The Times-News from Twin Falls, Idaho • 11

Tuesday, July 27, 1982 Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho B-3 Idaho Suit against State Sen. Auld Won't cut school funds, say supporters Tax initiative defended he hurt workers says reputations to his office in mid-April 1981 a letter written by Auld which claimed, "It is BOISE (UPI) Supporters of the initiative to boost the property tax exemption for homes denied Monday that the plan would reduce funding for schools. A claim by the head of the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho that passage of the Initiative would cut into funds for public schools amounts to a "shabby attempt to confuse people by blowing smoke," the chairman of the initiative drive said. Ken Robison said taxpayers association Director Russ Westerberg embarked on "erroneous speculation based on inaccurate interpretation of the law" when he wrote to ATI members that approval of the Initiative by voters in November could cost the public school system more than $12 million in revenue. The initiative would increase to 50-percent or $50,000 the homeowners exemption for property 4 ax purposes.

The current exemption is 20-percent or $20,000. Westerberg's analysis of the initiative's ramifications came in a letter to the association's 2,100 members. He emphasized in the newsletter that ATI was not taking a formal stance on the measure which will appear on the general election Robison attacked that analysis, saying it is in direct conflict with a study of the initiative prepared in March by the Idaho Tax Commission. "Alan Dornfest, the author of that report, says his analysis shows that no school district would lose any revenue with the 50-percent initiative, with the possible exception of Kellogg," Robison said. "In that case, a few thousand dollars might be lost because of mill-levy limits," he said, adding the Kellogg situation could be corrected by the 1983 Legislature prior to enactment of the initiative.

Robison also accused Associated Taxpayers of being "primarily a lobby for utilities and industries that have benefitted from the massive tax shift to homes." The group has "opposed every effort to win fairer treatment for residential taxpayers," he said. BOISE (UPI) State Sen. James tAuld seriously damaged the reputations, of zoning employees when he alleged that kickbacks to obtain special favors were a "common practice" in Boise and Ada County, an attorney for ten workers suing the lawmaker told a jury Monday. During the opening day of a $5.5 million libel and slander suit against the Boise Republican, lawyer Bill Russell said Auld repeatedly made allegations about black marketeering and payoffs in local zoning depart- ments without any substantiation for his claims. "He talked about employees taking payments under the table, taking bribes, participating in corruption and engaging in a black market for zoning certificates," Russell told the seven-man, five-woman jury as Auld calmly looked on.

"We will prove the statements were false, and that Mr. Auld knew them to be false." After Russell finished his opening arguments, Boise Mayor Dick Eardley took the stand to defend the integrity of zoning employees and to re-enact for the jury his account of Auld's initial allegation of graft in i local zoning agencies. He said a Boise resident forwarded jury, adding that after the letter from Auld became public, the lawmaker reiterated his allegations to several news agencies. Russell quoted the senator as telling reporters such things as, "There Is blatant corruption in Boise City and it needs to be cleared up," and, "It is a common practice to pay for zoning certificates under the table. I've seen it done and I'm saying it happens." He also said a retraction and apology sent to UPI by Auld in early July about 15 months after the initial charges of corruption "is not any kind of retraction, but shows that Mr.

Auld knew he was wrong and knew the statements were false." In the letter, Auld apologized to the zoning employees and said, "I do not now, nor did I then, mean to Imply directly or indirectly that members of the Ada County Planning and Zoning and Boise City Planning and Zoning staffs, or any other persons currently involved in local government, are involved in wrongful, dishonest or illegal activity." Auld was elected to the Legislature's upper chamber in 1980, but lost his bid for re-election earlier this year during the GOP primary. a common practice to pay for zoning if neighbors object or other obstacles arise." Auld reiterated those allegations and expanded upon them in follow-up news interviews, the mayor said, but was never able to produce any proof that staff employees in the zoning departments were involved in graft. When asked if there was any indication that kickbacks, bribery or black marketeering had been practiced in the departments, Eardley said, "Absolutely not." The trial opened Monday with questioning of 21 prospective jurors from a pool of more than 40 citizens. After a jury was empaneled, Russell presented his 40-minute opening argument. Defense attorneys Howard Manweiler and Jim Bevis chose to delay their argument until the plaintiff present their case.

Russell said Auld's statements about alleged zoning kickbacks had seriously damaged his clients 10 planning and zoning employees. "Their good names and reputations for honesty and integrity in their jobs have been tarnished," he told the ri i KLIX wins top news spot Broadcasters group gives awards ly-mul torn 1 nffinrr ffltertkis mtl numv "tam SUN VALLEY (UPI) Ron i Grisham, station manager of KVNI Radio in Coeur d'Alene, was installed as the new president of the Idaho State Broadcasters Association dur-; the group's annual meeting last weekend in Sun Valley. In the awards portion of the meeting, KLIX of Twin Falls won first place in news programming among the state's radio stations. Grisham, also a member of the National UPI Broadcast Advisory Board, succeeds Jerry Cornwell of 'KLEW-TV in Lewiston as head of the 5Q-station organization. Jack Sausman of KBCI-TV in Boise the association's hew vice president, while Lee Wagner of KMVT-TV in Twin Falls was named secretary treasurer.

iThree broadcasters were appointed to new seats on the ISBA's board of i directors. Chip Conner of KID-FM in Idaho Falls, Cherie Prasil of KRLC in Lewiston and Bob Weisenberger of vKGEM in Boise join officers and J- existing directors Marc Hayes of in Rupert, Brian Hogan of eKPVI-TV in Pocatello and Herb Carlson of Mountain Bell on the board. association Saturday gave out its television and radio awards, nam- ing Paul Schneider and Lon Dunn of -Boise's KBOI as the outstanding radio 'personalities of the year. Larry of KTVB in Boise won that distinction in the television category. in the television public affairs category, KTVB was named the outstanding news programming station and Bev Stoddard of KIVI was selected as the outstanding TV editorialist.

In radio competition, KLIX in Twin Falls took a first place for outstanding news programming, KID in Idaho Falls was tops in public affairs programming and KBOI led the list in editorials. The following is a list of the awards: 1 Television I Best Public Affairs Programming, KIVI, Nampa Best Agriculture Program, KTRV, Nampa Best News Program, KTVB, Boise Best Sports Program, KTVB Best Sports Plny-by-Play, KPVI, Pocatello Best News Story, KBCI, Boise Best Editorial, Bev Stoddard, KIVI Best Weather Segment, KTVB Best Sports Segment, KTVB Best Feature Story, KID, Idaho Falls Best Investigative Report, KIVI Best On-Air Personality, Larry Maneely, KTVB Best Copy Writer, Jim Van-' derswaan, KTVB Best Special Effects Producer, Craig Bodmer, KBCI Best Artist, Laura Gibson, KBCI Best News Photographer, Jeff Green, KTVB Best Commercial Photographer, John Ptacek, KTVB Best Single Commercial, KTVB Best Single Commercial for Agency, KTVB Best Commercial Series, KIVI Best Commercial Series for an Agency, KIVI Best Promotional Announcement, Bev Stoddard, KIVI Best Public Service Announcement, KAID, Boise Radio Vr Best Public Affairs Program, KID, Idaho Falls. 1 Besr Agriculture Program, KLIX, Twin Falls 1 Best News Program, KLIX Best Sports Program, KMTW, Twin Falls Best Sports Play-by-Play, Bob Rosenthal and Paul Schneider, KBOI, Boise Best News Story, KBOI Editorial, KBOI Best Sports Segment, KSEI, Pocatello Best Feature Story, KID Best On-Air Personality, Paul Schneider and Lon Dunn, KBOI Best Copy Writer, Sal Miraldi, KSEI Best Special Effects Producer, Don Jebb.KLIX Best Single Commercial, KAYT-KNAQ, Rupert Best Commercial Series, KEEP, Twin Falls Best Promotional Announcement, KEEP Best Public Affairs Announcement, KUID, Moscow Q3n to 0nDea3GGipcC( 119 lXP tJjJLiXiirV 7 1 tZSW 'SsuA 304MolnAv. N. 733-71 1 IF KIVI-TV in Nampa took top honors under way for owner slug shot at police of ficer Police reports said Collins followed a vehicle through downtown Wallace at about 7 p.m.

Friday, finally stopping the car about one mile west of the North Idaho town. The report said Collins was talking with the driver when he felt something strike his back as another vehicle drove by. The officer thought the passing car had kicked up a stone, he said. WALLACE (UPI) Wallace police "were investigating Monday the "shooting of a police officer, who was Sit in the back by a slug Muring a routine traffic stop. Assistant Police Chief Carl Collins, didn't even know he was the target a gunman's assault until almost hours after the incident Friday 'night.

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