European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 16, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 a the stars and stripes sunday february 16, 1992 at a glance English language programming went into orbit when Europe a satellite television switched on last year. See sunday Magazine. Candidates Bash Bush democratic presidential hopefuls stepped up their Battles on the airwaves while All sides ganged up on president Bush As the new Hampshire primary race entered its final weekend. A Page 4 worlds changing face a National geographic society cartographer armed with sandpaper wiped the soviet Union off the face of the Globe. A Page 5 tips on insurance fraud insurance fraud investigators Are following leads on cases around the United states thanks to a new toll free hot line. A Page 6 some team names dropped the oregonian newspaper in Portland announced that it will discontinue publishing sports teams names that May be offensive to racial religious or ethnic groups. A Page 7 Baker vows help Secretary of state James a. Baker i pledged to help nuclear scientists in the former soviet Union find ways to stay employed and convert their skills to peaceful uses. A Page 8 Cut above the rest Elvis mane Man the Barber who pruned the Presley Pompadour is worried he May have to leave Fried bergs Ray Barracks in Germany. A Page 10 a bumpy ride Wall Street gave investors a roller coaster ride As it fidgeted Over inter est rates and eroding Bond prices. A Page 15 1 Index Abby Ann Landers. 14 commentary. Faces n places. 14 letters. Money matters. 15 sports. 18-24 weather. 11 committee democrats finalize own version of tax package Washington apr democrats on the House ways and Means committee completed work Friday on a tax plan offering a $200 credit for most workers tax cuts on capital gains and new measures designed to stimulate the Economy. The plan will be considered by the House As Early As this week As the democratic alternative to president Bush a proposal. The Bill would Cut taxes by about $90 billion Over the next five years chiefly for people making under about $80,000 a year. It would raise other taxes by the same amount and most of the Money would come from the Well to do. Preliminary estimates indicated families whose after tax incomes average $37,286 would realize a $285-a-year savings from key parts of the democratic Bill. The richest 1 percent with incomes averaging $392,025, would pay a extra $11,184 a year. A i think this will pass on the House floor a i really do a said rep. Beryl Anthony jr., dark. Asked whether it can win sufficient Republican support he replied a a it la give them heartburn to vote against it. The Bill is essentially the one recommended thursday by ways and Means chairman Dan Rostenkowski Dill. However the proposed reduction in taxes on capital gains which Are profits from the Sale of investments is considerably less generous than Rostenkowski offered and far less than what Bush recommended. A we must really be doing our Job because we re irritating them downtown in the White House Rostenkowski said. Democrats Hope to use the election year legislation to prove their party is the party of a tax fairness a in contrast to what they perceive As too much tax Relief for the Rich Over the past decade. The heart of the plan is a tax credit of up to $200 per wage earner in each of the next two years a couple could gel up to $400. The size of the credit depends on a workers wages but about 80 percent of All workers would get the maximum credit. On the other hand the 31 percent top tax rate would be raised to 35 percent affecting generally single people with incomes Over $100,000 and couples Over $200,000. In addition a new surtax would be imposed on those with taxable incomes Over $1 million a year. The democratic Bill includes several pieces of the plan Bush advanced in his state of the Union message and 1993 budget. But the democrats came up with their own version of How the Economy should be stimulated relying mainly on a 1 percentage Point reduction in the 34 percent maximum corporate tax rate. The Bill would allow Many people to tap into their individual retirement accounts in order to buy a Home or pay for medical or education expenses. But it dropped the $5,000 tax credit that Bush wanted for some Home buyers. It would extend permanently a special credit to encourage business research a As would the presidents plan. The democrats also agreed to repeal the luxury tax on expensive boats planes furs and jewels but to keep the Levy on cars costing More than $30,000. That figure would be raised each year to offset inflation. Other individual provisions of the democratic plan include allowing a tax credit of up to $500 for interest on student Loans and expanding to $60 the maximum $21 a month of employer paid mass transit Aid a worker May accept tax free. The democrats capital gains reduction would retain the present maximum 28 percent rate on capital gains that Means the richest americans who would be subject to the new 35 percent top income tax rate would pay one Quarter less tax on some investment income than they would on wages. Flame snuffed out by shortage Moscow a the a eternal flame marking the Tomb of the unknown Soldier in the former soviet Republic of Estonia has been put out to save Gas. According to the russian information Agency the flame at the Monument in the capital of Tallinn was turned off because of a Gas shortage in Estonia. The Republic gained Independence from the former soviet Union following the failed hard line coup last August. Estonia and the other Baltic republics which relied on the soviet Union for Gas supplies Are having problems getting the fuel from Russia. Russian speaking members of the estonian parliament have appealed to russian president Boris Yeltsin to Quot add Gas especially for maintaining the eternal flame a r1a said. Airlift from Page 1 accurate when they show poor elderly women crying outside empty food stores in Moscow. But the cameras never Point toward nearby stores filled with fresh fruit and vegetables that Only foreigners and local crime Syndicate members can afford. A that does no to sell a said the embassy employee. Operation provide Hope could have been dubbed operation grand gesture remarked Don Krumm a state department employee. Krumm said the supplies  make a significant Dent in the russian food Supply but the Effort is important because it shows that America cares. Krumm said he thought that russians would make it through the Winter because Many began stockpiling food some time ago. However he warned that problems could occur once those reserves Are exhausted. Krumm said the russians face Tough times because they done to know How to wean themselves from 70 years of dependency and bureaucracy. Supplies from previous International it just warms my heart to see soviet soldiers and american soldiers exchanging badges and pins instead of bullets. Ethan Heinz Relief shipments to the Commonwealth of Independent states have ended up on the Black Market. But officials claim that Isnit True with supplies from operation provide Hope which began last monday when the first of 64 american flights began airlifting food and Medicine to the former soviet republics. The supplies airlifted Friday were destined for the russian cities of Kostroma and Tula. Precautions were made so that the Tood ends up at the schools Orpha Nages and soup kitchens where it is needed said Thompson Buchanan a retired foreign service officer called Back to Active duty to help oversee food deliveries to Russia. A nothing moves until we approve its movement a said Buchanan who otherwise would have been on a ski trip to Jackson Hole Wyo. Meanwhile the flight Crew and members of Rhein Mains 4th Mobile Aerial port so in Germany helped Young russian paratroopers Load the 28 pallets of food onto nine flatbed trucks. Buchanan said he was there to help slice through red tape to get the food to those who need it. State department monitors accompanied the Supply trucks to Tula and Kostroma. After City officials develop a food distribution plan a team from the state department will evaluate their plan. If acceptable additional monitors from the state department will accompany the food to the Sites. From there random inspections will ensure compliance. Vadim Gryzlow said he thinks the system will work. Gryzlow is a former soviet military officer who now works for the evening Tula newspaper after he was forced to leave the army because of military cutbacks. Tula a City located about 120 Miles South of Moscow is known for producing cakes teapots and military weapons said Sergei Korolyov a student from the Tula teachers training College who was working As an interpreter. Monitoring the food during the six hour drive from the Airport to Kostroma were Laura Hospital and Ethan Heinz two american Exchange students studying in Moscow. They responded to state department flyers distributed in their dorms asking for inspectors. Heinz a student at the Institute of International relations was paid $10 an hour for his work but would have done it for free he said. A this is one of the highlights of my life a said the 20-year-old native of Cincinnati. A it just warms my heart to see soviet soldiers and american soldiers exchanging badges and pins instead of bullets Quot the air Force members swapped cigarettes uniform patches and Caps with the paratroopers in Exchange for pins and traditional russian hats with upturned ear flaps. Wearing one of those hats was master sgt. Dan Nelis a Load master with the 326th military Airlift so a Reserve unit from Dover fab Maine. Nelis said the c-5  have lifted off the runway from Rhein main that morning with any More supplies than were already inboard. What is a huge amount for a Load master can seem insignificant for a nation Nelis said but its the thought that counts. A they can look at us and say a hey these Guys Arentt that bad a Quot he said. Nelis said he thinks there should be More exchanges Between America and the Cis because a it gets to be a Little smaller  fellow Load master Jeff Moore agreed. A i wish we could do More but we re hurting ourselves a said the 32-year-old staff sergeant from Mannington . Moore said he hoped that the former soviet republics have the patience to work things out among themselves instead of erupting into civil War. A i Hope we do enough to support Yeltsin a Moore said. A i Hope we done to leave him hanging. When Gorby left we got a second Chance. I done to think we Well get a third