Taxes will dominate RICHMOND, Va. (UPI) Ben Franklin was right. If there, are two certainties in this world, they are death and taxes. But Virginia legislators, who enacted one of the largest tax increases in the state's history only four months ago, are now scrambling to make sure, tax- The Best Way to One 8x10, Two 5x7's and Ten Wallets Reg. $9.95 WITH COUPON, ONLY $795 Deposit applies to Purchase.
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Jan. 10 11:00 A.M.-7:00 P.M. Get An EXTRA $1 OFF! (If you come on the first day!) YOURE 0 CRIMINAL IF YOU SHOPLIFT legislative Leader Thomas Moss, D-Norfolk. "The tax reform measure is definitely going to be taken into consideration this session. We are going to be making the state, nearly as possible, revenue-neutral." A number of bills have.
been pre-filed to lessen the financial impact of changes in the federal tax code, including one filed in the wake of the September special session on transportation. At that two-week session, legislators agreed to increases in the state sales, gasoline and vehicle titling tax to pay for Gov. Gerald Baliles's ambitious transportation program. Delegate Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton, who carried the transportation banner for Baliles in the House, prefiled a bill Nov. 1 that would provide a $30 food sales tax Martinsville Bulletin, Thursday, January 8, 1987-Page 7-A debate credit adjusted for single taxpayers whose directly to the citizens through gross income is less than changes in the Virginia tax code.
$24,000, or in the case of married The Stosch-Parker effort has But taxpayers, fanfare $48,000. also diminished the squabbles bediminished over that bill tween Democrats and in late December with Republicans over who should, take the bipartisan effort of Delegate credit for the tax windfall issue. Stosch, R-Henrico, and Delegate Lewis Parker D- "Those I have spoken with have 7. Mecklenburg. taken the position all along that The two teamed upon a this is too important a matter.to be measure that would increase the a political bill," said Stosch.
personal exemption allowance for "Both Lew and I are interested in each person from $600 to $800; this because of our similar efforts provide for an additional personal to try and come up with a good bili exemption for each taxpayer over to do what's right for the people, age 65 and for those taxpayers who and give the money back to the are blind; and increase the cur- people who would be paying it." to rent a Virginia standard deduction Republicans have flat $2,000 for all taxpayers. claim that it was the GOP sought to The effect would be to return the sensitized that -called federal tax reform issue. the But governor Baliles to said the he tax is a increase in income taxes estimated at $184 million in 1987-88 tax prepared windfall. to back full return of the Sunday openings challenged LEXINGTON, Va. (UPI) A department store will close this Sunday despite a lawyer's recommendation to its manager that he remain open and get arrested to challenge the city's blue law.
"I had intended to stay open, but my home office said not to," said David Mertz, manager of the Maxway department store in Lexington. 0 It's A Crime That Can Mean! Up to Ten Years in prison or $1,000 fine for shoplifting goods valued at $200 or more. Up to One Year in jail or up to $1000 fine, either or both, for shoplifting goods valued at less than $200. Up to Five Years in prison for three or more offenses Payment of Goods Not Recovered, plus up to $250 of the merchant's expenses in prosecution of the crime. 1.
SHOPLIFTING JUST DOESN'T PAY 3 GOIN you do! MARTINSVILLE BULLETIN Your Hometown Newspaper Since 1889 CONN SAID CUZ CHIT. Us Mertz was unaware of any campaign to fight the blue law, speculating that a battle so far in advance of a possible Sunday closing referendum might backfire. He added, however, that merchants may begin a campaign later this year to get the blue-law issue on the November ballot. Mertz and Gene Williams, manager of the Leggett store, reported receiving numerous calls supporting their divergent positions. "The phones have been ringing off the hook since all this started," said Mertz, who said he is advising callers to write letters to newspaper editors supporting an end to Sunday closings.
"We have received many positive comments from customers and store managers," said Williams, who seeks compliance with the Sunday closing law. "I expect a fight over (the blue law), but we're going to support it and try to keep it." Police in Lexington and Rockbridge County are cracking down on blue-law violators in response to a complaint from Williams about Sunday openings, officials said Wednesday. The blue law will be actively enforced in Lexington effective this Sunday, and the crackdown in Rockbridge County began last Sunday, authorities and merchants said. The crackdown comes in response to a complaint lodged by Williams over the Christmas holidays. Williams, who has managed the store for the past two years, said he was following company policy and his own consciencerin seeking compliance with the Sunday closing law.
"Leggett is a family company," Williams said. feel and the Leggett family also. feels that Sunday is a time for the family a day of rest," Williams said. "There is a blue law on the books and it just wasn't being enforced. As long as it's a law, it should be enforced." Leggett policy is to remain closed on Sundays even in areas not covered by blue laws, Williams said.
Merchants in the area said the blue law has not been enforced for at least several: years. "I've been here two years and I never even realized there was a blue law," 4 Mertz said. Lexington City Attorney William Roberts said enforcement of the law "has been a rather low priority" over the years. "No complaints ever were made before," he said. "Attention was never attracted to it before." Mertz said the controversy began in December after a newspaper article saying the law was being ignored.
4 He added that enforcement of the law will result in loss of a substantial amount of revenue for the area. Ship owner, crew settle pay dispute 4. CHESAPEAKE, Va. (UPI) Crewmembers of a Cypriot-flag cargo ship Pionar prepared today to return to work and unload the vessel after its owner agreed to pay them about $39,000 in back pay after five hours of noisy negotiations, lawyers said. "After many.
many hours of screaming, yelling and negotiating, after lots of haranguing, they've agred to pay all of the money owed," said Jeffrey Breit of Norfolk, lawyer for the crew members, of the negotiations with representatives of the ship's owner. The owner of the ship agreed Wednesday night to pay 12 crewmembers $12,042 today and $13,442 when the vessel leaves port or within five days, which ever is sooner, Breit said. That would assure that the crew would be paid in the event the Coast Guard decides to order a delay in the ship's departure, he said. The Coast Guard inspected the 400-foot-long vessel Tuesday and Wednesday and found "some discrepancies which have given the captain of the port some concern over the vessel's seaworthiness," said Cmdr. William Chubb, a Coast Guard spokesman.
The inspection followed crewmembers' complaints about the ship's safety. The ship's owner also agreed to pay the crew about $8,000 in vacation pay, due at the end of February, and $5,800 due three missing crew members, who apparently jumped ship in port, Breit said. Breit said he will receive a fee of about $2,500, about $1,500 of which is to be paid by the shipowner. He said the five hour negotiation session revolved largely around the method of paying him. Breit, who had threatened to file a lawsuit in U.S.
District Court on behalf of 15 members of the 18-man crew, Said the owner's bad informed him that the money was on its way to the United States. Three crewmembers are ship's officers and were not involved in the pay dispute, Brett said. Walter Martin Norfolk lawyer representing Sifnos Marine Co. Ltd. of Piraeus, Greece, confirmed that the company has agreed to pay "whatever wages the men are due." The crew sought about six months' back pay.
The 17-year-old bulk-cargo ship, loaded with pig iron, arrived Jan. 1 at Elizabeth River Terminals from South Africa and began discharging its cargo. On Tuesday, however, the crew, made up mostly of Indians and Pakistanis, went on strike and prohibited 0 dockworkers from continuing to unload the vessel. In addition to complaining about not being paid, the crew also alleged that there were large cracks in the vessel's main deck and that fuel oil was leaking into the ship's ballast tank. After its inspection of the cargo ship, the Coast Guard said there were places where the main deck was rusted through.
A rustedthrough main deck "affects the strength of the vessel and it's ability to keep water out- of the vessel," Chubb said. As for the allegation that fuel dil was leaking into the ballast tank, Chubb said inspectors were "unable to confirm that because access to those tanks is still covered by cargo." said there also appeared to be some leakage between the cargo holds. Coast Guard inspectors were "not satisfied with the vessel's seaworthiness and are working with the vessel's master (captain) to improve it to our satisfaction," Chubb said. "We're working with them in the context of having them propose to us a means to either convince us that the vessel is sear orthy as it stands now or to make some corrections or Improve: ments or to take some temporary means to ensure the safety of the vessel if it puts to sea," Chubb said. He said he would unsure what the Coast Guard would do if the vessel -attempted to set sail without making the necessary repairs..
