Statesman Journal from Salem, Oregon • Page 2

Page 2A Statesman Journal, Salem, Wednesday, July 21, 1993 LOCALNATION ttimras9 aodl flood WD OCCs Irfouse panne Flip Side The Associated Press in front of their home with their belongings Monday. "fi assess WAITING FOR THE WATER TO The bill calls for $2.98 billion in Midwest disaster relief, including coverage for crop losses. SI Louis levee fails: Page 1 A The Associated Press WASHINGTON A House committee approved $2.98 billion in disaster aid for Midwestern flood victims Tuesday, less than a week after President Clinton asked for the emergency spending. The House Appropriations Committee approved $500 million more than Clinton originally requested. The administration late Monday had asked for the additional funding.

The largest share of additional spending will go for direct aid to flood victims and to cover crop losses. The full House is scheduled to take up the bill Thursday, after which it must go to the Senate. Because of the growing disaster, the spending levels in the bill could rise even further before Trnnnii-i--jgn -I POSSESSIONS DRIFT AWAY: of the River Des Peres after a levee lion for repairs to locks, dams, levees and other flood-control works; $54 million for repair and renovation of community health centers and migrant health centers; $100 million for highway and bridge repair; $21 million for restoration of rail service; $100 million for housing construction, Democrats make difference on sales tax bill Knee pain doubles after surgery error OSLO, Norway When the operation was over, 76-year-old Othar Olsen's bad left knee had been repaired. So had his good right knee. The surgeon operated on the wrong knee.

Finding nothing amiss with the joint, he recognized his mistake and operated on the other knee, the Oslo newspaper Verdens Gang reported Tuesday. Olsen was pictured in the newspaper at Vest Agder Hospital in southern Norway with both knees bandaged. He said the doctor apologized and accepted blame for the error. Verdens Gang reported that Olsen was taking the matter up with the com- plaints office for patients in Norway's state-run medical i system. House sells, but autograph stays HUMBOLDT, S.D.

When then-President Bush campaigned at Jeff and Susan Kapperman's farm last year, he autographed one of the walls. Now, the house is for sale autograph not included. Bush visited the Kap-permans, accompanied by the Secret Service and about 400 people. Before a speech, Bush chatted with the family and signed the wall with a felt-tipped pen. But now the Kappermans and their three children have outgrown the home.

They want to sell the building, a former schoolhouse, and have it moved off the property so that they can build a new home. It goes on the auction block next -Tuesday. The Kappermans say they will try to steam the wallpaper from the living room wall so that they can keep Bush's autograph or sell it. From wire reports YOUR GUIDE TO TODAY'S ADVERTISERS ApparelJewelry PYKETTE'S 2B TOPS MORE Automotive GOOD GUYS ENTERPRISES 3D TEAGUE MOTORS 3D Classified Ads Communications GRAPHIC INFORMATION 4D Dept. Stores BON 5A FRED MEYER 7A I 4A.4D KMART 10A SEARS PORTRAIT STUDIO 4B SHOPKO 3B SPROUSE-REITZ 3B.6B Electronics PHOTO VISION 5A.4C.4D Entertainment ACT 111 3B SALEM CINEMA 3B STAR CINEMA 3B WUNDERLAND 3B Financial MORTGAGE FIRST 4B Floor Covering TIM'S CARPET WAREHOUSE 9A FloristsNurseries OREGON GARDEN GREENERY 4B FoodBeverages DANIEL'S GREEN GROCER 3E EZ ORCHARDS 2E FinS SEAFOOD MARKET 3E NORMAN'S FARMER'S MARKET 4E NUSOM ORCHARDS 4E ROTH'S 2E SPAGHETTI WAREHOUSE 3B SUNRISE MARKET 3E TRAPP'S PRODUCE BARN 2E VALASSIS INSERTS 3E Gen.

Merchandise BURROW'S 2E CHUCKLES 4E CONTAINERS PLUS 4E DOWNTOWN SALEM ASSOCIATION HOMESPUN CRAFTERS 4B HealthMedical EYEGLASS FACTORY 10A SALEM HOSPITAL 10A WAL MART VISION CENTER 9A Home Improvement CULBERTSON'S 4B EMERALD POOL 10A JUDSON'S 3C KEITH BROWN LUMBER 6A WILLAMETTE WO0DST0VES 3C Office Supply A MARKETING 4B PersonalServices DELKER, MARJORIE 4B Recreation GOLF USA 30' NEVADA BOB'S 4D Travel CASINO EXPRESS 6B Utilities U.S. WEST 3A Other ABBA PEST 10A LOWRY, DAVID 4B, Flood victims use humor to bear losses The Associated Press STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. "Good news!" the tired National Guardsman exulted. "We've been waiting for that WATER to disappear.

And look!" Was this guy kidding? The neighborhood street he gestured across was swamped with brown water. A closer look revealed a smirk on his face and an up-to-its-chin street sign: "IMPASSABLE IN HIGH," it read indeed, the "WATER" had disappeared, underwater. OK, it's not Letterman, but it's something to laugh at. All across the Midwest flood zone from Missouri (now the "Row-Me to Des Moines, Iowa (Zip Code 50H2O) folks say their endless jokes in the face of disaster help keep back tears. "What else can you do but laugh?" said Mark Shaughnessy, manning a pump at a flooded church in Ste.

Genevieve. "It's going to be a long time cleaning up." Nearby, a hand-lettered sign left on a closed shop's door smarted off to the Mississippi: "Go South Ole Man," it said. "You Have Made Your Point." That's the right attitude, experts say. "Having a sense of humor is like a lifeboat," said Joyce Salt-man, who teaches at Southern Connecticut State University and lectures to cancer victims, laid-off workers and others about the therapeutic value of laughter. Medical research has shown that laughing triggers production of the body's "natural painkillers," but she said humor's emotional lift may be more crucial than the biochemical one.

"Even if you're treading water," she said, "making a joke takes you out of that situation and puts you in control. It lets you step back from the situation and get a new perspective." How they voted Here are the votes by which the House passed House Bill 2500, a sales-tax implementing measure, on Tuesday: Democrats for (18) Kate Brown, Portland; Mike Burton, Portland; Margaret Carter, Portland; Peter Courtney, Salem; Marilyn Dell, McMinnville; Jim Edmunson, Eugene; Avel Gordly, Portland; Carl Hosticka, Eugene; Tim Josi, Bay City; Kevin Mannix, Salem; Dave McTeague, Milwaukie; Lisa Naito, Portland; Nancy Peterson, Ashland; Gail Shibley, Portland; Larry Sowa, Oregon City; Jim Whitty, Coos Bay; Cynthia Wooten, Eugene; Sharon Wylie, Gresham. Democrats against (10) Lee Beyer, Springfield; Sam Dominy, Cottage Grove; George Eighmey, Portland; Tony Federici, St. Helens; Tom Mason, Portland; Michael Payne, Baker City; Hedy Rijken, Newport; Lonnie Roberts, Portland; Frank Shields, Portland; Bob Shiprack, Bea-vercreek. Republicans for (13) Ron Adams, West Linn; Ray Baum, La-Grande; Tom Brian, Tigard; Ted Cal-ouri, Portland; Larry Campbell, Eugene; Mary Alice Ford, Portland; Delna Jones, Aloha; John Meek, Hillsboro; Chuck Norris, Hermiston; Del Parks, Klamath Falls; John Schoon, Rickreall; Tony Van vliet, Corvallis; John Watt, Medford.

Republicans against (19) Ken Baker, Portland; Beverly Clarno, Bend; Gene Derfler, Salem; Bill Fisher, Rose-burg; Fred Girod, Stayton; Cedric Hay-den, Lyons; Eldon Johnson, Medford; Denny Jones, Ontario; Dennis Luke, Bend; Bill Markham, Riddle; Parti Milne, Woodburn; John Minnis, Trout-dale; Carolyn Oakley, Albany; Bob Repine, Grants Pass; Charles Starr, Hillsboro; Veral Tamo, Coquille; Bob Tier-nan, Lake Oswego; Liz VanLeeuwen, Halsey; Greg Walden, Hood River. many uncertainties remain. One is the lack for the moment, at least of a developer. Morgan said none has approached the city since 1990, when Resources Group, a Washington company, dropped a shop- fiing center complex proposal for ack of financing, The state Transportation Department, meanwhile, has expressed concern about increased traffic on Interstate 5. Department officials have said the interchange needs traffic improvements that aren't scheduled for at least five years.

RECEDE: Residents of Grafton, sit President Clinton is asked to sign it. The largest single items in the bill are $1.15 billion for direct crop losses, and $815 million for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The crop provision covers losses elsewhere in the country, but with restrictions aimed at making sure that most of the money goes to growers in the Midwest. The federal emergency money goes directly to individuals and families for help with housing and other immediate needs. The crop-loss money will enable growers who know already that they won't have a crop to begin applying immediately for compensation.

Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy last week said those growers should be able to receive crop disaster payments within two weeks of making a claim. David Martin, a FEMA spokesman, said the increased money for his agency should enable it to continue providing help that it has already been giving. Other amounts approved by the committee include $43.5 million for temporary jobs; $130 mil- About the bill House Bill 2500 went to the Senate on Tuesday on a 31-29 vote. It is a companion measure to House Joint Resolution 10, which won approval in the House weeks ago. The bill details the provisions of a sales tax.

The resolution sets limits on such a tax in the state constitution. It must be approved by voters in November in order for the bill to take effect. Here are key provisions of House Bill 2500: Imposes a 5 percent sales tax on goods only. Begins the tax collection May 1 1994. Provides an array of exemptions to certain businesses, government agencies, charities, hospitals, farmers and individuals.

tant that this process move along," he said. There was no debate on the bill, and the bill's architect, Rep. Delna Jones, R-Aloha, spoke only briefly on its behalf. "We know that education as we know it today will not be there in Delna Jones 1995-97 if we do not have additional revenue to put into that education system," she said. "I ask you to look at this in relationship to our future, our children's future." The normal chatter on the House floor as votes are cast elec- An armchair floats amid floodwaters break in south St.

Louis. rehabilitation, repair and rental assistance; and $53 million for disaster-related community development. The committee granted an administration request to increase disaster payments to farmers who lose more than 75 percent of their a greater role in the state's budget debates. Rep. Tim Josi, D-Bay said that he had supported the measure all, along but that he wanted to send a message to Republicans.

His vote Friday against the tax bill was meant to force Republicans to cast a majority of their votes for it. "If I play a few games to make the ruling group be more responsible, I don't think there's anything wrofchg with that as long as I get a chance to vote my conscience in the long run," he said. Also switching to "yes" votes were Democrats Kate Brown of Portland, Jim Edmunson of Eugene, Dave McTeague of Milwaukee and Larry Sowa of Oregon City. Some speculated that the bill's revival is temporary. The Senate is considering changes so that a sales tax would deliver more money to schools and free more dollars for other government spending.

And instead of delivering property tax relief, Senate Republicans want to reduce income taxes. Sen. Shirley Gold, D-Portland, who heads the Senate's tax-writing committee, said she and other senators would keep in mind the House's narrow support as they work through changes that could make the tax bill even less acceptable to the House. "But we are a separate chamber," she said. "We get our shot, too.

That's what conference committees are for." If the Democratic-controlled Senate and the Republican-run House can't agree on each other's versions, negotiators from both chambers would try to reach a compromise. That could add days or weeks to the legislative session. "People that live here feel that because of what's being done to them, they ought to get fair market value for a commercial area." Morgan responded that an appraiser would value the land based on its comprehensive land-use plan designation either commercial or industrial. And the city would buy the land only if it formed an urban renewal district and started to consolidate the properties, he said. Although city officials regard development of the Chemawa Road interchange as inevitable, Republicans stand their ground as the bill narrowly passes the House.

Sales tax revived: Page 1 A By David Steves The Statesman Journal Tuesday's House decision to salvage a sales-tax bill came a day after legislative leaders apparently declined to mend partisan differences on the issue. Neither Democrats nor Republicans wanted to shoulder the responsibility for passing a sales tax that could prove unpopular among voters. That led to a vote Friday in which neither party would give more than 13 votes. Republicans said Democrats, who have sought more money for schools and social programs, had to come up with the votes. Democrats said it was up to Republicans, who control the House, to take the lead.

It wasn't until a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning that Democrats decided to abandon the political brinkmanship. "This is a very dangerous, risky vote. We know that," House Minority Leader Peter Courtney, D-Salem, said. "But this is our watch, so 18 of us decided that regardless of everything else, we were going to go up the hill and carry the water." Republicans had a hand in the bill's revival. Rep.

John Minnis, R-Portland, was one of two lawmakers with the parliamentary authority to bring the bill up for reconsideration. Despite his personal opposition, he did so. "I do believe that it's impor- Continued from Page 1 A Because of those concerns, Mayor Dennis Koho has suggested that the city should remove the 37-acre St. Croix neighborhood from the development area. But some homeowners, including Joe and Marilynn Diehl of Ridge Drive NE, said they're resigned to the inevitable commercial development.

"It would be nice to have a time line," Marilynn Diehl said. Since 1987, homeowners said, the city has not allowed them to IPcoipeiswKe Eliminates the school property tax on owner-occupied homes. Instead of a maximum rate of $1 7.50 per $1 ,000 of assessed value, homeowners would pay $1 0 per $1 ,000 in 1 994. The rate would drop to $1 5 for other types of property. Increases the corporate income-tax rate from 6.6 percent to 7.6 percent.

Increases income-tax relief for lower- and middle-income Orego-nians. This will average $20 for those with joint incomes between $10,000 and $20,000 and $22 for joint incomes between $20,000 and $30,000. Raises $553 million in 1994-95 and $1.92 billion in 1995-97. Of that 1994 total, as much as $300 million would be given to schools and community colleges to offset cuts approved this year. tronically was replaced by silence as legislators glanced nervously at the electronic reader-board.

The number 30 one shy of a majority hung on the screen for several seconds before Rep. John Watt, R-Medford, gave the bill its 31st vote, sending it to the Senate. Later, several Democrats explained why they reversed their earlier "no" votes. Freshman Rep. Marilyn Dell, D-McMinnville, said she wanted to send a message to her constituents, many of whom are skeptical of any effort to raise taxes.

"I came here wanting real tax reform, and this bill doesn't do that," she said. Ultimately, however, she voted for it because she wanted voters to decide a tax measure and play for years. Even property owners who support intensive interchange development are frustrated. Nursery owner Bob Herberger said he and 26 other property owners in the 100-acre area north of Chemawa have been in limbo for years as developers have come and gone. He said they worry that the city will condemn the property, pricing it at its farm value rather than its potential business value.

"The great fear is that the city will steal our land," Herberger said. izer envisions interchange development remodel or expand their homes and businesses because of the future development. Morgan said Tuesday that a city comprehensive plan change in January removed those restrictions, but residents apparently weren't notified. "No one sent them a letter saying, 'Guess he said. Such a letter finally went out Tuesday.

Although land divisions are still prohibited, homeowners can get building permits for new bathrooms, sun decks and other projects that have been on hold.