European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 15, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse The St Riand stripes authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces Good morning vol. 49, no. 31 tuesday May 15, 1990 a a 25 daily and sunday d 8693 Aall German elections studied Kohl hints at 1990 Date after sundays vote losses i j Bonn West Germany apr Chancellor Helmut Kohl reeling after elections sunday in which his ruling coalition lost indicated monday that elections for a United German government could be held As soon As december. On sunday Kohl suffered a devastating loss in state elections and lost control of the upper House of parliament to the opposition social democrats eroding his Power to dictate the terms and timing of German unification. Kohl suffered another setback Over the weekend when experts from both Ger Many failed to agree on key aspects of unification. Asked whether there could be All German elections this year Kohl said monday he was a standing by West German Federal elections on dec. 2. But he also said a there Are discussions in East Germany about holding All German elections this year. Kohl said he thought it was important to discuss the Issue a if that is what a government sources speaking on condition of anonymity said Kohl was signalling that he did not exclude the possibility of All German elections before years end. Kohl was scheduled to meet monday evening with East German prime minister Lothar de Maiziere for their first formal talks on the increasingly tense unification process. On sunday his Christian democrats suffered defeats in two key states a nor Rhein westfalen and Niedersachsen. The victories by the social democratic party gave Kohls opponents control of the bundesrat the upper House of West Germany a parliament. The lower House the bundestag is the main lawmaking body. The bundesrat acts Only As a ratifying body for Laws passed by the bundestag. But Kohls loss of seats could cause complications for his goal of Quick unification. The upper House can no longer be expected to rubber stamp legislation needed for Quick unification. The left leaning social democrats have been trying to put the brakes on Kohls push for Swift unification which they say threatens the jobs and pocket books of germans in both countries. By capturing the upper House of parliament the social democrats will have More influence Over the Pace of unification. The vote also strengthens their bid to unseat Kohl in National elections in december. The East German social democrats said in a statement monday the election outcome Means a the influence of social democratic policies on the Unity process has become distinctly greater because of the election a the social fears of people in both parts of Germany May no longer be ignored a the statement said. Hans Jochen Vogel head of West Germany a social democrats said late Sun see elections on Back Page West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl appears on to sunday after his ruling coalition suffered heavy losses in state elections and lost control of the upper House of deals developing into nightmares i % 1 14 h by Randy Mcclain financial writer hundreds of service members overseas who bought real estate from general development corp. Of Miami May find their dreams of retiring to sunny Florida delayed or destroyed. That a the Bleak picture that emerges from interviews with the . Attorneys office in Miami tax collectors in several Florida communities and lawyers suing the huge real estate company on behalf of disappointed property owners. In the past two months gds has been dealt one blow after another. In a March plea bargain the company pleaded guilty in Federal court to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with a scheme to sell Florida real estate at inflated a Ces Over the last seven years. Then in Early april gds filed for reorganization under chapter 11 of the . Bankruptcy code. According to . Attorney Dexter Lehtinen go cd a real estate scheme started with the Sale of undeveloped residential lots in the nine Florida communities where the company operates. Customers maintain that gds lots were priced too High when compared with property sold by other companies. Once getting someone to buy a lot the Federal indictment charges general development sales people pressured customers into buying an overpriced House. In its pitch gds stressed a the difference Between the current gds Price for the Home site and the Price at which the customer bought the lot several years earlier a the indictment said. Prosecutors say gds was Selling houses for As much As double their value. The company hoodwinked buyers into deals by arranging bogus appraisals to support the High prices according to a Federal related stories pages 8 and 9 grand jury indictment. A gds subsidiary provided mortgages based on the phony appraisals. The company faces a $500,000 Fine in the mail fraud Case and has agreed to pay $100 million or More in damages to about 10,000 House buyers Over a 25-year period. A this company was running rampant cutting people up Over Here a said staff sgt. Gary Bryant a service member in Karlsruhe West Germany who bought land from the company. John Simmons chief Legal adviser at . Army Headquarters in Heidelberg West Germany said an unknown number of service members in Europe who agreed to buy property sight unseen were caught up in the scam. Many own undeveloped residential lots and some observers said that puts them at the greatest risk of missing out on any restitution. The developers restitution plan covers Only homeowners. A a in be told people for 25 years that they ought not to buy land they can to see a Simmons said. A but it was just a losing Battle. Everyone from the four Star general to the private first class still bought the Stirly. There a Only so much you can protect a person in recent Days gds has stopped construction on virtually All its residential developments in Florida and closed out of state sales offices including those in Europe. Otis Wragg a spokesman for gds said the company is working on a plan that would allow development of lots to Start again but it can to be put into action unless the bankruptcy court judge overseeing go cd Scase approves. The judge will get a look at the plan in a hearing Friday. Wragg said. Creditors and lot owners who think they be been bilked arc nipping at the company a heels. Additionally the company owes More than $12.5 million in delinquent property taxes to eight Florida counties. It remains Uncertain whether gds will be Able to pay its debts and stay in business. General development has sold Florida real estate to service members in Europe for More than 30 years. In recent years the company has promoted its Home Sites with videotaped footage of Happy buyers basking in the Florida Sunshine scuba diving and boating. A now is the time for All Good military personnel to attack their future a one brochure boasted. A by spending a Little Money every month now you la be getting a great head Start on a priceless lifetime of fun in the what go cd a promotional material failed to say continued on Page 8
