The Greenwood Commonwealth from Greenwood, Mississippi • 7

Commonwealth, Greenwood, Friday, Mtrch 73, I9M- Page 1 MISSISSIPPI Industrial property exemption bill reaches Mississippi lawmakers mm ri) 4 A Divition of West's enterprises HIGHLAND PARK SHOPPING CENTER 9A.M.-9 P.M. MONDAY-SATURDAY SATURDAY SIZZLERS PRICES GOOD SATURDAY ONLY! lor I 3 GULF LITE CHARCOAL LIGHTER pi mn SATURDA YONL Y. tTt 1 33 a ATWEST-CO AP By JAMES SAGGUS Associated Press Writer JACKSON The Mississippi House will consider a bill to let local governments resume granting industrial property tax exemptions and get around and a "devastating" court decision. The House Ways and Means Committee, reacting to the recent state Supreme Court decision, approved the bill Thursday on the recommendation of William T. Hackett, director of the Department of Economic Development Calling the bill critical to the state's industrialization efforts, Hackett told the committee, "This is probably the most devastating thing that could happen.

Unless something is done nobody will believe Mississippi again." Hackett estimated that about 300 Mississippi industries had been promised property tax exemptions but could be taxed under the high court's January decision in a case involving a Hattiesburg soft drink bottling firm. GUBERNATORIAL AIDE Charles Deaton of Greenwood, a member of the Board of Economic Development, said the full exemptions were necessary for negotiating purposes. However, he said constantly changing technology provided effective limits. Rep. Dick Hall of Jackson, chairman of the subcommittee which studied the proposal, said that before the ruling a city or county could issue revenue bonds and provide a facility for an industry, which would lease the facility.

The lease money would be used to retire the bonds but the property would not be taxed because the title was in the hands of the city or county. Hall said the new Coca-Cola plant in Lamar County had such an exemption but Lamar County decided to put the plant on its tax rolls. Coca-Cola filed suit and won in lower court. However, the Supreme Court overturned the lower court and finally ruled exemptions could last only 10 years. "I'm not sure anybody will ever know where Lamar County is, as far as I am concerned," Hackett added.

"Lamar County reneged on a contract." EMERSON STRINGER, RIGHT, DISCUSSES BILL The Columbia lawmaker talks to Robert Crook of Ruleville TOMATO RING No. 1233 11 1 "The subcommittee brought a bill to best fit the law as we thought it existed before the Supreme Court decision," Hall said. Hall said the bill could have been amended to provide exemptions for specific lengths or time or for the life of bond issues or participation in specified state industrial development programs. However, Hackett recommended no restrictions so local governments would have "the flexibility to make the deal we want to make. The thing has been done responsibly." Hall termed the bill essential: "We need this to be competitive.

We have a moral obligation." He said revenue bond issues were vital to industrialization because "it's a cheaper form of construction. It is very widespread." Rep. Fred Banks of Jackson offered an amendment to limit the exemptions to 30 years, but it was rejected on a 7-11 vote. GOLD STAR HALL SAID cities and counties have made long-term agreements with industries not to be taxed, and he noted that another law would let local governments collect seven years of back taxes. "Think of what they would do if Packard Electric, Ingalls Shipyards and industries in your hometowns that thought they were exempt were hit with tax bills for seven years in back taxes," Hall said.

Under the bill, all leased facilities on such property would exempt from taxes except those on 16th Section school lands. The bill also would prohibit the collection of the back taxes that might result from the court decision. The new exemptions will come under a constitutional section which allows the Legislature to exempt various species of properties from taxes in whole or part. A PENDING Senate bill protects against the back taxes but does not give future exemtions. Q3 T.V.

100 Solid State 59 Mrs. W.A. Gowan of Jackson takes advantage of warm sunshine and mild temperatures Thursday to tend the flowers in her small garden. Three children dead, one injured following shell explosion in Wiggins WIGGINS (AP) Three children died and a fourth was hospitalized with serious injuries Thursday after playing with a 66 mm anti-tank shell that exploded in a home near Wiggins, authorities report. The incident occurred in a carport in the McHenry community about 10 miles south of Wiggins in Stone County.

Jesse Parker III, 9, and Adam Breland, 8, were killed instantly, said Stone County Coroner Michael Lott. Breland's sister Valerie, 9, was listed in serious condition at Hattiesburg hospital following surgery Thursday. "It appears they were all at the edge of the carport, and they dropped it or threw it down," Lott said. The fragments killed the children, he said. Investigators were trying to determine how they children got hold of the shell, said Chief Deputy Ken Rouse of the Stone County Sheriff's Department.

The shell, a type designed to penetrate heavy tank armor and then explode, is believed to have come from nearby Camp Shelby, Rouse said. Holly Springs train crash cleaned up HOLLY SPRINGS (AP) Authorities say no hazardous materials were involved when a Burlington Northern freight train derailed near Holly Springs, spilling 29 cars off the tracks. "We first thought there had been hazardous material (in one derailed car) but it was empty," a police spokesman said. However, a police spokesman said a number of the boxcars overturned in the incident. No injuries were reported in the derailment Thursday along U.S.

78 near the town's industrial park. Body of drowning victim recovered GRENADA (AP) The body of the last of three men who drowned in a February fishing accident on Grenada Lake has been recovered. Grenada authorities identified the man as 43-year-old Carl Jones, an employee of the Miller Brewing Company in Milwaukee, Wise. Jones' body was found Thursday near Choctaw Landing by two conservation officers who had been conducting daily searches since the accident occurred. Jones and two friends had been fishing on the lake Feburary 24th when their boat overturned in choppy waters.

The second body, that of Eddie Lee "Slick" Robinson was recovered Sunday. The first body had been found the day after the accident. AT WESTCO CLOTHES PIUS Senate ratifies 19th amendment 64 years af ter it became U.S. law AT WEST-CO KELLER OUTDOOR WEB CHAIR Mo. J61 or L11 JACKSON (AP) When some women in Mississippi got wind of the state's 64 years of procrastination in formally acknowledging a their right to vote, most exclaimed it was "about time." Thursday morning, the Mississippi Senate took about five minutes to make final its ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S.

Constitution. The senators' vote was unanimous and followed state House approval last week. "I kind of appreciate that they gave it so much consideration before they did anything about it," said Pamela Guren, one of Mississippi's few women stockbrokers. "They sure didn't jump into anything," she added. Although the Senate had approved its own ratification measure earlier, it laid it aside Thursday and voted on the House-passed version because it was introduced by two female state representatives, Frances Savage of Brandon and Margaret Tate of Picayune.

Mrs. Savage said the action "reaffirms the right of women to participate in government in Mississippi." Sea Howard Dyer of Greenville, who heads the Constitutions Committee, said the Senate sponsor, Sen. Cy Rosenblatt of Jackson, had "graciously" given way to the ladies. Humor and amazement were the first reactions of most women who learned of the vote, while many admitted they'd just assumed the state had taken care of the measure back when most of the country did. However, women have been voting in Mississippi for years.

Jan Lewis, state director of the American Civil Liberties Union, burst into laughter when told the news. "Well, the state seems to find itself a day late and a dollar short," she said. A woman prominent in state politics, Republican state chairman Ebbie Spivey, laughed as well, exclaiming, "It's grand!" "After a 60-year study, the Legislature finally decided it would not be detrimental to let women vote. I salute their action," she said. One woman, an employee at the Davis Planetarium in Jackson, who declined to give her name asked, "You mean, we've been illegal all this time? Many women were ruffled.

One snorted, "And I thought we were so liberated." Federal officials investigate bank MARKS (AP) Officials of a Marks bank say depositors' funds are not involved in a $900,000 shortage under investigation by federal auditors. Henry C. Self, board chairman of Citizens Bank Trust Company, said Thursday the shortage showed up late last week in correspondent bank transfer fund accounts. Self said the bank's board immediately notified state and federal regulatory agencies, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office.

Bank President B.B. Goodwin was relieved of his duties last Friday by the board, immediately after the shortages were brought to Self's attention by some of the bank's junior officers. Self said auditors from the Federal Deposit Insurance 10 LBS. CHARCOAL -9 44 and the bank's own audit firm had worked since Monday to determine the details and extent of the loss. Self said the shortage was uncovered first by the Citizens Bank Trust's own staff.

Senate reviews Diggers nomination 32 GAL. TRASH CAN Investigators probe bids 88 WASHINGTON (AP) The Senate Judiciary Committee has reviewed Rental Items: the nomination of Circuit Judge Neal Biggers of Corinth for a federal bench in Mississippi, despite some protests from Mississippi blacks. Biggers, who was nominated by U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, becomes the senator's fourth white nominee to a federal judicial spot.

All four nominees attended the University of Mississippi Law School when Cochran was there. Civil rights attorney Victor McTeer of Greenville says the discrimination is blatant. "Mississippi is the only state in the South with no blacks on the 13" Color Portable TV 19" Color Portable TV 25" Color Console TV Stereo Components 14' Kelvinator Refrigerator Washer Dryer Furniture JACKSON (AP) Legislative investigators say that the state Highway Department continues to favor certain brands of equipment through restrictive specifications, despite Budget Commission disapproval. The Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Committee made the finding Thursday after investigating complaints from some equipment dealers that there were inequities in awarding bids. pTT 3 federal bench." NAACP Field Director Robert Walker agrees, but the two were unable to muster enough opposition to stop the review.

The review was delayed, however, by a protest from Robert Copeland, president of the Alcorn County NAACP. But Copeland later withdrew his opposition without BRUTE TRASH BAGS 44 Qt. 40 Ct. 33 Gal. 15 Ct.

6Bu. 12 Ct. V1. explanation. Biggers, 48, was nominated last year to replace Judge William Ready.

1st Week's VXn Rent MSU head may leave Rent by Phone: FRIDAY NIGHT CATFISH SUPPER All You Can Eat 4 P.M.-8 P.M. Fish Hushpuppies French Fries Cole Slaw Onion Rings 453-6022 JUST ARRIVED PLANTS Flowering and Bedding $075 ALL YOU CAN EAT $2so Adults Children Rent to Own No Credit Cheek Free Delivery Set-Up No Repair Bill II AT WEST-CO Dine In or Carryout Orders To Go in Minutes Call: 455-491 lor 455-4912 COLUMBUS (AP) Mississippi State University president James McComas may leave his post for another job, even though College Board members say they would like him to remain. McComas, MSU president since 1976, is reportedly one of eight finalists for the top executive post in the University of Missouri system. The Missouri job pays $80,000 annually, compared with the $68,970 McComas is receiving at MSU. College Board member Bryce Griffis of Starkville said McComas is "one of the outstanding educators in our system," but Mississippi's severe budget constraints do not allow the board to raise his salary to persuade him to stay.

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