The Ithaca Journal from Ithaca, New York • 3

3A City Editor Simeon Moss 274-9219 ion i The Ithaca Journal Thi irsriflw Rontemhor 10 1QQ9 www WVtVI IIMVI 1 I Wft- CitvRe al County employees unhappy with new dues By JAY TOKASZ Journal Staff An amendment to New York state's civil service law is forcing hundreds of county employees to pay dues that were not required before, and many of them aren't happy about it. The mandate, signed by Gov. Mario Cuomo in July, took effect Aug. 23 and will expire Oct. 1, 1993.

It stipulates that all public employees who aren't union members vision affects about 75 percent of county employees represented by the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA). The dues, which range from $15 to $22 per month, depending on how much the employee is paid, will be automatically deducted from each employee's paycheck. The move is expected to generate millions of dollars for statewide public employees' unions. Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein (D- but are represented by a recognized union in collective bargaining with a municipal employer must pay agency shop dues. A provision in civil service law already requires state employees to pay agency shop dues, but until recently, local municipalities including counties, cities, towns, villages and school districts held domain over whether they wanted agency shop in their areas.

The new amendment to that pro the 450 white-collar county employees represented in bargaining by CSEA were actual union members who paid union dues and could vote on a contract, according to union representative David Chase, who works in the county's Department of Social Services. About 48 of the 108 workers in the blue-collar sector were union members before the law change, said Tony Denmark, the blue-collar See DUES, 4A Brooklyn), who sponsored the bill in the state Assembly, cited "the cost of representation taking its toll on the unions," as being a primary reason for the measure. "It doesn't cost the municipalities to be agency shop," she said. "It costs the unions not to have agency shop." Locally, Assemblyman Martin Luster voted in favor of the bill and State Senator James L. Seward voted against it.

Before the mandate, only 90 of School's in session 'Hill I. II mi Miiar-l fin f-y0j 'pmmmrvm -t P' 1 I 17 i. T' Hi Lansing man is indicted on multiple rape charges By DAVID HILL Juunuil Suijf Authorities have linked a taming man, who was charged wilh rape in August, with other alleged sex crimes from as far brtik as 19H7. John Ward, 32, of the Cov. wed Bridge Apartments was indicted by a Tompkins County grand jury last week on eight counts of first-degree rape, three counts of second-degree rape and five counts of third-' degree rape.

He also was in dieted on five counts of first-degree sodomy. Ward was arrested Aug. 23 at his home by Tompkins County sheriffs deputies, who initially charged him with first-; degree rape, third-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child. Sheriff's deputies accused him of forcing a 16-year-old girl to have sex with him in Lansing during July, The grand jury indictment, handed up to Tompkins County Judge Betty Friediander last week, includes five counts of first-degree rape, four counts of third-degree rape and five counts of sodomy, all of wich allegedly occurred during July. Firstdegree rape is sexual intercourse through force, hav ing sex with someone under 11 or with someone who is physically helpless.

In Ward's case, the force provision is the one the indictment cites. Second-degree rape, as applied in Ward's case, is defined 1 in New York penal law as an adult having sex with someone younger than 14 years old. Third-degree rape is having sex with someone under 17 years of age or who can't give consent for some other reason. The indictment against Ward "cites the age provision. After deputies arrested him in August, authorities apparently connected Ward with alleged crimes in the fail of 1987 and winter of 1988.

The indictment charged Ward with two counts of first-degree rape and one count of first-degree sodomy that allegedly occurred in late October 1987. Other counts charged Ward with first- and second-degree rape on Jan. 1, 1988. Neither the Tompkins County Sheriff's Department nor the office of District Attorney George M. Denies would provide further infor-.

mation on how the link among the crimes was made. Ward is being held in Tompkins County Jail, where his bail is set at $20,000 cash or $30,000 bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned before Tompkins County Judge William C. Barrett on Tuesday. J--: JAY REITERJournal Staff OPENING DAY: Students and teachers head for Cayuga Heights Elementary School Wednesday morning, the first day of school for many area youngsters.

Democratic Senate hopefuls do have differences CAMPAIGN '92 pay" system. Under that, employers must either provide a basic coverage package to employees or pay into a public fund that would pay for coverage of the uninsured. When it comes to supporting the winner of the primary, Ferraro and Holtzman said they would. Abrams, who is already on the November ballot as the Liberal Party's candidate, hedged. "We're going to need a coalition to defeat (D'Amato)," Abrams said.

"I already won the Liberal Party line and I fully expect to win the Democratic primary." And what about mandatory or voluntary term limits for themselves in the Senate? All three turned thumbs down on that idea. "I have faith in the ability of the voters to determine whether or not I am doing a good job and representing them fairly," Holtzman said. "The proper mechanism for recalling elected public officials is a democratic election," Ferraro added. "The power of the people to choose their own representatives should not be limited," Abrams said. By MARC HUMBERT The Associated Press ALBANY They may be Democrats, but when it comes to the issues, Robert Abrams, Geraldine Ferraro and Liz Holtzman aren't just three peas in the same pod.

The three, along with activist Al Sharpton, are seeking the party's U.S. Senate nomination in Tuesday's primary. The winner gets to challenge two-term Republican incumbent Alfonse D'Amato in November. The Democrats were asked by The Associated Press to respond to issues that may be of interest to the voters everything from how they felt about the death penalty to whether they might voluntarily limit their terms. The Rev.

Sharpton didn't respond. On the death penalty, state Attorney General Abrams and New York City Comptroller Holtzman, a former Brooklyn district attorney, said they were opposed to restoring it in New York state. But former vice presidential candidate Ferraro, a former assistant district attorney in Queens, said that "as a former prosecutor, I believe the death penalty is appropriate punishment in certain circumstances." to support United Nations efforts in Iraq and what was Yugoslavia, Abrams said "Yes" on both counts. In February of last year, as he began his Senate campaign, Abrams became embroiled in a controversy when he refused to say how he would have voted on the congressional resolution authorizing military action against Iraq. He appears somewhat hawkish now.

"As I have stated before, the problem with the Gulf War was that the allies never finished it," Abrams said. Ferraro said she would not rule out the use of military force in Iraq and would support it in Yugoslavia. Holtzman said the United States "should not act unilaterally in either" country and that "if we do intervene, we should do so through the U.N. peacekeeping force, subject to congressional approval." On revamping the health-care system, Abrams and Holtzman both called for a single-payer, national health insurance system. Ferraro said she favored the less sweeping approach advocated by Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton, the "play or More on where they stand, 4A Abrams took exception to Ferraro's stance, which she has boasted about in televisions ads.

"Geraldine Ferraro's advocacy of the death penalty in this campaign when a senator has no jurisdiction over state criminal law is shameless pandering on an emotional issue," Abrams said. All three said they were in favor of preserving a woman's legal right to have an abortion, supported government payments to poor women for abortions and were opposed to any parental consent requirements. All three favor reducing Pentagon spending over the next five years, but by varying amounts: Holtzman said $300 billion; Abrams said $282 billion; Ferraro wanted $100 billion. When it came to the use of military force BRIEFLY ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL ON HEALTH Exercise the right way Tompkins Community Hospital's September Silver Service lecture fill feature athletic trainer Christopher Hobler and physical therapist John Nicolette of the hospital Rehabilitation Department. The pair will talk about how to Exercise properly and for good health.

The free event is set for 10 a.m. Friday in the Tompkins Community Hospital Medical Office building. ly For more information on the lec-fure, call Silver Service at 274-4199. program seeks bare providers f-'Care providers are needed from Tompkins and northern Tioga counties for the Developmental Disabilities Services Office of the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental disabilities in Ithaca. The campaign is to increase the number of family-care homes available to children and adults taxes for deficit reduction.

The proposal would reduce the following fiscal year's spending by the amount taxpayers check off when filing their tax returns, Moppert said. "The pork-barreling Democratic Congress has fought any serious reduction proposals tooth and nail," Moppert said. Moppert is battling Robert Rossi for the Republican nomination to the seat now held by outgoing Rep. Matt McHugh. Sierras support Hinchey The Sierra Club has announced its endorsement of 101st District Assemblyman Maurice Hinchey in his bid for the Democratic nomination to the 26th U.S.

Congressional District. "Hinchey's unmatched environmental leadership will be sorely missed in the state Assembly. We are convinced, however, when elected to Congress, Maurice will continue to lead the fight for environmental protection in Washington," said Shelley Kath, legislative director of the Sierra Club's Atlantic Chapter. Hinchey, an 18-year Assembly veteran, authored the nation's first acid rain law. Environment is the focus The Cornell Greens will kick off an environmental voting campaign tonight with an environmental candidates forum.

At 7 p.m., U.S. congressional candidate Maurice Hinchey, state Senate candidate Beverly Livesay and state Assemblyman Martin Luster (D-125th Dist.) will discuss environmental issues in Cornell's Corson-Mudd Hall. These reports were compiled by Journal staff reporter Beth Saulnier. If you have an item, call her at 274-9223. Emily's List leader speaks More than 100 Cornell University students, faculty and staff attended a "Year of the Woman" political rally on campus Wednesday.

The event featured Ellen Malcolm, president of Emily's List, a national fund-raising network for pro-choice Democratic women candidates. U.S. Congressional hopeful Juanita Crabb also spoke at the rally. The Binghamton mayor, who is seeking the Demcratic nomination to Rep. Matt McHugh's congressional seat, has been endorsed by Emily's List.

After the rally, Malcolm met with local supporters of Geraldine Ferraro at the U.S. Senate candidate's Ithaca headquarters. Ferraro, who is vying for the Democratic nomination to Republican Sen. Alfonse D'Amato's seat, has also been endorsed by Emily's List. Kennedy to attend rally Robert F.

Kennedy Jr. will appear at an "old fashioned political rally" for U.S. congressional candidate Maurice Hinchey Friday, Hinchey's campaign announced. The rally, set for 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Stewart Park, will feature a brass band, free hot dogs and lemonade.

Hinchey is seeking the Democratic nomination to the 26th Congressional District seat. Moppert lauds Bush idea Republican congressional candidate Robert Mop-pert has challenged his opponents to join him in supporting President George Bush's proposal to allow taxpayers to designate as much as 10 percent of their invited architect-owner Bob Leathers. Co-owner is his wife, Cheryl Nickel, a landscape architect. The club will open to members Sept. 21.

It features both indoor and outdoor play areas for children, including a space for birthday parties, a kitchen, basketball court, racket-ball, squash, fitness equipment, lounges, lockers, showers and dressing rooms. Hours are from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. There are three types of memberships: Full family members, $250 a year; individual membership, $200 annually; tennis-only memberships, $100 a year. Seminar to cover computer system The Computing Center in conjunction with CAERE Software and Hewlett Packard, Inc.

will hold two seminars on optical character recognition systems for business and professionals. "Getting Started with OCR," will be held at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sept. 15 at The Computing Center's training facility in Lansing Village Place, 15 Catherwood Road in front of Pyramid Mall.

To register for either seminar, contact Rose Troccia at 257-3524. New club hosts benefit Eastlake Recreation Club in Lansing, providing physical fitness-related activities primarily for families, will host a pre-opening benefit party Saturday. The party, from 7:30 p.m. to midnight, will feature finger food, chamber music, and an exhibition by local and regional amateur and professional tennis players, a gourmet dinner and dancing to Walt Ameigh and the Hep Cats. Tickets, at $50 apiece, are available at the door or in advance by calling Kal Wysokowski at 273-7494.

Proceeds will benefit the Ithaca Family and Children's Service. The tennis exhibition is the kick-off for a tennis tournament beginning Sunday, with finals the following Sunday. Funds from the tournament registration fees will also go to the Family and Children's Service. A free, public open house will be conducted from 3 to 6 p.m. Sept.

20 at the complex at 19 Eastlake Road, half a mile north of the Golden Garter restaurant on Route 34. "People should bring their tennis rackets and wear white-soled tennis shoes so they can try out the court," ith severe developmental disabu- les. ie of family care as an alternative to group homes for persons with severe disabilities. For more information, contact Larry O'Neil or Sandy Westcott at 1257 Trumansburg Road, or call 73-0811..