The Times-Tribune from Scranton, Pennsylvania • 3

THE SCRANTON TIMES, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1982- Larson Aide Says No TOPICS Meeting Request Received By FRANCIS T. Dt ANDREA Ttimt Staff Writer State Transportation Secretary Thomas Larson has received no written request to discuss a downtown Scranton traffic' improvement project with local officiate, a check with his office revealed today. A meeting with Larson was to have been set up by W. Russell Preston, president of The Globe Store, in order to find out if the proposed $1.4 million traffic improvement project, commonly known as TOPICS, can be changed so it won't include a reversal of one-way traffic on Spruce and Linden Streets. During a meeting of the Commercial Association of Scranton and Mayor James Barrett McNulty on March 25, Preston, the primary opponent of the TOPICS plan in its present form, said he would set up a meeting with Larson.

But since that time nothing nas happened. Larson apparently has not been contacted for a meeting, leaving the 14-year-old TOPICS plan, which already is in a state of limbo because of the delays, in jeopardy of losing its funding. James McCarron, Larson's press secretary, said today that he has reviewed letters "from the last couple of months" and "there was nothing there" from Preston to Larson. "My understanding is that at one point, late last year or early this year, the secretary did sit down to talk to them (local officials) about TOPICS. But, there certainly hasn't been anything the last few weeks," the press secretary said.

McCarron couldn't definitively say Preston hasn't contacted Larson because the secretary was not due back in the office until later this afternoon. "When he (Larson) comes in, I'll ask him. But one thing is certain there haven't been any letters," McCarron noted. Preston; who obviously could shed some light on what he has done to set up a meeting with Larson, has failed to return several telephone calls placed by The Times over the course of the past few weeks to his office. Today, Preston was attending a board of directors meeting of Northeastern Bank of Pennsylvania, and could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, other members of the commercial association admitted being perplexed, about the status of the planned was the same as Ciccotti's. -j "The last time the mayor met with the downtown people there was a lot of discussion about TOPICS," Sweeney said. "Preston, at the time, said he had requested Larson come to Scranton for a meeting. Yesterday, I asked the mayor about meeting. He couldn't tell me anything." Sweeney, who is in the process of reestablishing his business downtown, went on to say that Preston "is a master at delaying anything he doesn't want." "He was against Southway and he kept bringing up delay after delay.

He said we needed more studies. It was excuse after excuse, until the plan just died," Sweeney said. The Southway project was a plan which involved the acquisition and demolition of properties in the 400 block of Lackawanna Avenue to make way for construction of a parking and commercial structure. meeting witn Larson. 1 Ang Ciccotti, president of the commercial association, said, "I've been told letters have been sent to Mr.

Larson. At the last meeting we had with the mayor (on March 25) it was definitely stated by Mr. Preston the meeting was upcoming. But that's been sometime ago. Right how I'm concerned about what's going on, too." A major backer of TOPICS in its present form.

Jack Sweeney, whose Scranton Hobby Shop was destroyed by fire two months ago, said his recollection of the March 25 meeting (Continued on Pag 20) Consolidation Study Debate Produces No Clear Winners the county commissioners are using consolidation as a way to attempt to tap the resources of financially solvent local governments and "use them as they see fit." Other panelists were attorney Thomas Hart who also questioned the authority to be given people conducting the study; University of Scranton assistant professor Leonard Champney, who viewed the study as a useful way to determine the potential economic benefits to be derived from consolidation, and Howard Grossman, executive director of the Economic Development Counsel of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Luger made repeated references to the potential economic benefit of consolidating services police, fire and other emergency services and refuse collection, and promoting economic development for the area. Consolidation may not reduce the cost of these services, the commissioner said, but it would reduce duplication, make government more efficient and give people "more for their mnnpv i lite 0 tv ''f US' ti In this respect, he noted that there are three housing authorities in the countv. three sewer authorities, three By FRANK SCHOLZ, Timet Staff Writer A panel of "experts" Tuesday night debated the question of consolidating Lackawanna County governments and, while no one emerged as a clear winner, both those for and those against the controversial proposal threatened there could be losers. The League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County sponsored the debate, which was held in the WEJL Auditorium on the fifth floor of The Serantm Times building.

Rather than consolidation itself, the debate centered around Proposition A on the primary ballot in Lackawanna County, which asks voters whetner they favor a study "to develop ways to provide better and more cost-efficient local government in Lackawanna County by consolidation or other means?" Lackawanna County Commissioner Charles Luger, the leading proponent of the consolidation question, took the lead in. supporting the proposition. "I'm not saying I'm right and everybody else is wrong," Luger said of the proposed study, "but I'm willing to find out." Scranton Mayor James McNulty, one of the most outspoken critics of the consolidation proposal, said anyone would favor a study as worded on the ballot question. To oppose it, he said, would be the same as opposing "Americanism, motherhood and apple pie." "The real question," the mayor added, "is are you in favor of a study to provide better and more cost-efficient services for Lackawanna County." McNulty and other opponents questioned the authority a "yes" vote on the proposition would place in the hands of the county commissioners. If the proposition is approved, for example, the commissioners say they would appoint a panel that would choose a consultant and oversee the study.

"We are being given a 'trust-me' question," McNulty said, referring to power the commissioners would have over the study. Mayfield Mayor Alexander Chelik, the chairman of the recently formed "People Against Consolidation, Manipulation and Neglect" (PACMAN), termed the study a "ruse" and said rwipvelnnme nt and three industrial development authorities. The city, he added, has its own police and fire dispatchers, when the county communications could handle the job for it. "If there is so much duplication," McNulty fired back, "mavto we should abolish countv government." He went on to declare that the reason the city and other local municipalities have created their own industrial development 'and other authorities is that their counterparts on the county level were not doing the job expected. He termed the Lackawanna County industrial Development Authority a "Daner-Dassine authority" and suggested that the I county's communications center was created to provide additional patronage for the commissioners.

Chelik questioned whether consolidation would not force local governments to give up more than they would receive in return. He agreed with Luger that federal funding cuts will place economic hardships on local governments in years to come. (Continued on Pagt 9) County Commissioner Charles Luger makes a point County League of Women Voters with more than during a forum on Lackawanna County's consolida- 100 interested city residents in attendance, Luger tion question conducted at the WEJL auditorium, was a member of a six-man panel that discussed the The program was sponsored by the Lackawanna issue. (Staff photo by Mullen) Sale ofWDAU Runs into Problems sri building, began remodeling the store to become the new home of WDAU under the new management. The TV station is being forced to move out of its present headquarters at the Scranton Preparatory School because the school needs the space for its own purposes.

Mrs. Holcomb said that work on the building is progressing, completely inde- pendent of the sale. Even if the sale collapsed, she said, the move to the Central -building will be carried out. Scranton Broadcasters is" owned by the heirs of the late Frank Megargee, a radio pioneer in this city who founded WGBI Radio. The owners include his widow and his four daughters Mrs.

Holcomb, Katharine Collins, Mary Griffin and Jean Reap. The prospective buyers are Robert Dudley, A. Richard Benedek and Charles Woods, all businessmen in New York City who have interests in TV stations in various parts of the country. pealed for more time, telling the FCC that they were having trouble raising the money to complete the sale. In the meantime, the buyers changed lawyers in Washington.

Linthicum said that the appeal for more time and the change of legal counsel caused the FCC to grant the buyers 30 days more to complete the transaction or to face a possible dismissal of the application. Rumors developed here during the past few weeks that the sale had run into problems. However, the station's management has made no public announcement about them. Mrs. Holcomb said: "How do you control rumors? We are aware of them but I don't know any way to stop them." It is known that James Mc-Cann, who had come here from New York City to unofficially represent the prospective owners at the station and the person who eventually was to have become the general manager of the station under the new owners, left here abruptly about two months ago.

His departure added fuel to the stories that something had gone wrong with the sale. Despite reports that friction had developed between Mrs. Holcomb and McCann, Mrs. Holcomb said that the latter had come here to do certain work for the prospective buyers and that she assumes he left because the work was finished. In addition, it was learned that the station's management, after buylfigShe former Kresge Department Store at 411-17 Lackawanna Ave.

for $250,000 in February, made an informal offer to Mayor James Barrett McNulty to resell the structure to the city if it would help in a plan to woo the Boscov Department Store company to open a business here. McNulty conceded that there had been informal talk between himself and the station management, but said it never progressed to the point of "serious negotiations." Scranton Broadcasters, which bought the Kresge million by then, the sale will go forward as planned. The FCC on April 7 granted the prospective buyers 30 days to come up with the additional $4 million. Thus, Linthicum said, if they cannot meet the May 7 deadline, the agency could dismiss the sale petition. Mrs.

Holcomb said that even if the petition is dismissed, however, a new one could be filed if the financing is arranged while the sales contract is in force. The sale of WDAU was announced last Sept. 17. According to the application filed subsequently with the FCC, the transfer of control of Scranton Broadcasters the firm that owns the station, was to have been a cash deal. The petition to transfer the ownership was filed with the FCC on Dec.

8 but it was incomplete because the financial dealings between the buyers and sellers remained open. Linthicum said that the FCC required an amendment covering the financial arrangements. However, the buyers ap By JOSEPH X. FLANNERY Times Special Wrttat The proposed sale of WDAU-TV, the only television station based in Scranton, has run into problems, a spokesman for the Federal Communications Commission has. confirmed.

The three New York City businessmen who had agreed last year to buy WDAU for $12 million have been able to raise only $8 million and had to appeal to the FCC for an extension of time to raise the balance, according to Robert Linthicum, the FCC staff lawyer in Washington who is handling the application. Mrs. Madge Holcomb, part-owner and general manager of WDAU, said today she is aware that the buyers are experiencing problems in raising money but that she considers the sale still alive. She explained that she and other members of her family who have an interest in the station have a sales contract with the proposed buyers and it runs to about the end of August. Thus, she said, as long as they produce the (12 4 Jrvu SFT Awarded Post-Stri ke Compensation By JIM COLUNS Timet Education Writer The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has vacated a July 20, 1979, decision by Commonwealth Court and awarded teachers represented by the District solicitor Ned Abra-hamsen, who argued the case on Jan.

19, said that he would recommend to the board Monday night that the district petition for reargument before the court, which handed down its opinion Monday. In an opinion written by Justice Rolf Larson, it was ruled that an arbitrator's award on the grievance did not violate section 1006 of the Public Employee Relations Scranton Federation of Teachers compensation for working a full day on the final day of the 1975 school year two months after the longest teachers' strike in the Scranton School District's history. Act. Larson said the district's contended that the arbitrator's award of 5'i hours pay for elementary teachers and four hours pay for secondary (Continued on Pago 7) Firefighters carry a portable light during a Tuesday night fire that damaged a two-family residence at 131 North Lincoln Ave. The firemen were called out at 1 1 p.m.

and had the blaze under control by midnight. Two homes near the structure were evacuated but the blaze was contained. (Staff photo by Mullen) McDade Admits Tax Deduction Now you'll LOVE our prices! guaranteed by law to every citizen." McDade maintains a home in Arlington, in addition to his residence in Clark's Summit. On Tuesday, U.S. James L.

Nelligan, Forty Fort, disclosed that he claimed deductions for Washington living expenses totaling $15,975 or $3,675 less than he could have under the new law. McDade did not get into figures in his statement regarding his tax. YOUNG MEN'S "With regard to my own personal finances, my salary as a member of Congress is public and I file a full financial disclosure statement each year. "This year I have taken the tax deductions allowed by law and have still paid substantial taxes at the federal level, the state level and the local level. However, I consider the detailed information contained in the personal income tax return that my wife and I have filed as private and not subject to public inspection.

This privacy, of course, is creased tax deductions for members of Congress resulting from legislation passed late last year. 1 believe that the law should be changed and will vote to do so. "Common Cause, the citizens' lobbying organization, has stated that 'some changes in the long-standing deduction for living expenses (for members of Congress) may have been but has correctly pointed out that 'the new tax break, which would wipe out all tax liability for some members, certainly is Washington while they are on duty there. The flat deduction, needing no backup verification that the money ever was spent, is considered by its critics as a back-door way of granting Congress members a pay raise. It has become a hot issue and some of the legislators have refused to claim the deduction.

McDade, questioned by The Scranton Times on his views on the subject, issued the following statement: "As I have stated publicly, I do not agree with the in By JOSEPH X. FLANNERY Times Staff Writer U.S. Rep. Joseph M. McDade, Clark's Summit, who represents the 10th Congressional District, released a statement today disclosing that he took the full income tax deduction allowed under a controversial new law although he is not happy with the law as it is written.

The law allows members of Congress to claim $785 per day for 262 congressional days a total deduction of $19,650 for maintaining temporary residences in Ml BLAZER SUITS (3-Plece, 5 Colors) Our Price Every Day $127.90 Brewery Employees Reject Offer Regular $160 Stroehmann will lease the building, but the company's spokesman said that the bakery plans to continue its operations in the Scranton area, either in that building or at a different location. Spaulding Bakery, Bingh-amton, ceased operations on Saturday, resulting in the loss of more than 300 jobs, (Contkiutd on Pagt 9) the old U.S. Post Office maintenance building behind Cooper's Seafood House in the 700 block of North Washington Avenue. There were more than a dozen (rucks housed there this morning. The building has been eyed by the Scranton School District as a site for a general warehouse.

It is not known how long based Williams Bakery subsidiary on Saturday have found new jobs with Stroeb-mann's Bakery. A spokesman for Stroeh-mann's, whose production plant is in Sayre, said that 16 of the 23 Williams drivers who lost their jobs have been hired to distribute Stroehmann's products in the Scranton area. The bakery also has leased jected by a voice vote of the unions members, who have been on strike since April 5. Officials at the brewery, which makes Gibbons, Steg-maier and several other brands of beer, refused comment. In other local labor news, most of the truck drivers who lost their jobs when Spaulding Bakery closed its Scran ton- Striking employees of Northeastern Pennsylvania's only brewery voted today to reject what was termed the "final" company offer.

Thus, members of Local 3067, Brewery Workers Union, will continue manning picket lines at The Lion Inc. Brewery, Wilkes-Barre. Local president Frank Mud-lock said the offer was re OPEN Mon. Thura. till 9 PM Frl.

Sat. till 5:30 PM 415 Spruce SCRANTON Phone 346-6581.