European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 19, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes saturday. March 19,1988 panel Calls for More privatization report cites mail prisons air safety Washington a a bipartisan presidential commission Friday told president Reagan the government should begin a gradual but wholesale Transfer of mail delivery air traffic control prison operation and scores of of her services to the private sector. Controversial even before its submission the report by die presidential com Mission on privatization goes far beyond earlier proposal by Reagan to Sefl off Federal assets and reduce the scope of government. The government with its checks and balances  not lend itself to managing High technology said the commission s chairman David Linowes a Democrat. Government entities have injected themselves Well beyond the realm of government into business to the detriment of both business and  Linowes a political economics professor at the University of Illinois said at press conference after meeting privately wild Reagan hat the president has i had an Opportunity to read the report cd and d id not i indic at what if any of the suggestions the while House would push. But be acknowledged that none of the recommendations is Likely to be enacted before Reagan leaves office next Jan uary. This is the first Lime there has been an Independent exhaustive analysis of the issues Linowes said. We did t take on this Job with the expectation that it would stay with just one adm Nistra the commission named last septem Ber by the president to expand upon his own privatization themes came up with 78 suggestions thai it said would make government More efficient. Among the recommendations the. Postal service s monopoly on delivering letters should be ended Over time with private companies allowed to compete for the business. A system of educational vouchers should be established to give parents greater Freedom of Choice in selecting elementary or secondary schools for their children. Linowes suggested vouchers of about $3,000 a year and said they might be redeemable at private schools As Well although at a discount. The government should expand its voucher system Cor Low Cost Public hous ing instead of building new projects while wiling existing Public housing to residents where possible. The management of military commissaries and Federal stale and local prisons should be contracted out. Airport control towers should be privately run although the government should continue to regulate the National  the report also called for privatization of elements of medicare and Sale of the government s $250 billion loan portfolio and it echoed Reagan s own Calls to sell off naval Petroleum reserves Urban mass transit systems and Amtrak rail Passen Ger service he seems la be Gung to on it Linowes said in an interview. There were bound to be some  Many of these items proposed in an Nual Reagan budget recommendations already have been rejected by a Congress that to Date has demonstrated Little enthusiasm for  but Linowes said he believes the concept will be More warmly received on Capitol Hill As the work product of a bipartisan commission the facts will argue for  Lina was said. He called tic panel s work an exhaustive  among the panel s 12 members arc James Mcintyre jr., who was budget director for president Carter and Melvin r. Laird Secretary or defense under president Nixon. Linowes a professor of political econ omy said dial the panel is proposing a gradual turnover of government function to private business in no place do we suggest it happen overnight that today you re a government Agency and tomorrow you re  however the recommendations generated shorn Advance opposition from Public employees and postal workers unions. The National association of letter carriers said ending the present postal service monopoly on first and third class mail delivery would destroy the nation a system of Universal service. Rural and inner City resident would not be served. Or would receive reduced service at exorbitant postal rates the Union said. Linowes however claimed the gov emment could still demand postal delivery to All areas at the same Price even if performed by private companies. Permeating All these recommendations is that the government Mutt never abdicate its responsibility for establishing policy and Standard he said. On the proposal to contract out prison administration Linowes said the govern ment might pay a fee for each prisoner processed. I can also see incentives Given he added suggesting it might be a Good Way to whittle away at the nation s 80 percent repeal offender rate. You could give a Bonus if the re leased prisoner was t returned to jail for two Yean a bigger Bonus if he stayed out for five. Less than two Yean no Bonus. There would be an incentive that does t Emiil now i can visualize teams of behavioural scientists and sociologist being hired As Well As  Linowes said the report throws Down i Challenge for innovative thinking. For instance there May be a question of whether Amtrak can Ever be made profit ate under present circumstance. But Why can t the air space Over Railroad stations be leased out for 20 or 30-Ttory office Lowen Why should ticket agents stand around All Day waiting to sell rail Road tickets Why can t they sol some thing else As Well postcards or Plimpt we could bring in creative people from the private sector. They could have Cir Cui cars running Between new York and Washington and charge 15 a head. Or we could have historical  employee fired for refusing to Wear coat tie for id photo Boston a a Federal employee fired for re fusing to Wear a Coal and lie for an identification photograph says hell Appeal arguing that the dress requirement k discriminatory. Roger Arnold whose dismissal from his $36,000-a year Job was effective Friday said the controversy was solely Over the photograph not his attire on the Job. He said he has not worn a coat and tie at work since the Laic 1970s and Lasi wore ,1 lie m his son s wedding in 1983. Tics just Don t serve Sny purpose in my life said Arnold 50, of Duxbury an employee of the Bureau of alcohol. Tobacco and firearms who checked wineries distilleries and firearm manufacturers for Federal License compliance. Arnold a 17-year at employee said his objection to the dress requirement was based on his dislike for business attire and the fact that no clothing require ment was placed on female at employees posing for identification photographs. Personally it was a matter of principles said Arnnld. But when i looked at the regulations it was apparent they were discriminatory. To placed ail the clothing Burden on  Arnold said he will Appeal the dismissal to the Merit system Protection Board and the equal employment Opportunity commission. Dot Kesier an at spokeswoman in Washington d.c., said Arnold is he first at employee to be tired Over a clothing Issue. Koester said the government requires Coats and lies for identification photographs but  not have a specific dress code for the at. We just expect our employees to look and dress like the professionals they arc said Koesler. She said the Issue of Arnold s dress was raised Only last year because a change in at identifications re Muired new photographs be taken. Arnold was reprimanded in writing and suspended without pay twice before his dismissal after he was first asked to Wear a coat and lie in january 1987, said Kos Star. This is not something thai just came up she said. Or. Arnold has been fighting us for quite a  it s Good to stand up for your principles said Arnold. But with no Job things Are going to be  health risks higher for wives of smokers research shows Santa be