Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 4

star Legislature Wednesday, Jan. 23, 1 965 A4 Star-Tribune, Casper, Wyo. Senate gives tentative OK to property tax tier system One resolution seeks to legitimize existing structure If" Al said. "I don't want to go home and tell my neighbor that we did nothing." A few senators still questioned the merits of the tiers. Sen.

Al Wiederspahn, D-Laramie, feared the different classes would "lead to distortion" and invite unfairness, enticing the state to tax classes based on their "ability to pay." "It will have a chilling effect on the economic development that we all have sworn allegiance to," he predicted, by placing too great a share of the tax burden on industry. Wiederspahn also asked how the state would define just what constitutes commercial or industrial property and warned that bureaucrats could eventually make the decisions "arbitrarily." But Sen. Charles Scott, R-Natrona, said homeowners and industry have traditionally been treated differently, "and for good reason." "These large industrial companies are here to exploit our resources and they do not necessarily have the interests of the people of Wyoming at heart. It's only fair that we tax those people at a higher rate than residents. Other proponents of the tier system have argued that it is fair to tax industry at a different rate than residents because those industrial properties are income-producing; while homes are not.

Frisby noted most lobbyists were stridently opposed to the tier system at a recent public hearing. "But who was doing the lobbying?" he demanded. "High-priced lobbyists for companies. And who will speak for the people of Wyoming?" he concluded, in urging support for the tiers. 1 This girl braves the cold Tuesday in Cheyenne to march in an anti-abortion rally House committee nixes bill funding abortion for health ROBERT FRISBY Sponsor of both tax measures the full Legislature passes the resolution, it must still be approved by Wyoming voters in the fall of 1986.

The two measures are sponsored by Sen. Robert Frisby, the influential chairman of the Senate Revenue Committee who has almost single-handedly spearheaded the drive for tiers. He told the Senate Tuesday that the Legislature has for too long shirked its responsibility in revamping a tax system that has become plagued with inequities. Now, with a critical situation on its hands, he said, the Legislature has two basic options approve his bills or "do nothing." "These two bills are the only opportunity for the 48th Legislature to make a meaningful contribution to solving this problem. It's this or nothing," he Roll call on CHEYENNE Here is how the Senate voted Tuesday on an amendment to make the homeowner's tax credit effective for both 1984 and 1985.

The amendment passed 21-9. Arney, R-Sheridan Aye Cundall, R-Platte Aye Dixon, R-Crook-Weston No Dusl, R-Fremont Aye Eddins, R-Lincoln No Fanos, D-Uinta Aye Frisby, R-Park No Geis, R-Hot Hickey, D-Laramie Aye Hinckley, D-Big Horn Aye Kinney, D-Albany Aye Kinnison, R-Sheridan Aye Larson, R-Laramie Aye li Right-to-Life Board, said the committee's decision is "a victory for us." But Nyla Murphy, R-Natrona, the chief sponsor of the health endangerment bill, had argued the committee was invoking a double-standard by refusing to allow poor women to receive publically paid abortions when their health was endangered by the pregnancy. Rich women can obtain an abortion when their health is in danger, she said. In previous years, the language contained in Micheli's bill has been attached as a footnote to the Department of Health and Social Services budget. The crowded committee meeting took place on the twelfth anniversary of the legalization of abortion by the U.S.

Supreme Court. Riddell said she felt it "is appropriate that a law restricts abortion payments," but added that her organization is not totally satisfied with the restrictions on publically paid abortions. "It was a compromise we reached with the pro-choice group years ago, but eventually it will be changed," Riddell said. "I don't think the state should pay for abortions unless the life of the mother is endangered because abortions in cases of rape or incest just persecute the innocent victims of those crimes." Debra East, the State Coordinator for the Pro-Choice Alliance, said her group will attempt to have the health endangerment clause included as an amendment on Micheli's bill. By ERICH KIRSHNER Star-Tribune staff writer CHEYENNE Pro-life supporters won a victory Tuesday when the House Labor Committee killed a bill allowing the expenditure of state Medicaid funds for abortions when the mother's health is in danger.

The committee instead approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Ron Micheli, R-Uinta, which would allow Medicaid funds to pay for abortions when incest or sexual assault have occurred or when the life of the mother is in danger. When Micheli's bill passed, the committee simply did not consider the health endangerment bill offered by 12 other legislators. Mary Riddell, of the Wyoming JOHNNIE BURTON Bill co-sponsor ByLYNNHORSLEY Associated Press writer CHEYENNE The Wyoming Senate tentatively approved two proposals Tuesday that aim to reform the state's ailing property tax system by legitimizing the tier structure that has actually existed for years. The tier system classifies and assesses different types of property at different levels, with property taxes uniform only within a particular class.

The Senate gave initial approval to a resolution calling for a constitutionally mandated tier system of properties. The current proposal identifies five tiers: agricultural, residential, mineral, commercial and industrial, and other miscellaneous property, such as boats. The resolution says the factor for commercial-industrial property could not exceed 150 percent of the rate for residential and agricultural properties. The Senate also tentatively approved legislation providing for valuation of the tiers at specified levels: agricultural land at 8 percent of its value; mine lands at 100 percent of current cash market value; residences at 8 percent of fair value; ndustrial and commercial land at 10 percent of fair value; all other property at 10 percent of fair value. Both measures are controversial and have numerous other hurdles to overcome before their final passage.

The Senate must vote twice more on the two bills before they proceed to the House for debate. If Big Horn Basin dam study OK'd By ANNE MacKINNON Star-Tribune staff writer CHEYENNE The merits of the Wyoming Water Development Commission and the Gooseberry water project in the Big Horn basin were debated by the residents of Gooseberry Creek before a legislative committee this week. John Rankine, a landowner on Gooseberry Creek west of Worland, said the dam proposed for irrigation purposes on the creek is unwise and unnecessary and should be allowed to die. "Why does the WDC continue to whip a dead horse?" He asked. "Because you continue to fund without accountability," he told the House Agriculture Committee Monday.

The WDC is "one of the largest misusers of state money ever seen," he said. He cited federal studies rejecting Gooseberry dam proposals, and said downstream ranchers who want the dam for new water supplies are poor ranch managers. Sheryl Ferrau, one of the downstream ranchers in the irrigation district that seeks to build the dam using state money, countered, "Whenever you're in the middle or the end of a creek, they think you're a dead horse we don't think we're dead horses." The planned dam to save spring floodwaters that are currently not used would stabilize the economy of the creek's lower ranches, Ferrau said. The state loan for the dam can be paid for by the lower ranchers, paying only average irrigation prices for the water, she said. Such projects are expected to use both state grant and loan money.

The WDC is "doing a fine service to the state" by pursuing its legislative mandate to develop water in Wyoming, she said. The WDC seeks a time extension to 1987 on studies on the project, plus a cutback in funding from $2 million to $1 million for the study. The committee approved an omnibus WDC bill Monday authorizing the continued Gooseberry study. Planned water projects cost about $74 million Won't require help from general fundj 'Blue Ribbon' bills explained But only one legislator attends meeting on package homestead Mader, R-Campbell- Johnson Aye Moore, R-Converse No Nicholas, R-Albany No Norris, D-Laramie Aye Perry, Prevedel, D-Sweetwater Aye Push, D-Sweetwater Aye Schmidt, D-Sweetwtr Aye Scott, R-Natrona Aye. Stroock, R-Natrona Aye Sullivan, R-Natrona No Trowbridge, D-Carbon Aye True, R-Natrona Aye Turner, R-Sublette No Vinich.D-Fremont Aye Wiederspahn, D-Laramie No Zimmer, R-Goshen-.

Niobrara Aye Purcell said. The $114.6 million additional money earmarked for water deJ velopment in the general fund bj past Legislatures will not have to be tapped until next year or latere Purcell told the House Agriculture Committee Friday. I That apparently means a requesj for new appropriations for water projects which some legislators say could bring to a head questions about whether state finances cab still support major water project construction probably wonH come in until next year or later. The WDC's current request to the House Agriculture Commute is for approval of allocating some of the water development tax-fed funds to WDC projects, Purcell said. I Meanwhile, some fund's allocated to water projects in the past are expected to revert back to those water development fundi, WDC budgets show.

About $4.4 million of a total $25.4 million allocated to Little Snake Stage III project, and $1 million of $2 million allocated to the Gooseberry irrigation project, for instance, now will not be needed to cont-plete currently-planned studies and can revert to the water funds, Purcell said. NYLA MURPHY Poor women left out "Were not going to go away now," East said after the committee's vote. East said the health endangerment clause would only apply to women whose "health was seriously endangered. "We're not talking about women who have minor complications." Along with Murphy, Reps. Johnnie Burton, R-Caser; Margaret Brown, R-Rawlins; Lynn Dickey and Delia Herbst, D-Sheridan; Barbara Dobos, D-Casper; Matilda Hansen, D-Laramie; Cynthia Lummis, R-Cheyenne; Mary Odde; R-Shoshoni; Marlene Simons, R-Beulah; Ann Strand, D-Rock Springs; and H.L.

Jensen, D-Jackson, co-sponsored the bill. two-year period. Dolly also recommeded teachers who train student teachers be paid $20-a-week, rather than $500 for a nine-week training period. He said the $500 fee schedule was much higher than provided by other states. "It bothers me when we pay the teacher who trains a student teacher less than the guy who comes into the class to tune the piano," Pre-vedel said.

Wadlow, who said little during the session, said she was supportive of an "educational articulation" bill which would fund a study of how each educational level can better prepare students for their next year in school. "During a humanities conference -we conduttedrwe found a need for this," Wadlow told Pre-vedel. Prevede! has said he will remove the educational articulation bill if it is found the state Department of Education already has such a study in progress. State officials have said they do have such a study in progress. Beside listening to comments from Wadlow and Dolly, Prevedel and Odde outlined what needs they hoped to address with.

By ANNE MacKINNON Star-Tribune staff writer CHEYENNE Water project work proposed to the 1985 Legislature will cost about $74 million but will not require any money from the state's general fund, the administrator of the Water Development Commission (WDC) said this week. The commission wants legislative approval this session for action on about 21 different projects, with new budgets totalling about $74 million, WDC Administrator Mike Purcell said. The list includes rehabilitating existing projects and building new ones including two major new projects, the $45 million Deer Creek dam near Casper, and the $20 million Sulphur Creek reservoir enlargement near Evanston. But the budgets for the whole list of projects won't eat into even the $114.6 million already earmarked for water development in the general fund, much less call for new general fund appropriations, Purcell told the House Agriculture Committee Friday. Project budgets can all be paid from coal and oil excise tax funds earmarked for water development that do not go to the general fund, FRANK PREVEDEL Few attend meeting the turnover rate," he said.

The dean said he was also concerned about a bill to provide training and compensation for teachers who instruct student teachers. Dolly said it would be difficult for the university to begin a teacher training program by July 1, as stated in the bill. He said a training program could be started within a By ERICH KIRSHNER Star-Tribune staff writer CHEYENNE University officials and just one state legislator attended an informational session Tuesday to explain 13 "Blue Ribbon" education bills. Joan Wadlow, the University's vice president for academic affairs, and John Dolly, the dean of the University's College of Education, offered their qualified support for the bills at the session. The session was conducted by the bills' sponsors, Frank Preve-del, D-Sweetwater, and Mary Odde, R-Fremont.

Beside the university officials, only one legislator attended the meeting. Dolly prefaced his comments on the bills by saying "the College of Education supports most of what is in these bills." The college dean said he was most concerned about a hill establishing a "principal's center." Dolly said the National Association of Secondary School Principals would not support requiring current principals to attend the center. "If we only required attendance by new principals, we would have everybody in 10 years because of.