European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 4, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Paga 6 the stars and stripes saturday july 4.1967 Texas House approves $5.7 billion tax increase Austin Texas a the Texas House of representatives on thursday night passed a j5.7 billion tax increase thai would raise the state sales lax now set percent to 6 percent and expand Illo cover insurance premiums. The 82-66 vote sent the sales tax Bill to the Senate for action next week. In a separate Bill the House voted 128-20 to keep the motor fuels tax at is cents per gallon instead of letting in revert to 10 cents on sept. 1. There s no Way we Are going to gel out of Here unless we tax somebody Taid ways and Means chair Man Stan Schlueter referring to the stale s budget woes amid depressed Economy. House member finally approved the lax plan Aboul 11 30 . The taxes Are needed to balance the $38.4 billion i98b-89 spending plan approved earlier thursday in the House 97-51. The budget plan will go to a House senile conference committee. Senators approved � 139.6 billion 1988-89 budget. The first major tax Vole thursday when House members voted 116-27 against Selling the sales lax at 5v percent and expanding it to cover insurance premiums and Many services that Are now exempt including lawyers fees. The three Day budget debate included repealed at tempts by republicans to make cuts but appropriations committee chairman Jim Rudd said that even if All those cuts had been approved a tax increase of at least $5 billion still would have been needed. The budget Bill approved includes a suggested 2 percent pay raise for state employee who earn under 140,000 a year Instate agencies can find that Money in their budgets. The Bill includes 16 percent pay raises for higher education personnel. The House rejected All attempts to make major changes in the proposed budget for higher education. Overall the House made $19 million in cuts from the Bill proposed by the appropriations committee but s204 million was added for Public education the committee had voted for 35 percent pay raises for higher education personnel but a floor amendment changed thai to 16 percent by spreading the rest of the Money to other aspects of higher education. Something fell off army copter before Accident witnesses say Austin Texas a several witnesses have testified that something fell off the Tail of an army Heli copter before it went into a series of spins and smashed into the ground killing 10 National guardsmen during a military exercise a newspaper reported wednesday. The Austin american statesman also reported that army investigators confiscated film of he helicopter s last Takeoff and Landing Al fort Hood. The june 22 crash killed the chopper s Pilot and nine other reservists and guardsmen from Arkansas Oklahoma and Texas. Tha american statesman said that an army reservist who was a passenger on one of the iieiitcipisi11 As flights before the Accident said the Pilot did nothing unusual. Some witnesses have been quoted As saying the Pilot was hol dogging when the acid Cal occurred. The army Board of inquiry s stenographer told the american Salesman hat several witnesses testified something fell off the Tail Section of the aircraft just before it smashed into a Clearing during a two week summer Drill of National guard and army Reserve units. Sol. Eual Allgood a medic and full time employee of the guard in Galveston said another medic shot film of the helicopter while in was using a medical evacuation Landing pad for Ake ofis and landings. The existence of the photographs has nol been acknowledged publicly by the Board of officers investigating the crash but the pictures could help investigators identify the cause of the crash the newspaper said. Allgood identified spec. A Neal Stilly As the photographer and said Stilly Lold him that the helicopter  hard Riihl and left Ihen went into a j60-dc�re turn. When contacted a second time to clarify his state men Allgood said he could nol comment further on orders from Camp Mabry in Austin. Stilly declined to comment wednesday. He said he had received a Telephone Call from a Superior at Camp Mabry and was told he could nol talk to reporters about the acid Cal. Women s Bias claim rejected Washington a a judge ruled thursday there visa no evidence of discrimination a Aalst women by the stale department in awarding . For eign service promotions. District judge John Lewis Smith jr., who was or dered by a Federal appeals court to review his earlier dismissal of the Case said the plaintiffs had failed to prove sex discrimination in determining promotions from Junior to mid Treer positions. The ruling came on a 1976 class action lawsuit filed on behalf of 1,000 women employed by he state department s foreign service Between 1976 and 1983, while rejecting the promotion Contention the judge said there was some discrimination against women in determining assignments to the branches of the for eign service consular administrative economic and  also was proof of discrimination m determining special assignments of foreign service officers Oul of their assigned Branch. Stateside Grumman aerospace to assist with space station Washington a Nasa announced thursday it has selected Grumman aerospace corp. For Ili biggest space Lalion award to Date a contract Worth up to $1.24 billion Over the next 11  will provide the technical help to the space Agency to pull he program together said Mark Hess a spokesman Lor the National aeronautics and space administration. He said the firm headquartered in Bethpage . Esti mates it will use 1,260 Moyces to fulfil the  Grumman employees also will work with the european space Agency Japan and Canada Amenta s space partners in the j15 billion venture. The space station is expected to be orbiting Earth in the mid-1990s. The contract will extend one year past he completion of the Assembly of the space station in orbit. It provides for systems engineering and integration in addition to management support to the space station program office. 400-500 Road deaths expected Over holidays Chicago a americans will travel 22.7 billion Miles during the three Day Independence Day weekend and 400 to 500 people Are Likely to lose their gives on the nation Road ways i he National safety Council said. Last year 450 people died during the Holiday period said spokeswoman Drolc a. Unterberg. On a non Holiday weekend this time of year deaths could be expected to total Aboul 400, she a t for counting purposes the Holiday weekend began at 6 . Local time thursday and ends sunday at Midnight local time compared Wilh the last july fourth weekend americans will travel an extra 2 billion Miles estimated the Chicago based safety Council. The increase is largely attributable to lower gasoline prices this year Unterberg said. Part of log will remain Asmi town s Mascot Horseshoe Bend Idaho a this Western Idaho Mill town will get to keep a por Tion of the 400-year-old log that it has adopted As its Mascot and Symbol. Boise Cascade corp. Which has a Sawmill in Horseshoe Bend had planned to Cut up the 20-ton, 33-foot Pine log into High profit decorative Wood. But company officials responded to Public demand to save the log by promising to Reserve a 4-foot segment for residents and tourists to enjoy. Residents grew fond of the log during the time in Sal in front of he Sawmill. When it was moved to the log Yard they began clamouring for its return saying it was a Symbol of their lumber based econ omy and a potential tourist  Bender manager of Boise Cascade s Idaho Region said he had been unaware of the sentiment toward the tog until he received the petition. But he said in was impractical to keep the ensure log be cause in eventually would decay. Pit Bull s owner pleads innocent in assault Case los Angeles a the owner of a pit Bull thai attacked three people including an animal control officer pleaded innocent thursday to charges of Uia Ull with a deadly weapon. I m any anyone go Hurt. I did not mean for anyone to get Hurt Edlyn Joy Hauht said outside court. He was my  the amuck by her dog Benjamin on animal control officer Florence Crowell wis taped by television news Crew and a incr s Ili Omey claimed the presence of the Crew incited the attack. Deputy District attorney Steven Kay said a preliminary hearing was scheduled far aug. 27, and bail remained set at . It s an unusual Case in that we have one of the crimes on film Ray said. Hauler s defense attorney Bruce mar Golin contended the attack involving Benjamin was the result of a conspiracy of Newi people to make an Issue Oul of the  he said the attack on Crowell never would have happened if the animal control people had t come Oul if they had called her Hauser on the phone  the videotape of the attack showed Hauser 37, calling out a warning to Cro Well Benjamin is coming out. So if you Don t want to gel bitten you better get Oul of  moments later the pit Bull charged Crowell i believe any investigation shows she from reviewing the tape. She was screaming. Benjamin benjamin1 but i did l hear a firm command to Stop or slay or sit after the arraignment prosecutors formally dropped seven Misdemeanour charges filed against Hauser last week. Kay said prosecutors decided to file the sniffer felony charges after reviewing the Case. Two of the counts allege that the As Saull produced great bodily injury an enhancement that could result in sterner punishment Kay said. If Hauser is convicted the maximum sentence would be 10 years in prison he said. The a lacks involving Benjamin Ocean june 21, when Haus crts landlord. War Ren vol pts and his daughter Brisa were Lenl tonally let the dog Oul after making re Volpe a n h is daughter Brisa were a threat said u. Gordon b. Zeller of bitten by the dog. Fifty studies were the depart Mcnol of animal regulation needed to close Bunsa s sounds % Olpe  next morning Crowell followed by the Kobs to Crew went to Mauser s Home to investigate the incident and was savagely bitten by Benjamin. Crowell who suffered a crushed Bone in her hand and Chi injuries spent Lix Days in Glen Dale memorial Hospital be fore her release last weekend cd workers said in will be Al least four to six weeks before she is Able to return to work. The Pil Bull officially regarded As Evi Dence in the Hauser Case remains caged in a department of an Insil regulation shelter. Authorities have indicated that icy will ultimately seek permission to destroy the dog. The humane society of the United Stales estimates 40 communities across the nation have up cd Laws or Are considering legislation thai ban or restrict in Bull Dags within City limits