European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 28, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes . Thursday april 88,1994panel debates tax on health benefits Washington a the Senate finance committee looked gingerly tuesday at the idea of taxing employee health benefits to help pay for Reform and democrats explored alternatives to Cushion Small businesses from the Burden of insuring workers. Senate majority Leader George Mitchell said he had offered colleagues at a private democratic lunch three More options a exempting employers with fewer than 10 employees from having to buy insurance. A providing additional subsidies. A and changing the ratio of employer employee contributions from 80-20 to 50-50. Mitchell said these were different suggestions from the ones he offered at an april 16 democratic Retreat. He said increasing subsidies for Small businesses including letting companies with fewer than 10 workers pay As Little As 2.8 percent of their payroll for coverage a would add $30 billion to $35 billion to the deficit Over 10 years. Twister hits Indiana town killing 2, injuring 51 West Lafayette ind. A a Tornado ravaged a stretch of this College at a Senate finance committee hearing Peggy con Nerton of the service employees International Union cautioned against any move to tax health benefits. A no matter How you slice it up it amounts to a Middle class tax increase a said Connerton the unions director of Public policy. She cited private studies suggesting that such a move would drive up workers income tax Bills by $195 to $476, while doing Little to reduce health spending. Alan j. Auerbach a University of Pennsylvania professor of economics and Law said the current tax Breaks encourage workers to get a Overly comprehensive coverage that insulates them from rising medical costs. Sen. Bob Packwood r-ore., said a the question becomes have we encouraged too much health coverage a if More americans had a a Chevrolet coverage instead of a a Cadillac plans they might choose less costly care he said. The tax Breaks for health insurance and medical expenses Cost the Treasury department $74 billion a year. Rosemary d. Marcuss a congressional budget office analyst said the tax savings amount to a 26 percent discount on the Price of Job based health insurance. The Clinton health plan would subject workers to paying income tax beginning in 2d04 on any employer provided benefits beyond the comprehensive Benefit package. Other proposals including the bipartisan managed Competition act and a Republican Bill sponsored by sen. John Chafee of Rhode Island would Cap the tax Breaks right away to encourage workers to join less Quot costly health plans. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan d-., chairman of the committee said he sympathized with labors stand. Unions contend it would be unfair to tax workers who have forgone wage increases to get better health benefits. A a a. A a. A. A a a a. A the president has a it it this on the table. And yet its very Clear that the Al Cio will not have this a he said. A a a a a a town Early wednesday demolishing a Mobile Home Park a venetian Blind factory and two filling stations. At least two people died and 51 others were injured. Police worked to free a Man and two children who were buried in a Mobile Home. About 30 Mobile Homes were destroyed at a trailer Park just outside West Lafayette about two Miles from Purdue University. At least five caught fire said fire chief Jim Beaty of Wabash township. The Lafayette venetian Blind factory also was destroyed by the Tornado which was spawned by a band of powerful thunderstorms that swept through the area about 70 Miles Northwest of Indianapolis. One of the dead was found at the factory and is believed to have worked there a second victim was found around Dawn at a nearby subdivision said capt. Dave Murtaugh of the Tippecanoe county sheriffs office. Most of those Hurt were treated for minor injuries at nearby hospitals. One person was in critical condition. Telephone lines and Power were out. More than 200 people were evacuated because of damage to their Homes and Power outages said Jerry Hauer director of the emergency management Agency. Firefighters Battle blazes at a Mobile Home Park in West Lafayette ind., after a Tornado struck Early wednesday. Authorities said earlier tha lightning had sparked an explosion at one of the filling stations. But managers at both stations said there had been no explosion and no fire. The storm which struck just after Midnight inflicted heavy damage on the two stations across the Street from each other. Part of the roof of one station was blown More than a mile away. Its Walls collapsed and the Metal canopy Over the gasoline pumps was turned on its Side. The stations Are near a state police Barracks where some of the debris ended up. A a a a. A a a a a a. A a a a a we have Cement blocks from the stations on top of our roof a said it. Jimmy Kesterson. The Barracks also lost a radio Tower in the storm. Randy Haynes was working at a Gas station convenience store about Midnight when the Tornado struck. Haynes ducked behind a cooler which was moved by the Force of winds. When the wind died Down he ran across the Street to the other station. There he found four employees buried under Wood and bricks. Haynes helped paramedics free them. The workers suffered Only minor injuries. Haynes wife Darlene was watching television at Home about a mile away when the program was interrupted by a Tornado warning. A i ran into the bedroom and Shook my daughter and told her to get up and get dressed a she said. A we did no to even have time to get into the Bathtub when the front windows were broken  some abortion protesters May face jail Washington apr congressional negotiators have revamped proposed penalties for abortion protesters who Block clinic entrances damage clinics or intimidate patients or staff. The negotiations on tuesday resolved differences Between the House and Senate versions both passed last november. Last month in procedural votes Abor Tion rights activists in the House beat Back attempts by anti abortion lawmakers to derail the legislation. The action came As a woman who admitted shooting an abortion doctor outside his clinic last summer Drew a sentence of nearly 11 years from a judge in Wichita Kan. The judge refused a prosecution request to double the time that Rachelle a a Shelley Shannon must spend in prison. Shannon of Grants pass ore., was convicted March 25 of attempted murder in the attack on or. George Tiller whose clinic has Long been a target of anti abortion activities. The Bill would make it a Federal offence to Block a clinic Entrance or damage a clinic. It also would impose Federal penalties on those who intentionally intimidate injure or interfere with clinic staff or patients by using Force threatening Force or physically blocking their Way a a. A the House and Senate negotiators adopted a proposal similar to one advanced by sen. Orrin Hatch a Utah that would set a maximum Fine of $10,000 and six months in prison for a first offence and a maximum penalty of $25,000 and 18 months in jail for a subsequent offence. The legislation is partly a response to the fatal shooting a year ago of or. David Gunn outside the abortion clinic where he worked in Pensacola Fla. The Man who shot him Michael f. Griffin was recently sentenced to life in prison with a Chance of parole for 24 years. But opponents of the Bill have argued that it singles out anti abortion activists for punishment and therefore threatens their right to free speech. A this is the first time in vese i us punishing nonviolent civil disobedience a Hatch  men charged again in rape of drunk woman Canton . Apr a judge agreed to reinstate first degree  against five men who were fined $750 after they had sex with a woman they found unconscious in a restaurant bathroom. Acting state supreme court Justice Eugene l. Nicandri issued Nis decision tuesday Clearing the Way for a possible trial. In october 1991, Krista Absalon passed out while drunk in a restaurant in Gouverneur. She Learned a week later that five men dragged her from a restroom and took turns having sex with her while she was unconscious. The men a Mariano Pistolesi David Cummings Michael Curcio Mark Hartle and Greg Streeter a were charged with felony rape and faced up to 25 years in prison. They pleaded guilty to Misdemeanour sexual misconduct and were fined $750, with no jail time. \