If we don't generate new businesses to get our assessed valuation back up, our services are going to cost us more." Dobbs said he is planning a city public forum to explain abatements and property taxes to residents.

Edwards had never been involved in a civic crusade before the tax issue. But she plans to keep at it until her taxes improve. "I won't give up," she said. "I will hound those people." "Why their taxes went up so drastically was reassessment," said McCracken. "When somebody's house was worth $50,000 and it reassessed for $100,000, of course their taxed are going to go up." County Assessor William Combest, who administrates the state assessment at the county level, also blames city and school budget increases.

"Taxes are high. Normally you expect the assessed valuation to go up and the rate to go down, but that didn't happen," Combest said. "The culprit there is spending." "The assessed valuation increased but spending increased more than assessed valuation," he said. "That caused the tax problem around this area." The 1990 reassessment of homes in Johnson County was the first in 10 years, and it increased the assessed valuation on most homes. Another reassessment will start next year.

Township assessors look at each home and determine its value based on a complex formula set by the State Board of Tax Commissioners. The city increased its budget more than $300,000 for 1992, to $6.4 million. That led to a rate increase of 42 up to $3.60 per $100. Most of the increase was for six new city positions and their benefit packages, plus a neiire truck and ambulance. but of that $6.4 million budget, only between $2.5 million and $2.75 million less than half came from property tax revenues.

The rest came from funds from the county, state, revenues from city permit fees and dividends from city investments. Yet another factor in the increase was the closing of several stores in Franklin in recent years, said City Council member Tim Dobbs. Rothschild's clothing and shoe store, New-kirk's Fashion Shoppe and Ames Department Store all closed, and the city lost all the Inventory tax revenue -from the merchandise in those stores. Indianapolis livestock The Associated Press Hogs 100. Barrows and gilts 75 cents higher.

US 1-3 225-265 lbs 46 US 1-2 230-250 Iba 47.00-47.50. Sows: Steady. US 1-3 350-500 lbs 28 500 lbs and above 32.00-34 00. Boars: Steady. All weights 28.00.

Indianapolis grain Estimated prices Thursday at Indianapolis area elevators: Corn No. 2 yellow new Soybeans No 1 yellow new $5 99-6 20. Wheat No. 2 soft red 47. Wall Street NEW YORK (AP) Stock prices turned upward today, inspired by surprisingly favorable news on inflation.

The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials jumped 18.41 points to 3.369.92 by noontime on Wan Street. Gainers outnumbered losers by about 9 to 5 in nationwide trading of New York Stock Exchange-listed Issues, with 982 up, 530 down and 575 unchanged. The Labor Department reported mat the consumer price index edged up 0.1 percent in -May, in contrast to analysts' expectations of a 0.3 percent gain. That provided reassurance to traders who had been a little unsettled by recent increases In the price of oM and some other commodities, and by word on Thursday of a larger-man-expected 0.4 percent rise in producer prices of finished goods last month. Convention tures to impose restrictions.

The coalition is prepared to fight for more restrictions in Indiana. Education. The coalition's education policy goes beyond the traditional fight against certain forms of sex education and for prayer in the classroom. The group has reservations about the way environmental concerns are being taught. Forms of environmental education deify Mother Earth, reminiscent of the ancient pagan religions, Lantz said.

The gaylesbian lifestyle is another target of the group's education policy. The group objects to any AIDS curriculum that includes specific reference to the gaylesbian lifestyle, especially if there is not a corresponding reference to traditional, Christian moral values. Welfare. The group has targeted reforms in the child welfare program as another of its top priorities. Stressing traditional- family values would keep families from breaking up, thus reducing the need for certain forms of welfare.

Taxes. The coalition plans to work for ways to reduce property taxes, Lantz said. One idea is to foster efficiency in government. There is, for example, no need for each county to have its own Department of Family and Children Services (formerly welfare department office, he said. sage, but was concerned about the messenger.

"I have no problems with what Mr. Quayle said he spoke the emotional words (convention members) wanted him to say," he said. "I have a problem when we bring in politicians, particularly in an election year," he said. "I think there are enough good speakers out there who aren't politicians." children who couldn't get into the WIC program," Metzenbaum said. Among the FTC's actions: A civil antitrust lawsuit accuses Abbott, whose Ross Laboratories in Columbus, Ohio, makes the infant formula, of bid-rigging in 1990 in connection with a contract to provide formula to more than 40,000 infants in Puerto Rico.

The contract was through the WIC program. Come on out to the farm and pick, your own or buy them already picked! Valuable Coupon HOSPITAL NOTES Amax American Tel. AT Ameritech Amoco Arvinlnd. BancOne CNB Bancshares Cummins Duff Phelps Exxon Corporation General Motors Grand Metropolitan Indiana Energy Inc. IBM IPALCO Ent.

Kimball Int'l OB Lilly Co. Marsh Class National City Corp. Pepsico PSI Resources Sara Lee Corp. Schlumberger Society Corp. So In Gas and El Sprint Corporation Wal-Mart Walt Disney LOTTERY Here are the winning numbers selected Thursday in the Hoosier Lottery.

Dally Three: 8-8-5 Dally Four 5-4-2-5 Estimated Lotto Cash Jackpot: $6.5 million Estimated Powerball jackpot: $9 million Beverly E. Minor, Trafalgar. Elizabeth C. Safford, New Whiteland. Paula L.

Speer, Franklin. Cora Wise, Franklin. Dismissals Carrie A. Eigan and baby, Indianapolis. Charles F.

Higdon, Franklin. Laura A. Lawson and baby; Franklin. Fannie M. Malone, Mooresville.

Randy J. Wiegand, Franklin. Patient Information: 736-3300 Doctors' exchange: 736-6221 Just West of Greenwood on Hwy 37 The Thursday census at Johnson Memorial Hospital was: Births Melissa A. Hadley, Edinburgh, boy. Laura A.

Lawson, Franklin, boy. Beverly E. and Terry S. Minor, Trafalgar, boy. Elizabeth C.

Safford. New Whiteland, girt. Admissions Helen Bamett, Franklin. Mary E. Brown, Franklin.

Jasmine A. Martin, Franklin: only $14,000 for it, he said. Reasons granting abatements. The residents believe tax abatements are responsible for a hike in their property taxes. "It's how they want to look at it and where they want to put the blame," said County Auditor Betty Stringer.

"It's a combination of things." Tax abatement is an economic incentive that allows a company to pay a reduced property tax bill on only improvements during the early years of an expansion project. Cities grant tax abatement to companies to help them expand or relocate to the community. The tax break is not a net loss of tax revenue for the city. Instead, the full amount of property tax the company owes is phased in gradually over a period of years. "People say you lose taxes because of tax abatement," said Chet Aubin, general manager of the Johnson County Rural Electric Membership Corp.

"But if you don't get that company to relocate here, or to improve and add jobs, then not only have you lost future taxes, but you've lost jobs and the taxes those jobs would bring." Aubin said other communities are even more aggressive about giving tax breaks to companies willing to re-locate or improve. "They see not the dollars they lose today, but the dollars they'll get in the future," he said. "Those companies will pay taxes, and the people will pay taxes on houses, cars, food and other items bought within the community." Aubin is president of the Johnson County Development a public-private group seeking to attract busi-. nesses to the county. Aubin said the tax abatements are temporary and that businesses eventually wind up paying their full share of taxes.

But individuals cant get tax abatement, and so the incentive raises questions of fairness. Franklin's total rate includes the city tax rate of $3.60, the Franklin Community Schools tax rate of $4.17, the county tax rate of $1.14, plus 26 cents for the library and a penny for the state. Franklin Township adds another five cents to the rate and Needham Township three cents. Tax abatement is a factor in the increase, said Franklin Clerk-treasurer Lena M. "Dixie" McCracken.

"If somebody puts in a $3 million plant and they're paying taxes on that our rate will go she said. "But until a company starts paying taxes, I don't think the rate will ever go down." But officials say the property tax hike in Franklin had several other causes, including reassessment, and an increase in city and school FARM FRESH READY NOW! The speech from Vice President Dan Quayle was a highlight for Beal, who appreciated his family values message. And he believes the "Murphy Brown" controversy has been blown out of proportion. "I think he was illustrating a point," Beal said. "I think we do see a need in this country to get back to the family and a basic morality." Townsend didn't mind the mes- Formula American Home Products spokesman John Skule also denied any wrongdoing, saying they settled the cases only because that cost less than protracted litigation.

But Sen. Howard Metzenbaum, D-Ohio, whose hearings on the subject two years ago launched the FTC investigation, disagreed. "I don't believe we will ever know just how much the infant formula conspiracy cost consumers, American taxpayers and poor women and HART'S ELECTRONICS TV VCR Service Closed for Vacation June 11 Thru June 21 Re-open 8 a.m. Mon. June 22 OPEN 8 a.m.

-5 p.m. 8 a.m. -2 p.m. Sat. 10 Highland, Franklin Phone 738-2644 3949 E.

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