The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 5

A5 News of our communities, our region and state The Pantagraph Friday, September 27, 1996 OCAL School may be back in session on funding issue Tax talks could resume in spring rn By KURT ERICKSON Springfield bureau chief SPRINGFIELD Two of the Illinois Republican Party's most respected voices on education say a school funding fix is in the offing this spring really. In an address to hundreds of local -V III 4: Kt school superintendents in Springfield Thursday, state Sen. John Maitland, R-Bloom-ington, admitted he has predicted a funding fix before, but emphasized that the 1997 legislative session will prove to be different In fact, the situation is so dif The PantagraphLORI ANN CCX)K Joyce Schmucker of Normal walked her dogs, Rainbow and Princess, across Adelaide Street in Normal on Thursday morning during the fall season's first dreary rainy day. Eclipse called on account of rain John Maitland Thursday's precipitation was most since July 21 By Pantagraph staff ers. The next total lunar eclipse will be in January 2000.

As of late Thursday night, 1.01 inches of rain were recorded at The Pantagraph weather station in downtown Bloomington. That's more than any day since July 21, when 2 inches of rain were recorded here. And it brought year-to-date rainfall to just less than 20 inches, which is still about 7 inches below normal for this time of year. While the rain was welcome especially since September rainfall has been far below nor mal it forced cancellation of the public viewing session set up for the eclipse, which began at 9:19 p.m. and ended at 11:36 p.m.

The only damage done by the storm was a lightning strike that sparked a fire and damaged a rental house at 200 N. Linden St. in Normal. Firefighters arrived after the 6:46 a.m. call to find wooden siding on the rear of the home on fire.

The blaze was quickly extinguished, and damage was limited to the home's exterior. No injuries were reported. The good news is that the most rain in more than two months was recorded Thursday in the Twin Cities. The bad news is that with it came a dark, cloudy sky that blew any chance for a glimpse of Thursday night's total lunar eclipse. This rainout brings a long wait for sky watch tion will occur after roughly two decades of failed predictions, neither Maitland nor Cowlishaw believes the issue will be easily tackled.

At the heart of the matter is whether lawmakers will try to guarantee that an increase in the income tax will be offset by a decrease in local property taxes. Already, many lawmakers believe the tax burden on Illinoisans is too big. Some, including Republican state Reps. Bill Brady of Blooming-ton and Dan Rutherford of rural Chenoa, have agreed to entertain proposals favoring a shift away from property taxes, but caution that raising the income tax to offset any losses in dollars for schools must be a dol-lar-for-dollar trade. Proponents of the plan floated this spring, however, have not been able to guarantee that the plan will be a tax swap.

Cowlishaw admitted it would be a hard sell, telling the group that she doesn't know how it will all turn out in the end. Risky political timing The comments by Maitland and Cowlishaw come at a politically risky time, with Election Day about six weeks away and Republicans scrambling to keep their 64-54 majority in the House intact. Earlier this week, House Speaker Lee Daniels, R-Elmhurst, said he opposes any tax increases, but he backed off from making that an absolute pledge. While that may have made some GOP lawmakers running on a no-tax plank cringe, Cowlishaw said Daniels' failure to make a no-tax guarantee was a good one especially in light of the school funding debate. "To put yourself in a box like that probably isn't a good idea," she said.

The superintendents also heard one high-ranking Democrat agree that school funding reform is ready to be tackled. "Everything that can be said about these issues has been said," State Sen. Vince Demuzio told the group. Maitland, Cowlishaw and Demuzio, a Carlinville Democrat, urged the superintendents to begin making plans to push for legislation in the spring. "You have to start building consensus now," urged Demuzio.

Maitland said superintendents can link up with a program under way by the Illinois Farm Bureau, which is organizing groups in every Illinois county to begin lobbying for school funding reform. "This is not a Republican-Democrat issue," Cowlishaw said. "I think the time has come." Heiple named Illinois chief justice "T'm inct QctminrlaH Tt'c eaH rlau SPRINGFIELD (AP) Justice James D. Heiple, who was vilified after writing the decision that overturned the "Baby Richard" adoption, ferent, Maitland issued no less than a guarantee in remarks at the state's 19th Annual Superintendents Conference sponsored by the Illinois State Board of Education. "It will happen next spring, make no mistake about it," Maitland said.

"I am confident of that." To explain, Maitland said the groundwork for shifting school funding away from its reliance on local property taxes was laid earlier this year when Gov. Jim Edgar backed a recommendation calling for a constitutional amendment forcing Illinois to share a larger burden of the education tab. The only thing that stopped the General Assembly from moving forward this past spring was the Nov. 5 election and the fear that supporting the plan for a constitutional amendment would be viewed as supporting a 33 percent hike in the income tax, Maitland said. Debate can resume in January With the election behind lawmakers after Nov.

5 and assuming Republicans remain in control of both the House and Senate Maitland said the debate can resume when lawmakers return in January. "We don't need another commission. We don't need any more hearings," said Maitland, an assistant majority leader. i His virtual guarantee of a major shift in the way schools are funded was bolstered by his education-minded counterpart in the Illinois House. In her remarks to the superintendents, state Rep.

Mary Lou Cowlishaw, R-Naperville, said, "It is my belief that the time to address that issue has come. I believe that time begins in mid-December of this year." Despite their confidence that ac will become the next chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Cmrt. "in a one-sen-tetice statement issued Thursday, the justices announced they had selected Heiple to succeed Chief Justice Michael Bi-landic in January. Bilandic will VI 1 his intellectual honesty," said Robert C. Strodel, a Peoria lawyer and friend of Heiple's for the past 30 years.

"He is particularly equipped academically, in experience and by training to render decisions on the appellate level." In Illinois the chief justice functions as an administrator, said Strodel. "You make sure that things are in an orderly process and things are signed and written and the business of the court proceeds expeditiously." Attorney Loren Heinemanfi represented Otakar Kirchnerin his fight to regain custody of his son, Danny, known in court documents as "Baby Richard." The Supreme Court determined that Kirchner had been improperly denied his parental rights. Heinemann called Heiple a "by-the-numbers, follow-the-law justice" whose appointment as chief justice was "a good choice." gerous" and gave viewers Heiple's home telephone number. Heiple later said that he received all kinds of calls death threats, breathers and some spewing profanity at a time his wife, Virginia, was dying of fibrosis of the lungs. In January, Heiple had a minor run-in with the law and was arrested by Pekin police after being stopped for speeding.

Police said they smelled alcohol on his breath, although a breath test showed no sign of alcohol. Police reports say Heiple drove away without permission and then refused to stop again until he reached his home. He pleaded guilty in May to speeding and disobeying police, but continued to dispute the police version of the incident Heiple, a Peoria native, was elected to the Supreme Court in 1990 after serving 10 years on the appellate court and 10 years as a circuit judge. "I have a great deal of respect for 1 111 JUOl U0WUI1UVU. for all of us who expect the court will interpret the laws to protect children." Heiple has been next in line to become chief justice, but the controversy surrounding the Baby Richard case and a recent conviction for a traffic offense raised speculation whether he might be passed by.

The court had ruled unanimously in the Baby Richard case to remove the 4-year-old from the only family he had ever known and award him to his natural father, whom he had never met As author of the decision, Heiple became the lightning rod for searing criticism. Gov. Jim Edgar and his wife, Bren-da, even entered the fray, siding with the adoptive parents. Edgar called the decision arrogant and smug. Edgar was out of the country Thursday, and his office had no comment about Heiple's appointment.

One Chicago television commentator called the justice "evil" and "dan James D. Heiple remain on the state's highest court to serve outhis 10-year term. Heiple, a Pekin resident, could not be reached for comment. "'This Supreme Court should be replaced," Lt Gov. Bob Kustra said.

Strand: Change key to growth at ISU Architect projects jail cost under $10 million Op) fl By RANDY GLEASON Pantagraph staff Illinois State University President David Strand urged the campus community Thursday to embrace the concept of change as a positive force in raising the school to new heights of excellence. "Change often is viewed with anxiety and uncertainty," Strand said to the 400 faculty and administrators attending his state of the university address. "Yet, Illinois State University has emerged from 12 months of historic transition with increased pride, a stronger sense of community and heightened optimism about the future." One of the most significant changes this year, Strand said, is to reform the existing general education program. "Currently, freshmen take a set of courses that is viewed as unrelated," he explained. "Many students are in a set of courses determined more by the availability of seats at registration than meaningful educational criteria." Faculty and staff members have been working on a program that offers freshmen a "common core" of courses focusing on written and speaking proficiency, mathematics and science, and providing all students with a foundation for higher learning.

The proposed program could come before the Academic Senate by late fall and may be adopted in the spring semester. On another front over the next three years ISU will reallocate $1.8 million to bring faculty and staff salaries in line with peer institutions. However, to do so will require that the state continue to provide money to increase salaries at the rate of inflation, while the university uses its funds to raise Middleton Associates Inc. of Normal previously had estimated a 100-bed jail and new sheriffs offices would cost the county $10.6 million and a law and justice center would cost an additional $7.7 million. The only apparent difference is that the Normal firm included office space for court services, the circuit clerk, jury commission and prosecutors in the law and justice center project County officials initially were looking at a two-phase project with construction of a law and justice center being followed by a jail.

But the focus has shifted somewhat this month because of concerns voiced by Sheriff Marv Rutledge about available jail space and the state's effort to push Woodford County into replacing its jail. Marlin spent most of Thursday in Pontiac looking at three sites considered by county officials for new facilities, reviewing financial documents and meeting with officials such as Rutledge, County Coordinator Ann Capela and Circuit Judge Charles Glennon. "You can do what you need to do on any one of the three sites," Marlin said, adding, "I think basically this county is in very, very sound financial shape." Building on the 1.4-acre downtown site would be more costly than using either of the two larger sites and require multistory construction, he said. But Marlin agreed with Rutledge that the existing jail needs to be replaced in the near future. "I've seen lots worse and I've seen some better," he said.

"From the standpoint of both prisoners and staff, I think you're looking at some pretty serious problems in the near future. Not the least of which is the potential for injury and a sizeable lawsuit" By TONY PARKER Ppntiac bureau chief PONTIAC A 100-bed jail, sheriffs offices and facilities for three courtrooms could be located on the block directly south of the court-hpuse for less than $10 million, a representative from an architectural firm told Livingston County officials Thursday. I Scott W. Marlin confirmed other assessments that the single downtown block is large enough for the county's needs, but offered a significantly lower cost estimate than another architect, as well as the possibility of a leasepurchase arrangement. If Martin's estimates are accurate, the county could use revenue from a host-county agreement with a landfill near Pontiac to pay for construction without raising taxes or receiving voter approval.

Marlin, who is national marketing director for The Group of Cleveland, Ohio, told members of the county's Special Building Committee that lease payments over 30 years on a $10 million facility would total $780,000 per year. The county now receives $480,000 annually from a host-county agreement with American Disposal, but the revenue is expected to increase to $1 million annually by 1999. Money from the agreement has already been earmarked for building and space needs. The Group, which has overseen dozens of jail and prison projects, is finishing work on a $13 million facility in Ohio that includes a 120-bed jail for adults and offices for city and county police and three courtrooms. Marlin said a similar facility large enough to meet Livingston County's needs probably could be completed for $7 million to $10 million.

The PamagraphSTEVE SMEDLEY David Strand was congratulated by his wife, Trudy, after the state Student Center. Illinois State University President of the university address at Bone salaries a little higher. Strand also unveiled an effort to adopt a university diversity plan. "Illinois State University must continuously evaluate the world in order to adjust teaching, research and service missions to serve the changing needs of constituents, while preserving basic values and commitments." Strand concluded his remarks by returning to the theme of change, emphasizing that the process doesn't need to cause disruption. "Change requires us to be willing to consider alternative approaches and be introspective as we look for ways to do things more efficiently and effectively and to better serve our students and other constituencies," he said.

"Change can be healthy, wholesome and helpful." Illinois State University has emerged from 12 months of historic transition with increased pride, a stronger sense of community and heightened optimism about the future. ISU President David Strand.