European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 12, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 28 a a the stars and stripes taxes from Page 1 ment on Bush s decision the White House sought to lower expectations for such a Deal a and suggest that the democrats would never go along. Richard Darman White House budget director said that republicans had proposed an increase in tax rates for the wealthy during budget negotiations last month but that democrats had rejected it. Under the proposal the marginal tax rate on the wealthiest americans would be raised from 28 percent to 31 percent but Only if Congress lowered the capital gains rate to 15 percent. Capital gains Are currently taxed at the same rate As other income. The White House statement said Bush authorized his budget negotiators to explore such an option More than a month ago a although his move did not surface publicly until thursday. The statement said that while Bush still supported the plan he was afraid its formal presentation could prompt democratic action to raise top tax rates to 33 percent. A i will not tolerate. Raising rates to 33 percent Quot White House press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater quoted Bush As saving. A i cannot accept the statement said the plan for a 31 percent rate was originally opposed not Only by democrats but a also by some of the same republicans who now favor gop lawmakers who attended a meeting thursday morning on the new proposal said it would in essence do away with the current 33 percent top rate a now paid by taxpayers from the upper Middle class. In effect the republicans said Bush a proposal would flatten out the so called a Bubble Quot in the tax code an anomaly under which tax rates on additional income Are now lower for the wealthiest americans than for some who Are less wealthy. Instead there would be three distinct tax brackets. The 15 percent bracket for lower in come americans would remain. Then above a certain income level the taxes for additional income would jump to 28 percent and finally move to 31 percent. Bush earlier in the week had indicated that he was open to a Compromise in which higher taxes on the wealthy would be traded for a lower capital gains rate. He then appeared however to Back away under pressure from gop senators. The confusion created by Bush a apparent wavering on the Issue slowed Down congressional consideration of a budget Compromise and led democratic leaders to accuse Bush of indecision. A the said without equivocation this is what we wanted to do a Archer said in comments echoed by other republicans who attended the morning meeting. Earlier Senate leaders reported Progress in efforts to reach a deficit reduction plan after the House ways and Means committee approved a s144 billion Bill to raise taxes on gasoline tobacco alcohol and the earnings of higher income americans. The House Bill approved by the ways and Means committee eliminates a proposed tax on heating Oil lessens an increase in the tax on gasoline drops $12 billion in tax incentives for investors in Small corporations and reduces the proposed increase in premiums that retirees for medicare coverage. Overall the new plan would mean a 2.4 percent tax increase for people with incomes of $200,000 or More compared with 1.7 percent in the earlier version. For those with incomes from 530,000 to $40,000, the new plan would raise taxes by 3 percent compared with 2.9 percent in the earlier plan. Sergeant court Martiale for being late to formation by Effie Bathen n urn Berg Bureau Furth Germany a a 1st army Day sergeant was court Martiale thursday for being 10 minutes late for formation. Sgt. Luis Gama 33, pleaded guilty to a charge of fading to go to an appointed place of duty and was ordered to forfeit $300 for one month at his three hour special court martial. The sentence however carries the weight of a Federal conviction. The Soldier is assigned to he co 4th in 70th army regt Gama admitted in court that he missed a 6 . Formation aug. 10 at Ferris Barracks in Erlanger because he overslept. Itie personnel clerk had gone to Koblenz on a one aay pass the previous Day to be with his son for a school event. His supervisor had denied his request for a longer leave because of an upcoming inspection. But when Gama returned Home about 2 . That Friday he was surprised to find that his Landlady had allowed her visiting relatives to stay in his apartment Gama testified. He wound up sleeping on the Landlady a sofa and woke up at 5 55 . Although he rushed immediately to get to the a accountability formation a he got to work about 6 10 . As punishment Gama was ordered to finish the of work on his desk and then a a Glt a or clean -s3 office latrines windows and radiators. He stayed until after Midnight that Friday and two More nights the ii9 lowing week to Complete the a extra 1 however the supervisor staff sgt. Carl Roy adj recommended that Gama receive additional punish ment. Gama turned Down non judicial punishment w his company commander capt. Tyrone k. Brown move that Ted to the court martial. 1 the maximum sentence for the charge could have Heel reduction to the lowest enlisted Grade forfeiture of two thirds of one months and confinement for 30 Days. I during the sentencing portion of the trial convict in evidence was presented about Gama a performance As 1 Soldier. He was described by his supervisors As a below average performer who needed constant supervision and had received non judicial punishment for not obey ing an officer. 1 on the other hand he had also served As the units equal employment Opportunity representative and drug and alcohol prevention no. He also received several army commendation certificates and an achievement medal for performing cardiopulmonary re i sus citation on a Heidelberg girl about five years from Page 1 Chen As the a Only friends i had in Germany. A there be a better couple to be with a said Jackson who has been in Germany since april. Scretchen also is survived by a son and daughter. A memorial service was scheduled to be held at the Ray Barracks Chapel at 1 30 . Friday. A More detailed chronology about the attack began to emerge thursday. The gunman was at an m-16a2 qualification Range at the army training facility tuesday when he bolted from the area without permission said a 3rd army div spokeswoman. A the Soldier confiscated a humvee and drove four Kilometres 2vi Miles to the units Field dining facility a she said. He then entered Scretchen a billeting area near the Kitchen and shot him. Norris said in a Telephone interview thursday that he was talking to some friends in the dining facility when the armed Soldier burst in. A i heard the shots and saw him come out with a gun in his hand a Norris said. A the pointed it at us and every of body else ran to get out of the mess Hall. I a i grabbed the gun and he shot me in the leg a hobbled away As fast As i could but he followed shoot-1 ing at us All the time. Thank god he did no to hit any of the gunman ran away from the dining facility will military police and soldiers in Pursuit the 3rd army dive spokeswoman said. A after running several Hundred me a ters he stopped and shot himself in the head a she said Scretchen was dead on arrival at Grafen Wohr a n Tail clinic. Norris is in stable condition in an Eschen Bach Germany Hospital Norris who Hopes to be transferred to the army hos Pital in Nimberg next week said he had no idea Why the gunman began shooting. A i was stationed with the Guy for about a year so i knew him to say hello to. But the whole incident is a mystery to contributing to the report staff or few e�5 Redavi of discusses safety with Gulf pilots Washington apr the air Force grounded its planes deployed in the persian Gulf area for a 24-hour period ending thursday in order to discuss with pilots the recent rash of . Aircraft accidents in saudi Arabia the Pentagon announced. The a flying stand Down was declared wednesday at noon saudi time and lifted at noon thursday said Pete Williams the chief Pentagon spokesman. Williams said he could not immediately determine whether the groundings applied to All of the estimated 700 air Force combat and support aircraft in the Gulf area As part of operation desert shield. A the air Force declared a flying Stan Down for one Day to conduct safety awareness meetings with air Force pilots a Williams said. A to get together with everybody and just sort of review what they need to do to Fly More the official death toll for operation desert shield Rose to 31 on wednesday when an air Force full fighter bomber crashed on a training Mission in saudi Arabia killing both Crew members. The two officers were capt. Frederick Reid 33, Oil Harrisburg pa., and capt. Thomas Caldwell 32, of col i Umbus Ohio a base spokesman said. Reid was piloting the plane during the training Mission and Caldwell was the weapons systems officer. I both men were assigned to the 48th tac fighter Wing i at Raf Lakenheath i a memorial service is scheduled for 10 . Monday at the Lakenheath base Chapel. On monday two pilots were killed in the crash of and air Force f-4 phantom reconnaissance Jet in saudi i Arabia and just hours earlier two Marine corps Helt a copters each carrying four Crew members crashed Over 1 the arabian sea killing All eight men. Williams said the air Force was the Only service that has taken special measures to review safety in the Gulf since this weeks accidents. A a they re concerned about the accidents they re con-1 ceded about the number of accidents that happened so quickly Over a Short period of time a he told from Page 1 with one Pilot remaining on the ground. A most of the aviation commanders Are very displeased a one Pilot said. A effectiveness goes Down and they lose half their during flight the enlisted Crew members run an array of observation and tracking equipment designed to spot targets for the army attack copters that would follow. But pilots also credit the observers with being Able to Fly the chopper in an emergency. A it be As pretty but they d get the Job done a said one Pilot from a unit affected by the restrictions. A i guess you might Call us half a Pilot a said one enlisted Man who has More than 400 hours As an observer in array helicopters and about 250 hours As a civilian fixed wig Pilot. Quot enlisted people Are out of their Job of flying at night a he said. A i just want my Job Back a Burt defended the concept of putting a second Pilot in the scout helicopters but acknowledged that at least one of the four oh-58 crashes occurred alter die two Pilot Rule was put in place. She also said that the night vision goggles Are Safe As Long As pilots Are property trained in their use. Quot pilots have to get accustomed to the color contrasts of the saudi arabian terrain while wearing the night vision goggles a Burt said. In addition to the flight restrictions the army is Rush ing to Complete other safety related upgrades including installing digital altimeters with visual and aural warn-1 ing systems that go off when a helicopter dips below Ai certain Altitude Burt despite the recent rash of accidents . Force is the persian Gulf have not reduced the number or it Genii helicopter missions Pentagon officials said. The is the Only service to Institute restrictions to Date a i though the loss of two Marine uh-1n helicopters Mon i Day night also involved the use of vision goggles i helicopters were lost during operations for the assay i ship Okinawa which is deployed in the Northern a11 Beansea. I the loss of the marines pushes the death toll amp it american operations in the persian Gulf to 31
