Abilene Reporter-News from Abilene, Texas • 64

4E Wednesday January 8 2003 BUSINESS Sllrilrne wwwreporternewscom Venezuelan protesters march against paying taxes By Christopher Toothaker Associated Press CARACAS Venezuela of thousands of Venezuelans marched on the federal tax agency Tuesday and many ripped up their tax forms vowing to farther deprive President Hugo Chavez of revenue as part of their strike that has already dried up oil income Chavez warned that tax evasion carries up to seven years in prison a crime not to pay taxes" he said in a speech he ordered broadcast on all television and radio stations interrupting coverage of the march will not tolerate take all actions neces-saryto make sure every last cent is paid because it belongs to the people" Protesters cheered and blew whistles as they tore up blank tax forms at the doors of the tax agency They called for individuals and business to stop paying income and valueadded taxes National Guard troops and exports were supposed to pay for half Eliminating tax evasion traditionally at 50 percent is a tenet of government Last year his government collected 6 billion in tax revenues 91 percent of its original goal Adversaries blame policies fix: a deep recession 17 percent unemployment an increasingly feeble currency and inflation surpassing 30 percent Chavez who survived an April military uprising says his foes are trying to provoke another coup Opponents say they will hold a Feb 2 referendum to ask Venezuelans if Chavez should quit even if die president ignores it as he says he wilL The opposition delivered 2 million signatures in November to demand the referendum Chavez reftised requests by the National Elections Council fix: fends for the vote But he invites opponents to challenge him in a possible recall referendum In August midway through his six-year tarn forces left two people dead and 78 injured last weds "This government uses our money to repress the people not going to give case more cent to Hugo said Luis Carlos Bustillos 59 a veterinarian will cause chaos for a few months but better Gian chaos for a lifetime" largest labor confederation the biggest business chamber and opposition political parties began the strike Dec 2 to pressure Chavez into resigning or accepting an early vote on his rule The president has reftised to do either The strike has crippled Venezuela's oil industry which provides half of government income and 80 percent of export revenue The country is fifth-largest oil exporter and the strike has helped send international oil exports above $30 The government may have to cut this $25 billion budget by up to 10 percent Finance Minister Tobias Nobrega said Tuesday Taxes were supposed to pay for a third of the budget Oil AndraaUtfikrtAModaMPm An opponent of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez points to the federal tax agency during a protest Tuesday In Caracas part of the month-old strike Intended to force Chavez from office police patrolled the headquarters unrest The march was the First since clashes between Chavez of the agency but there was no opposition protest in the capital foes and followers and security State to appeal ruling for ExxonMobil in royalty lawsuit A Associated Press mobBAe-to-moMe miiirwuittes decision affirms ExxonMobil's position that these claims were without merit and should never have been brought against our Terry Koonce ExxonMobil Production Co BOY ONE after Instant rebate HOUSTON The Texas attor-ney general's office said Tuesday it plans to appeal a judge's ruling that rejected some of fee key claims in a landmark royalty lawsuit against ExxonMobil Corp Former Attorney General John Cornyn filed the lawsuit in January 2001 charging feat Irving-based ExxonMobil and its predecessors illegally drained oil and natural gas from underneath a state highway right-of-way in East Texas and owed fee state tens of millions of dollars "We are accusing them of stealing oil and gas owned by fee state of Texas" Cornyn said at the time Last month a state district court Judge in Houston threw out two of the three key claims Judge Tracy Christopher rejected fee claims that it had not been given a chance to participate in fee oil operation and had not been notified of applications to drill wells near fee right-of-way along US Highway 80 in Wood County ExxonMobil said The judge left intact the claim that Exxon Mobil illegally tapped into the reserves under the old Hawkins Field about 100 miles east of Dallas "The decision affirms ExxonMobil's position that these claims were without merit and should never have been brought against our company" said Terry Koonce president df ExxonMobil Production Co a subsidiary of fee largest publicly traded oil company Koonce said the company had followed regulations set by fee Texas Railroad Commission and fee General Land Office fix: more than half a century He said the 4 4 company was "extremely troubled by the arbitrary manner hi which fee state chose to bring and pursue these claims" In a news release ExxonMobil complained that it was the only company sued even though other operators drilled many of fee contested wdls At the same time the company said feat the would be thousands of individuals who share in production from fields where the state holds mineral rights under highways A spokesman fix: Attorney General Greg Abbott said the office would appeal fee dismissal of fee two claims and he took issue wife fee victory declaration disagree wife assessment of where fee case stands We remain confident about our claims in fills lawsuit" said the spokesman Mike Viesca Viesca also disputed ExxonMobil's charge that the state would go after other oil field operators simply not the case This office has always made it dear that suing only ExxonMobil and no one he said Umltd tim offer with 24-month get a phone delivered ito rt i 'ii Call on someone you know Web SIMPLICITYMCHOICEMVALUE 30rDAY4SATSFACTIONGUARANTE Cod liar On proudly Mpporto Thw National Youth And -Drug Madia Campaign wwwThoAntlDrugoam Hendrickson said he wish to reveal who the company buys bandwidth from only saying it was a major player" He said to reveal more might create legal difficulties The company discovered the problem around 10:30 am Tuesday Hendrickson said At 9 pm workers were still trying to restore service Contact Brian Bethel at 6766739 or betheHoWreportemewsxom iirnircMnrre Continued from IE can affect numerous homeowners Hendrickson said upstream provider sold its Internet service to another company and that company made a software change which caused the problem fatal Hodui Soydtr 1221 Hwy 16 3311 ColegeAvenue 1418HdleySt 549-1885 8640585 573-7907 2350300 BnAmtin 1822WWer! 559-1885 hk fatal 4149SoudiwBSI 437-0800 MalofAbdene kohl by Mod's Mm Sion 4310 Buffalo Gqi 795-0253 Also avalabte at Hies locations I'' lln Whies 692-0615 Sam's 5301 Soldi Risl Sind Smdr CsUarPks 573-3668 CaMarCamacfan CdUarHus 692-4777 6904505 677-1768 6732665 672-3841 iUMI9 Acfon Writes 676-5030 Advanced Cdular 795-8255 at least as well as the sitcom it replaced" KRBC General Manager Paul said is an audience there at 5 early Saturday evening newscast delivered a much larger audience than previous programs at the time slot and finished right behind KTAB which held onto most of its usual audience The audience for now second-place morning newscast continued growing KTXS remains the popular choice for morning news by a comfortable margin Contact leisure writer Brian Mnpriy at 6766760 or muWfietkHtemewsxom Nielson Continued from IE As for whether KTXS can stay on top be that way forever "Kiger said I don't think KRBC's new 5 pan weekday newscasts and early evening weekend newscasts showed immediate returns The weekday newscast anchored by Downing Bolls finished third in its timeslot but delivered best ratings at 5 pun since 1998 Previously KTXS had the only local 5 pm weekday newscast were hoping we could do i W0S3E MM ItaMWMMMhMWli A i.