OCR Text |
Show Sunday, December Utah Teacher Dissent Could Be Costly SALT LAKE CITY (UPI) -E- veryone agrees that new money must be pumped into Utah's public schools, but if teachers do not curb their demands, public support for education reform could crumble like a cookie. Educators, state administrators and legislators have joined in a somewhat uneasy alliance to win public support for a $150 million package to improve edcuation in Utah. That funding would include about $106 million for public education and about $44 million for higher education. The program was devised recently by the governor-appointe- d Steering Committee on Education Reform. But the Utah Education - U.S. DisRENO, Nev. (UPI) trict Judge Harry Claiborne, a flamboyant former defense attorney and frequent foe of the Justice Department, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of taking $85,000 in bribes from a brothel owner. Claiborne, 66, appointed to the federal bench by former President Carter in 1978, was hearing a drug case in Las Vegas when he heard of the seven-couindictment returned last week in Reno. He told the jury it would be "inappropriate for me to continue presiding" and declared a mistrial. "I'm no stranger to adversity," he told reporters. "I know what the realities of life are I'm going to face this the same way I faced everything else in my life, and nt Page 23 Carol Fitzgerald said. His arraignment is scheduled Dec. 13. Conforte was a former client of Claiborne when the judge was a prominent defense attorney. Claiborne fought the government on several occasions on behalf of defendants accused on federal charges. Claiborne, a former Las Vegas police detective, later clashed bitterly with the Justice Department, calling agents of the strike force that handles special investigations "rotten bastards" and "crooks and liars." He said they intimidated people with illegal arrrests and illegal wiretaps. At least one frequent courtroom $55,-00- to de on a charge of scheming court clerk tive immediately, I will be proven fraud Conforte by saying he could reverse his tax conviction at the Claiborne is only the second appellate level in exchange for 0 sitting federal judge to be charged $100,000. The indictment said with alleged criminal acts perof that amount was paid, with formed in office. The chief witthe other $45,000 to come later. ness against him was brothel Another count charged Claiowner Joe Conforte, who returned borne obstructed justice by trying from two years of hiding in Brazil to get attorney Stanley Brown to to testify, reportedly through a lie in testimony before an Oregon deal with the government. grand jury investigating an allegaThe judge was indicted on seven tion that Confronte paid Claiborne counts, including one that alleges to influence a judge hearing a tax he solicited a $30,000 bribe from case involving Conforte. Conforte in 1979 to quash two The other counts in the indictgrand jury subpoenas in an FBI ment charged Claiborne with lying investigation of alleged voter on his income tax returns and on a fraud in Storey County, where financial disclosure statement fedConforte's Mustang Ranch bor- eral officials must file each year. dello is located. As a result of the indictment, The jury also indicted Claiborne Claiborne took an indefinite leave n. of absence from his duties, effec foe suggested Claiborne's battles with the Justice Department may have contributed to his troubles. "He has always been a thorn in their side," former Clark County district attorney George Franklin said. t The indictment came after two days of deliberations by the Reno grand jury. Ccnforte, who fled to Brazil in 1981 to avoid prison on tax evasion charges, testified for three hours Wednesday. He returned to the United States Sunday after reportedly arranging a deal to testify in trade for fedmodification of his five-yeeral prison sentence and his $20 million debt to the Internal Revenue Service. ar Closed Sunday. 9-1- 0. Legislature's moves to limit available sources of funding for education, has indicated he will ask for possibly the largest tax increase in the state's history to solve several budget problems. He is planning a statewide tour in early January just before the 1984 session budget Legislature's to muster public support for increased taxes to improve education and solve other problems. "The legislators will do what the people want," Matheson said recently during a news conference. "If their constituents are willing to pay more for better education, they will vote for it." The conservative Legislature has voiced concern before about education reform, but it has also been protective of the taxpayer's dollar and opponents to large increases in the education budget have noted more spending does not necessarily mean more productive classrooms. Two years ago, for example, the UEA asked for a total public education budget of $485 million, the State School Board asked for $490 million and the Legislature appropriated $445.6 million, substantially less than the requests. Last year was even worse. The UEA asked for $549.6 million, the State Board wanted $520.7 million and the Legislature appropriated $462.4 million. That, according to School Board Budget Analyst Art Bishop was essentially a no-- , growth education budget, although the lawmakers did grab some money from the State Retirement Fund to take care of about $22 million caused by the increased number of pupils. Lake, Sen. Warren Pugh, who was one of the legislative members of the governor's task force, said the support for increased funding this year is a Group I one "The UEA's position 4-pie- Reed Group & Barton Court, Savannah, Old Virginia. Gorham Buttercup, Chantilly, ward, Strasbourg. amount than we recommended is certainly not helping," said Pugh, a member of the Legislature's Public Education Study Committee that voted 13-- 5 to support the concept of raising the $150 million for education. "There is a broader awareness of the need for education reform King Ed- 4-pie- place setting ce Barton Reed American Victorian William and Mary. Bel Chateau, and Modern Victorian. Burgundy, Classic Rose, El Greco, Eighteenth Century, Francis First, Spanish Baroque. Kirk-Stie- ff Gorham Towle Mandarin, Legato, Madeira, Spanish Provincial Chippendale, International , & Lunt La Scala, Melrose, Medici, Old English Tipt. Towle Rambler Rose. Grandee, Debussy, nial, Lafayette, French cial. Carpenter Hall. Wallace Oneida Wallace Rose Point, Grand Colonial, Old Atlantic. Damask Ml Rose, Grandeur per month for 8 place settings Use our Club Plan. Enjoy your sterling silverware as little as $41 a month. No finance away-p- ay payments are made as scheduled. All cr u-- El Lasting Spring, purchase right charge if . o CHRISTMAS Q Shop by phone: With your ZCMI Option Proven-- STORIES Charge Account. Call toll-fr- ff Golden Selene, Stieff Smithsonian Williamsburg Shell. International , Oneida Hall. w - s56 , per month for 8 place settings Club Ran Enjoy your sterling silverware purchase right as little as $56 a month. No finance charge if away-p- ay payments made as scheduled. Use our Silver Room (753). 3 O o O O 0 0 A? 24 hours Dan- ish, Dubarry. Christopher, Grand Baroque, Grand Victorian Aegean Weave. V a day in Salt lake City. Utah. outside t, Michelangelo, Botticelli Stanton o o XI o o o o o But our program Kirk-Stie- Dela-cour- Sir other active patterns available at these same low prices. O Malvern Dresden Scroll, Eloquence. Golden Tradewinds, Royal Old Colo- Angelique, Joan of Arc, Prelude, Tradewinds. among legislators this year," conPugh said. "But if the UEA tinues to push for a higher amount of money, the support that is already there is likely to erode." UEA Executive Director Bruce more completely addresses the problem." Ray Whittenburg, superintendent of the Jordan School District, agrees to an extent with the UEA. He said the steering committee addresses the problem of teacher pay, but it ignores other severe needs. "We haven't had an increase in our budget for textbooks for three years," he said. "So with inflation, that means we have had to sacrifice both quality and quantity of textbooks' - Lunt Belle Auberge, Repousse, Kirk King, Old Maryland engraved, Stieff Rose, Kirk and Selene. Craftsmaa Old Master and O li $159 Grande Renaissance, Hampton on a higher Lund disagrees, however. "I don't believe support for the program would be eroded by our request. Our program deals with what is necessary (to improve education)'. We are not rejecting out of hand the dollar amount recommended by the steering place setting ce H39 R-S- committee. - Save on famous name sterling silver flatware at the very lowest prices of the year! million more than the proposal. But other education groups have endorsed the task force. They say the UEA's resistence could fester old resentments among Utahns who tend to see the organization as the state teachers' labor movement. "It's my judgment that we have welded together a very fragile coalition of interested parties tied to education in this state and if the teacher's union is unwilling to join in, it would seriously hurt our efforts," said State School Board Chairman Oscar McConkie. "I believe when the teachers understand this is the window of opportunity for education reform they will realize the importance of coming to an agreement on the proposal," he added. Gov. Scott Matheson has endorsed the steering committee's proposal, which calls for substantial increases in teachers' salary and a merit pay system in which educators can improve their salaries by meeting specified standards, rather then just moving up the seniorty ladder. The Democratic governor, frustrated in the past by the Republican-do$80 shflky that's head-oright." Holiday shopping Monday through Saturday administration-backe- d minated THE HERALD, Provo, Utah, Nevada Grand Jury Indicts Federal Judge Association disagrees with the task force's budget recommendations. The teachers union wants $187 million for public education alone, 11. 1983 Salt Lake. Western United States, V8OO-453-527- 0. |