1986-02-19; Central Michigan Life

              r?
UFE
Vol 68 No. 63
C1988 CM UFE
Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48869
18 Pages
Wednesday. February 1». 19M
TIFA bonding lawsuit
should not delay park
by JACKIE BRAUN
LIFE Ammt. New* Editor
Al though a lawsuit filed by a
downstate school district has
temporarily closed one avenue of
funding for Central's University
Park, development has not
stopped.
A court case involving the
Birmingham School District
against the Village of Beverly
Hills concerning the use of Tax
Increment Finance Authorities
has stopped the use of TIFA bonds
in the state. Assistant City-
Manager Dave Pasquale said.
TIFA funds are proposed to help
finance University Park development, he said.
Pasquale said other funding
alternatives for the park are being
researched since TIFA bonds were
halted late last week.
Pasquale said while the courts
are deciding the issue use of TIFA
bonds has halted.
*We can still use TIFA
revenues, we can still collect the
revenues, but we can't pledge it
toward a bond issue," Pasquale
said.
George Dunn, Middle Michigan
Development Corp. director, said
the setback has not seriously
affected University Park development.
"It doesn't really stimey what
we're doing. Well just look in a
different direction," Dunn said.
Alternate funding can be
obtained from a number of different means such as public utility
revenue bonds, Dunn said.
University Park's portion cf
TIFA funds totaled about
$356,000, which is the city's share
of an approximately $1,100,000
cost of utilities for the first 60
acres ofthe 380-acre park, he said.
The money includes funding for
the installation of sewer lines,
water distribution, sewer distribution and natural gas lines.
Pasquale explained TIFA funds
are "the method whereby tax
revenues are captured."
"What you do is set a base year
and look at what the value of all
your property is at a particular
year, and then any additional
value from that year forward over
a specific period of time is
captured for public improvements." he said.
Pasquale said increases in
revenue due to new construction,
additions or appreciation would be
funneled toward the payment of
public improvements. The city-
then is able to bond against that
increase.
"TIFA     funds     have     been
proposed   with   the   anticipation
•See "Park"—page 2
Proposed financiai aid
cuts may hurt students
by PAT BRAY
LIFE Staff Writer
President Reagan's proposed budget reduction of
nearly $2 billion in student financial aid for 1987
rould cause problems for some students.
As part of his overall federal budget for the 1987
fiscal year, Reagan made this proposal to meet with
reduction* required in a deficit reduction act.
Financial Aids Director Robert Walling said il is
important to remember the budget still must go
through both the Iloua« of R«pr»awntativea auid th*
Scnstaj barfor* becoming; law.
"The potential is there to cause very serious
concern across the country.* Walling said.
Walling said he has not looked at the proposal's
full impact on CMU, but rather at how it would
afTect Supplemental Educational Opportunity
(■rants and College Work-Study programs
A proportional cut at CMU equal to that proposed
in the budget would drop the funds available to the
two programs from (1 Hi million to $-164,000 The
two programs would then lie combined into one
program
Walling said the University uses the two
programs to help needy students cover 40 percent of
school costs after parent and student contributions.
Some  things  which  could  recover   lost  revenue
include more state and private sector contributions,
larger Guaranteed Student Loans and an increase
in family contributions.
"The GSL route might not work because some
students ore already borrowing the maximum
amount,* Walling said
To deal with possible cutbacks, Walling said the
University also may reduce each individual's
financial aid amount to below 40 percent of one
year's school costs.
He added the University could institute deadlines
for fretting any aid from CMU.
"If you R«t your application in by a certain date
youll receive support, after that date you wouldn't,"
he said.
Walling said the amount of money which will be
available for the 1987-88 academic year is a "big
question mark* but students could help the situation.
"It is important for the people who are making
decisions to know how important these programs
are to students," Walling said
He suggested students receiving financial aid
write to their state and federal representatives
explaining how important the aid is to their
education.
"That is the kind of communication which is
important.* Walling said.	
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Misty blue
CM urt/Wmmmt fa*
Collecting bottle* and cans in the fog. Mac Bridgewater of Mount Pleasant seems to appear from
nowhere as he walks out of the mist at Island Park early Tuesday morning.
Officials label FAMD poster 'soft porn] Departments seek
Ellis' resignation
by BET1I MENGE
LIFE Staff Writer
Libeling it "soft porn." the
Office of Student Life has
prohibited on-campus sale of a
Fashion Association of
Merchandising and Design
poster
The poster, featuring 14
CMU women and 14 CMU men
and titled "14 ways to keep your
mind off studies." is an example
of pornography, said Susan
Repp, assistant to the vice
president for Student Affairs
"It's soft porn This is my
interpretation." Repp said "I
would ask you. what does this
s.iy to you? To us it sa>s "rate
me on a scale of one to 10 on
how sexually attractive I am *
KAMI) members said they
hoped to sell the posters in the
•See "Poster"—page 18
Soft porn?
The FAMD poster, partialty
by CMU administrators.
shown above, la being questioned'
by MARY FRANCIS
LIFE News Editor .
Letters urging Arthur Ellis to resign his presidential appointment
and insisting he serve only in an interim capacity have been composed
by two CMU academic departments.
The religion department and the sociology, anthropology and social
work department unanimously approved letters sent to Ellis.
The religion department's open letter sent late last week urged Ellis
to "show your support for that community and consider turning down
your appointment to the office of president . . . .* The sociology,
anthropology and social work department letter was approved
Thursday afternoon and will be sent to the Board of Trustees, Gov.
James Blanchard and Ellis, said Bernard Meltzer. sociology,
anthropology and social work department chairman.
Meltzer said his department wanted to place pressure on Ellis to
"ease the situation* on campus. Their letter asks Ellis to "begin the
process of healing the breach that no one wants" by insisting his
position is temporary.
The reaction of many has been to say'shame on the board.'but Ellis
is not blameless." Meltzer said.
Their  letter  asks   F.llis   to   make   a   moral  decision.   The   board
ISee -Letters"—page 2
News Brief
Federal and state tax forms and publications are now
available in the Documents Department in Park Library. A
complete reference set of IRS tax information publications also
is available.
Weather      Index
Mostly cloudy Wednesday. LIFE-wire page2
Highs   mid-30s   to   mid-40s. QAA page3
Cloudy   Wednesday   night. CommentZZZZZZZ.page4
Chance   of  snow   northwest BloomCounty page*
and chance of ram or snow Entertainment pageS
southwest by morning. Lows SpoUife page 11
mid-20s  to   mid-30s.   Cloudy Police Reports page U
Thursday with chance of rain Sports page 12
south and chance of rain or Chippewa ProifUeZZ". page 12
snow north. Highs upper 30s Classifieds page 16
to the mid-40s.
■ I
Millage increase will not affect rent
by KATHY PETERSEN
UFE StafT Writer
A proposed millage increase in
the Mount Pleasant city budget
probably will not afTect ofT-campus
students' rent.
After several work sessions to
trim unnecessary expenditures,
the Mount Pleasant City Commission approved the 1986 budget
Monday night following a public
hearing.
Consolidated Apartments, 405
S. Mission, will increase rent next
year but not because of the city's
millage increase. Consolidated
manager Sharon Lockwood said
the complex began leasing in
January, so all rent adjustments
were made then.
Forum Apartments, 950 Appian
Way, did not increase rent for next
semester, resident manager Peggy
Schmeling said.
Park Place Apartments. 1301 F.
Bellows, officials could not be
reached for comment.
Donna Born, assistant
journalism professor, said she
rents an apartment within her
home. Bom said she does not
expect the rent to increase based
on the millage proposal
"If it did go up. which I don't
think it will, it wouldn't be
because of that," Born said.
During Monday's meeting.
Mayor Patrick Doyle said the
consensus from the work session
showed a millage increase is
necessary but will be kept to a
minimum. Through further
revisions, the increase was pared
from the original proposed
amount of 1.8 mills to approxi
mately 03 mills The exact
amount will be set this summer
when the State Equalized Value is
set
A 1.8 mill increase would have
pushed taxes up annually on a
piece of property valued at
$50,000 by approximately $90
With a 0.3 mill increase taxes on
the same piece of property would
be raised by only $15.
The proposed increase of 1.8 was
whittled down through deletion of
items from the proposed budget
and a revised city revenue
estimate.
Among the deletions from the
proposed budget were funds for
Summer Send OfT "86 and supervision of the warming house at
Island Park skating rink.
Several members from the
Friends   of   the   Library   spoke
during the public hearing about
funding for Veterans Memorial
Library, 301 S. University.
They said the commission was
ignoring the public's demand for
library facilities.
Friends ofthe Library members
were concerned the commission
considered their donations as part
of the library's operating budget.
They argued their work was to
enhsnee city funding of the
library.
City Manager Tom Martin said
commissioners did not consider
donations a part of operating
expenses.
"I don't believe the operating
budget included any of the
enhancement funds," Martin said.
Mayor Pat Doyle said he appreciated citizens who were
(Set -City"—pa*. 11