The Aransas Pass Progress (Aransas Pass, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 37, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 22, 1995 Page: 2 of 48
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Aransas Pass Progress
Page 2
Opinion
Wednesday, November22
1995
, Morales advocates child support changes
AUSTIN - With an eye on the
end of 1998. when the num-
ber of child support cases Is
expected to total about 1 mil-
lion. Attorney General Dan
Morales made proposals last
week to shift the responsibili-
ty of processing child support
cases to his agency.
Doing so. he said, would
reduce the burden on Texas'
courts and save the state
money, although he did not
give figures on how much
would be saved.
Some of Morales' proposals
Include authorizing the attor-
ney general's office to:
* Order paternity tests,
which are now authorized
only by courts;
* Gather Information about
missing or uncooperative par-
ents;
* Enforce child support
orders by garnlsheelng wages
and filing liens on property
without court approval.
Morales’ proposals would
require new legislation that
could be filed for considera-
tion by the Texas Legislature
In 1997.
Because about 95 percent of
Texans ordered to pay child
support do not dispute their
parenthood or the amount of
payment, courts needlessly
serve in a rubber-stamp role.
“There Is no reason why our
overburdened Judicial system
should have to handle tasks
that could easily be handled
administratively by our child
support staff." Morales told
the Austin American-
Statesman.
Since 1990. the amount of
child support the attorney
general’s office has collected
each year has Increased 185
percent to about $500 mil-
lion, while the caseload has
Increased 75 percent.
Moses Rejects AIDS Grant
Texas Education
Commissioner Dr. Mi^e
Moses returned a $1.35 mil-
lion federal grant to develop a
school program for the pre-
vention of AIDS and sexually
transmitted diseases.
But. last week. Moses said
he would be willing to recon-
sider recommending continu-
ation of the grant “provided
the Centers for Disease
Control can furnish assur-
ances in writing that Texas
school districts will not be
told how to teach sex educa-
tion or health education.
“This includes permitting
Texas school districts to uti-
lize abstinence-only pro-
grams,” Moses added.
Moses wrote a letter dated
Nov. 2 to the Centers for
Disease Control and
Prevention In Atlanta, Inform-
ing the agency that the TEA
would not accept funding
totaling $450,000 for the
remaining three years of a
JltrJfarh’a fourth
By Dick Richards, Publisher
The Battle of the Budget Is over for now. I am not sure
who bhnked, but I doubt If there are any winners in this
battle. The American people are still the losers when it
comes to dealing with (he politicians.
I guess the irony of It is that all they are trying to do
Is balance the budget In seven years. It seems like to me
that they should be able to do It In less time than that.
And balancing the budget does not pay ofT any of the
debt.
I guess the biggest problem is that we all have our lit-
tle barrels of pork and we always seem to want to gore
the other person's ox. Our projects must be more Impor-
tant than anyone else’s.
Let me Just share a little Information about the budget
deficit with you.
Did you know that for this country to pay off its debt,
every single American would have to pay $18,460? And
that’s Just the beginning!
Already the average American pays $800 a year In
taxes Just to meet the interest on the national debt. This
Is expected to grow to $900 in 1996.
In 1994. the government spent $203 billion on Interest
on the debt-more than It did on education, training,
energy, public works and basic social services combined.
The national debt grew from 35% of the Gross
Domestic Product In 1979 to 70% In 1995.
By the year 2000, the cost of the Interest on the
national debt is expected to rise to $310 billion.
The federal budget deficit is jeopardizing our standard
of living, economists say. by reducing the availability of
private investments and driving down productivity. If
productivity had Improved as rapidly in the past two
decades as in the previous three, the median annual
family Income might have been more than $50,500
Instead of the $35,000 it is today.
By 2003, mandatory spending will be 70% of all fed-
eral outlays, more than double the percentage of Just 25
years ago.
The Congressional Budget Office projects that
72 cents out of every dollar the federal government
spends in 2003 will be on automatic pilot and only 28
cents will be available for programs such as education,
R&D. crime fighting, public works, NASA, defense and all
cost of operating the government itself.
RPR
Tomorrow la Thanksgiving--a day that we set aside to
give THANKS for all the blessings we enjoy.
After reading all of the above you may not think we
have very many blessings, but In spite of all the prob-
lems In this country it Is still the best place In the world
to live, to raise a family and enjoy the freedoms and lib-
erties we have code to take for granted.
You must remember that Thanksgiving Is only an
American holiday. The rest of the world will keep right on
turning while we take time to atop and give thanks for all
the great things we enjoy In this country today.
Most Americans are pretty apathetic. We all have a
tendency to take for granted these freedoms that we
enjoy, like voting, going to the church of our choice, dri-
ving from state to state undisturbed, enjoying a free
press and being able to determine our own destiny.
Yes. this is the greatest country on earth, with the best
System of government, and the best people m the world.
We should aR be proud to be Americans and we should
give THANKS that we do live here.
Hit
L
State & Capital
HIGHLIGHTS
By LysBsN William i El Stofttai
TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
10-year initiative.
Debbie Graves, a Texas
Education Agency spokes-
woman. said Moses canceled
the grant for "policy and per-
sonnel” reasons.
Graves pointed out that the
state's new education, code
passed by the Legislature In
the spring requires that the
^school curriculum must
stress that abstinence is the
only method that is 100 per-
cent effective in preventing
pregnancy and sexually
transmitted diseases. But the
federal grant stresses the use
of an abstinence-based rather
J.V. football team feels
they were wronged
Dear Editor:
This letter concerns the can-
celling of the Aransas Pass
Junior Varsity’s final football
game.
We, as a team, looked for-
ward to playing Ingleside, our
long time rival. After losing
four players to Varsity and
several to grades, 13 of us
carried on through the sea-
son.
All of the players that were
lost to grades tried especially
hard to make passing grades
so that they could play
against Ingleside.
Though we were outslzed,
outweighed, less experienced
and gave up two to three
years in age, we still fought
hard because we love the
game. Even though our
record was 3-6-0, we still
don’t want to give up.
Prom the principal to the
athletic director to the coach-
es, none of our “leaders”
wanted this game to take
place. Why, you ask? When
questioned, the coaches gave
us the excuse that we didn’t
have enough players. We had
15 players eligible, which is
two more than we played half
the season with.
We understand playing foot-
ball Is a prlvlleger but how
would you feel if your privi-
leges were toyed with like
this? All we wanted was to
carry on the PANTHER TRA-
DITION as our fathers before
Anyone who feels the same
way we do should contact the
superintendent and all of the
school board members. We
feel we were wronged.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SUPPORT.
Sincerely,
Bruce Cavail in
Aransas Pass
ala
:v
the region
.
u}
By JULIET K. WENGER
Coastal Bend Council of
Governments
Ombudsmen and Blue Angel
volunteers were honored at a
recent dinner meeting In
Robstown for their services
as advocates and friendly vis-
itors to residents of 32 nurs-
ing homes In the Coastal
Bend. Nursing homes are
operated in all counties of the
region other than McMullen
and Kenedy.
Special recognition was
given to ombudsmen who
have some of the larger, most
active volunteer corps In the
region. Lilly Delgado is the
ombudsman who has the
largest number of volunteers.
24 Blue Angels serving at the
Retama Manor in Robstown.
She and ombudsman Edna
McDonald hosted the dinner.
Ann Mlllsap, ombudsman In
Taft, has 21 Blue Angels
improving the quality of life at
Shoreline Health Care. Lucy
Alderman of Beevllle was rec-
ognized for having recruited
13 new Blue Angels and two
ombudsmen.
Ombudsmen are certified by
the state and have responsi-
bilities as advocates in nurs-
ing homes to make sure all
requirements of law are being
met. In changes now coming
about, deregulation may
mean that there will be no
requirements for nursing
homes to meet In patient
care. The ombudsmen now
investigate any complaints or
concerns expressed by resi-
dents of nusing homes or
their families. They help fam-
ilies understand what nurs-
ing homes are and are not
required to do.
In the past, ombudsmen
have had to go to Austin to be
certified. The state has now
delegated this responsibility
to the COG’s coordinator of
the ombudsman program
who carries out examinations
within the region.
Ombudsmen In turn train
the Blue Angels. They visit on
a regular basis residents of
the home who do not have
family or close friends in the
area to bring some of the
environment of the outside
world in to them. These are
one-on-one visits that give
the resident reassurance that
someone cares for each as a
person.
The volunteers give excep-
tional services as some peo-
ple find It difficult and
depressing to go Into a nurs-
ing home where many resi-
dents are no longer respon-
sive to anything said or done.
Volunteers experience self
satisfaction from enlivening
lives of those patients to
whom the visits are extreme-
ly important in giving them
something to anticipate. The
volunteers at times partici-
pate In special occasions and
activities that give added
vitality to the surroundings.
than an abstinence-only
approach, she explained.
The classes have not been
scheduled since last
December when Moses' pre-
decessor. Dr. Lionel “Skip”
Meno. suspended them
because of a disagreement
over how much Influence the
state should exert over local
sex education classes. The
Dallas Morning News report-
ed.
Agency Audit Figure Lower
A state audit of the Texas
Commission on Alcohol and
Drug Abuse has identified
815.2 million in questioned
costs, $8 million less than
estimated.
The commission, which
oversaw Texas drug treat-
ment and prevention pro-
grams, was placed under'
conservatorship in April by
Gov. George W. Bush, after
allegations were raised that
millions of dollars were mis-
spent because of lax rules,
poor supervision and dishon-
esty.
State officials have negotiat-
ed and settled claims with 20
of 35 treatment service
providers on the audit list.
Other Highlights
• U.S. Rep. Frank Tejeda.
D-San Antonio, has con-
firmed that the tumor
removed from his brain on
Oct. 3 was cancerous. Tejeda,
50. told the San Antonio
Express-News that his physi-
cians have told him he has
“years or decades to live.”
* Texas Utilities Electric Co.
has filed a request with the
Public Utility Commission to
refund customers $4 million
because of lower than expect-
ed fuel costs from June
through September. If the
PUC approves, the refund
• The newest Justice on the
Texas Supreme Court is
James Baker, who served
nine years on the 5th District
Court of Appeals in Dallas.
CAPITOL
COMMENT
U.S. SENATOR
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
Veterans' Benefits and the
Budget Standoff
omeiimes the fights you think will be the hardest turn out to bfe easy,
and the ones you think will be a breeze end up being a real struggle. Last
week, a simple decision that in my books should have been a foregone
conclusion turned out to be a nightmare for our nation’s veterans.
It never occurred to me that President Clinton’s administration would not
deem veterans’ pensions essential. Hundreds of thousands of veterans, as
well as their widows and children, are being told they will not receive their
veterans’ benefits checks on time because of the government shutdown that
is under way as this is being written.
Veterans’ benefits have the same entitlement status as other earned
benefits upon which people depend to live. Our law is clear that these benefits
are an entitlement. The president has every right to designate veterans’
benefits as essential; other administrations have done so under similar
circumstances. But President Clinton has chosen not to deem them essential.
Our veterans were there when we needed them. Now many live on and
depend upon these pensions, including many who are disabled.
On November 15, Senator Alan Simpson and I introduced a bill to make
it absolutely sure that funds are available for this purpose. It will appropriate
such sums as are required to pay veterans’ benefits (pensions, liability, death)
during the time we don’t have an appropriation or continuing budget
resolution to which the legislative and executive branches can both agree.
The Veterans Administration has insisted it must have an appropriation to
continue these payments. I don’t think that is the case. These benefits are a
permanent, authorized, mandatory program. Ed Derwinski, former head of
the Veterans Administration under the Bush administration, concurs in that
assessment.
And, indeed, the original legislation authorizing expenditures on veter-
ans’ benefits makes no mention of appropriations — it says simply that the
payments shall be made.
But given that the administration is insisting on an appropriation, my bill
would provide one, ensuring there is no excuse for not paying our veterans
what they have coming.
Once this bill is enacted, there will no longer be even the flimsiest excuse
for delaying the payment of veterans’ benefits.
We are going to try to make sure that no one can play games with the
veterans of this country. My message to veterans is this: America’s commit-
ment to you will be kept.
THE ARANSAS PASS PROGRESS
U.S.P.S. 028-900
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Publishers J G. Richards and R P Richards
General Manager: R P (Dick) Richards; Associate Editor: John Lovvman. Features Edilor
Jullet K Wenger. Llleslyle Editor Sad) Richards; Stall Writer Man McAdant
Advertising Manager Erin Richards; Advertising: Palsy Dickon. Undy MoCuv
Member Texas Press Association. South Texas Press Association. Naitonal VwsMpor
Association
Any erroneous statement regarding corporations, firms or itMlMdu.ils will gutty Ik- cor-
rected when callod to the publisher s attention
The Aransas Pass Progress (DSPS) 028-900 Is published weekly by Ric hards
Enterprises. Inc. 346 South Houston Street. Aransas Pass. Texas 78336. Sec ond
Class Postage paid at Aransas Pass. Texas. Postmaster Send address changes to
The Aransas Pass Progress. P.0. Box 2100 Aransas Pews. Texas 78335.
O Letters to the editor are welcomed Writers, include your name, address and
tetophonr number. AN tetters must be signed. Although llte name til the writer may
be withheld on request. Comments should be brief, to Ihe point, and typed H pos-
sible. Letters may be edited tor legal reasons, c larity and length Only nrigmals
wW be Accepted tor pubNruttnn. Address your comments to: Ihe Aransas Pass
Progness. P.0. Box 2100. Aransas Pass, lexas 78335. telephone 512 758 53*11
(TAX) 758-5393.
would be made as a credit on
January bills.
• Comptroller John Sharp
says a new program to help
Texas families pay future
tuition will open for enroll-
ment Jan. 2. The Texas
Tomorrow fund will allow
parents to pay now for college
tuition later. To sign up for a
state mailing list, call (800)
252-5555.
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Cole, Mary. The Aransas Pass Progress (Aransas Pass, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 37, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 22, 1995, newspaper, November 22, 1995; Aransas Pass, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1171997/m1/2/: accessed July 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Ed & Hazel Richmond Public Library.