Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 27

tethis necessary? gf WEEDS AND WIRE-Weeds, pieces of barbed wire, scattered papers and other debris clutter vacant lot in 100 block of W. Gardenia Drive. Republic Photo Residents are encouraged to telephone The Arizona Republic if they spot other'unsightly areas irt the Navajo County Grazing Valuations Hit Navajo County's grazing land valuations were protested as chaotic yesterday by the State Property Valuation The department, in turn, was accused of increasing the tax liability 2.3 times when his income in. creases only 25 per cent. The accusation was made to the State Property Tax Appeals Board by Sam Applewhite, representing Navajo County's Aztec Land and Cattle first of many Navajo County ranching operations heard from in opposition to the valuation department.

1 Applewhite noted that the department's $3-ah-acre value low-grade grazing land carrying one to four head per section rises to $7 for medium grade carrying five to nine. HENCE, a rancher whose carrying capacity rises, from four to five head, or 25 per cent, is subject to having his land valuation boosted from $3 to $7, or 2.3 times, Applewhite pointed out. Jack King, valuation department official, admitted the department may have used too wide a spread between grades in setting ranch values this year. But in reducing the valuation- department's uniform $7 valuation on Navajo County grazing land to a range of $3 to $7, Navajo County supervisors "created only chaos" instead of the statewide uniformity essential to fair taxation, King charged. He asked the appeals board to reinstate the $7 value in Navajo.

The board deferred a decision on the request, but it laid down a landmark decision in another case that is expected to affect the property tax liability of all'utilities, consumer groups and agricultural organizations operating as dividend-paying cooperatives. THE refused to allow the Graham County Electric Cooperative to deduct profits refunded to patrons from its net income in figuring its full cash value for tax purposes. This reportedly will keep the value $440,000 higher than it otherwise would have been. Board members expressed belief that this treatment of co-op income will mean equal treatment of co-ops and competing businesses. The decision will apply to such enterprises as cooperative cotton gins as well as utilities but not to cooperative apartments, officials said.

Rival Mexican Chambers Teacher Slain Sully Holiday Celebration HAROLD K. MILKS Republic Latin Affairs Editor Confusion, competition and some lawsuits could silence the public "grito" (historic rallying cry) of Mexican independence in Phoenix this Sept. 15, it was learned yesterday. Traditionally on this date the can-American community here gathers for a two-day Mexican Independence Day celebration including float parades, and the crowning of fiesta queens. -Last year there were two rival celebrations.

But unpaid bills and some lawsuits resulting from one of these may limit the 1968 celebrations to something much less expensive, said attorney Armando de Leon, legal adviser to the Camara de Comercio Mexicana de Phoenix (Mexican Chamber of Commerce of Phoenix). De LEON SATO yesterday many supporters of the 20-year-old Mexican Chamber of Commerce were being confused by the activities of a newly formed Arizona-Mexican Chamber of Commerce. "Hector le Desma, who was removed by the Mexican Chamber of Commerce as its director of public affairs last May, support for a Sept. 15-16 festival of the Arizona-Mexican organization of which he is president and statutory agent," the lawyer said. "Our old organization is anxious that it be known that there is no connection or relationship between the Mexican Chamber of Commerce established July 17, 1948, and the Arizona-Mexican Chamber of Commerce formed only this year." THE ATTORNEY displayed copies of two lawsuit complaints filed against Le Desma and the Mexican Chamber of Commerce covering unpaid bills for chamber functions which De Leon said Le Desma They involved several thousand dollars.

"Hector le Desma and a partner signed an agreement with the chamber on the 1967 independence day celebration program by which they as Descuen- tos Fiestas, would be fully responsible for all expenditures incurred in the celebrations," said De Leon. Continued On Page 22 While ''Working At Tucson Store Southern Arizona Bureau TUCSON A 24-year-old Safford High School teacher, working nights here to finance a master's degree at the University of Arizona, was shot and killed early yesterday in a robbery. Dale Alan Roberts died of two shots in the back of his head, police said. Roberts, working as a clerk in an all-night Circle market at Speedway and Campbell, was to have taken a final examination today in an education course at the school's summer session. A 1966 graduate of the university, he was working toward a master's degree in education.

A customer found Roberts lying on the floor behind the counter at 2:50 a.m. Officers said there were no witnesses to the shooting and little evidence other than the bullets. Roberts, a bachelor, is survived by his mother, Mrs. Doris 0. Black, of Winterhaven, Calif.

Death Defiers Lose Out Circus Spotlight Dog Trainer Win Kids By ROBERT J. SARTI It's a tossup between dog trainer and spotlight aimer for THE prestige job at the circus. Ask the kids. Seven-year-old Reuben Lopez of'Glendale summed it up for a flock of youngsters who couldn't take their eyes off an aimer on a platform dangling from the ceiling at Memorial Coliseum. "It looks like fun," said Reuben.

Besides, he added, it's "less work" than tending the elephants. Related Picture, Page Another Story, Page 35 ACROSS the aisle, David Chavez, 6, also of Glendale, expressed admiration for the dog trainers and declared he was well on his way with his own pet pooch. "When I call him, he comes," he explained. They were among 1,400 4 through 7 year-olds mostly Negroes and Mexican-Americans taken to the circus yesterday by the Maricopa County Head Start program. For many, it was their first trip to "the greatest show on earth," although 6-year-old Joyce said she could remember having seen jt five years ago.

THE OUTING was made possible by Ringling Brothers- Barnum and Bailey Circus, which offered the tickets to head Start for $1 apiece. The circus ends a five-day run tomorrow. At intermission half of them, apparently under the impression the show was over, got up to leave. ONE BOY had a more compelling reason for going home, though. he announced.

"I'm supposed to take a nap right "My mother always makes me take one." When told the circus wasn't over yet, he screwed up his face in thought for a second, then shrugged: "I guess I'll just take two naps tomorrow." PKANUTS FRANKLY, CHARLIE BROUN, WE'D it IF WE CAN'T FINPANVTHIN6 ELSE TO IF THERE'S NOTHING 600P ON TV THAT PAY, WE MI6HTCONSIPS? EVERVONe's fO ENTHUSIASTIC If Williams Asks On Darrell Smith Pay By PAUL DEAN Gov. Williams yesterday asked for a report on Darrell Smith, resigned Arizona attorney general who is still receiving $900 a month as special assistant to the man appointed to replace him. "I've asked Clint (administrative assistant C. R. Krimminger) to take a look at I didn't know anything about this before and I don't know enough about it now," said Williams, who leaves today for the national governors conference at Cincinnati.

"I don't think I should comment further at this time except to say the reasons (for Smith's appointment) could well be understood except at election time," added Williams. Smith, a Republican, resigned July 1 to enter private law practice. Gary Nelson, 33, also a Republican, was appointed by Gov. Williams to complete Smith's term and is the only GOP candidate for attorney general this year. ON THURSDAY, John Ahearn, Nelson's Democratic opponent for attorney general, criticized Smith's appointment as special assistant and commented: "It would appear that Mr.

Smith resigned the office but not the salary." But yesterday Nelson, interviewed by telephone in Payson where he is staying following a motor trip from the conference of attorneys general in Jackson, 41, "reluctantly" accepted the job as special assistant the day before he left office because "he (Smith) was the most qualified attorney we could get for the money we could pay peanuts, really." job is only a "temporary arrangement for six or nine months until we have someone in the office with experience to handle the clients." of Smith's four state clients, the Memorial Coliseum board, the state retirement system and the state banking department, were handled by Nelson and E. Gene Wade, a special assistant no longer attached to the attorney general's office, up until July 1. The fourth client, the Public Safety Employes Retirement System, is a new agency and "a really complex, sensitive subject." NELSON DENIED emphatically that the special assistant's job had been created for Smith or constituted work normally handled by a regular assistant attorney general. "As a matter of fact we called on two other attorneys to do the job but for the money we were prepared to offer they turned us down," he said. Nelson revealed that Smith warned him of "the political furor" that would be created by his appointment so close to this year's election.

"The best thing to play the political game would have been not to do it (make the appointment) but the importance of the job outweighed the political implications," Nelson added. "Lordy, my responsibility as attorney general is to clients and my oath of office and this was the best legal decision, appoint a man who has lived with the clients for four years." On Thursday, Smith was quoted as saying his $900 a month salary as spe- cial assistant meant he was not making "the bar's minimum (salary)." Yesterday it'was learned that neither the State Bar of Arizona nor the Maricopa County Bar Association establishes wage schedules for salaried attorneys. But both organizations estimate a private attorney's minimum fee should be $30 an hour. "I WAS TALKING about that hourly rate," said Smith. "And already this month I've worked more than 30 hours as a special assistant." recognized it (the appointment) mjght be construed in a political year by Gary's opponents as something not quite proper but I felt it was quite proper; appointment of special assist- ants is a practice that has gone on for many, many years," Smith said.

The 1967 volume of Arizona Supreme Court Reports lists 10 special assistants to the attorney general's office. Two of these, James P. Bartlett and Anthony Ehmann, are former law partners of Robert W. Pickrell, Republican attorney general between 1960-1964. And Pickrell still receives money as a.

contract counsel handling highway condemnation cases for the state. State auditor's records show that in one 10-month period between May 1967 and March of this year, Pickrell re-, $14,000 as a contract dounsel for the attorney general's office. THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC Saturday, July 20, 1968 Page 21 ICC Witnesses Differ On Need for Continuing SP's Sunset Limited Run By BOB THOMAS Southern Arizona Bureau TUCSON The Interstate Commerce Commission hearing on the proposed demise of the Railroad's Sunset Limited was told yesterday that the company had to decide "one of the imponderable riddles of our time: Did the trains desert the passengers or did the passengers desert the trains?" The question was posed by Richard Olson, who read a statement for Rep. Morris K. Udall, D-Ariz.

The statement said the quality and quantity of the Southern Pacific service has "suffered a steady decline" in the last 10 years. "Today," Udall said, "we are confronted by the grave question as to whether or not the Sunset Limited, southern Arizona's sole remaining direct passenger rail link to Los Angeles and the Gulf Southwest, will be continued. "MUCH TO MY dismay I find the Sunset Limited of 1968 is just a shadow of what it was at its inauguration in 1950. The 1950 edition included five complete trains with 30 new Pullman cars, 18 coach cars, 11 diners, 6 lounge cars, 11 baggage and mail cars and 9 diesel passenger locomotives. "All this new equipment cost approximately $15 million; the Southern Pacific apparently had great expectations for this venture.

"In January 1966," Udall continued, "the Sunset Limited had its only diner-lounge car removed, and on Feb. 28 of that same year Southern Pacific removed the Pullman sleeping car from the train. "TODAY THE Sunset Limited is making its more than 45-hour, mile journey under somewhat less than 'luxurious' conditions, to say the least." Also blasting the curtailment of railway service was Tucson Mayor James N. Corbett Jr. The mayor said loss to Tucson, if the train were discontinued, would be "inestimable." "TUCSON'S attractiveness as a winter resort depends in large measure on diversified transportation," he said.

"There are those who would gladly visit our city but are reluctant to or don't have the means to fly and who wouJd not endure a car or bus trip west. "With increased leisure time and scenic routes to offer, the train should not be difficult to promote. But it appears the Southern Pacific, feeling no sense of responsibility to the public and displaying no fortitude to accept and fulfill a public trust, will slip off into the sunset." Continued On Page 22 Taxes to Rise Despite Surplus State post auditor A.L. Means yester- Total state tax collections last year day estimated the state has a record $30 apparently ran some $25 million more million-plus surplus from last year to than the State Tax Commission estimat- help pay this fiscal year's bills. ed they would when it figured on how much property tax it would have to raise last year to balance the year's budget.

By law, the surplus revenue raised last year must be used to help hold down this year's state property tax rate. But the surplus is not expected to be enough to keep last year's $1.70 state tax rate from passing the $2 mark this year since the state has assumed $66 million of school costs previously borne locally each year. The legislature increased nonproperty taxes to help pay some but not all of the state's added school costs. Hence, a higher property rate is expected when the tax commission sets it next month. How high it will go will depend on how high total assessed property valuations in the state are set by the State Property Tax Appeals Board on Aug.

5 and how high the tax commission estimates revenues from nonproperty tax sources. Republic Photo by Earl McCartney BATTLE Williams, right, examines plastic Jitter- bag to be used in. antilitter campaign in Arizona wilderness areas. Johnny Horizon, symbolic antilittering image, was unveiled by the governor yesterday to open the campaign sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

Showing Williams the bag is Fred J. Weiler, state director of BLM, Drink Prevention To Get Priority Preventive education projects will be given a high priority when new state funds to combat alcoholism are allocated among county and city health agencies and nonprofit organizations. This was announced yesterday by Dr. George Spendlove, state health commissioner, after consultation with his technical advisory subcommittee from the Governor's Committee on Alcoholism. He said the legislature has made $60,000 available for allocation to anti- alcoholism projects.

Of that total, $1,000 is earmarked for each county to start a referral service for persons seeking help with drinking problems or questions, said Spendlove. Efforts will be made to allocate the additional funds to those agencies sponsoring projects which promise the most results for the investment, Spendlove indicated..