The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 14

14 THE BOSTON GLOBE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4. 1981 She hm (globe WILLIAM a TAYLOR, President and Publisher THOMAS WINSHIP, Editor JOHN P. GIUGGIO, Executive V.P, General Manager ROBERT H. PHELPS. Executive Editor RICHARD C.

OCKERBLOOM. V.P. Marketing Sales JOHN S. DRISCOLL, Managing Editor. Sunday DAVID STANGER, V.P.

Business Manager TIMOTHY LELAND, Managing Editor. Daily ROBERT L. HEALY. Associate Editor MARTIN F. NOLAN, Editor, Editorial Page Globe Newspaper Company.

135 Morrissey Boston. Mass. 02107 617-929-2000 A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of AFFILIATED PUBLICATIONS. INC. DAVIS TAYLOR, Chairman of the Board WILLIAM 0.

TAYLOR, President JOHN I. TAYLOR, Chairman of Executive Committee JOHN P. GIUGGIO. Executive V.P. Treasurer ARTHUR KINGSBURY, Controller Big-league New Hampshire? fv-Rick Middleton is playing splendidly these days, flying down the ice, baffling his opponents, scoring near-impossible goals and maintaining the tradition and glory of professional ice hockey in Boston.

Middleton's employers, the Jacobs brothers, have plans for him. They wsmt him along with the tradition and glory ofthe Boston Bruins to be a mechanical rabbit for greyhounds to chase in Salem, N.H. '-The Jacobs brothers operate their conglomerate of race tracks, jai alai frontons and sports concessions from the corner of Delaware ave nue and North street in Buffalo, N.Y. The Ja- cods uroLners are noi concerned auom uie uig- nity ot Kick Middleton and his iellow Bruins; UUUUJT Ull IU L11C KLllKClkLU UlCH-XV llOWKS. lilt Despite funding cutbacks, Mayor White to build 90,000 dining and conference facility bottom line for Delaware North right now is the pursuit of a $50 million complex on the site of the burned-out Rockingham Park race track in Salem.

The Bruins would be the draw, the me- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR crfanical rabbit tor those who would wager on tHe puppies, then the ponies. ill Dusiun, uie uiauuuu ui mayui wiiuc threatens to make Salem, N.H., one of the Great Cities of the World for chamDionshiD SDorts. For the potential loss of the Bruins there is ample political blame, since the Garden generates ttfice the revenue for the state as for the city. Tbje inattention of state and city officials to the of Boston Garden has encouraged both the Bruins and Celtics to flee the historic expensive-to-maintain structure. would miss the Bruins sorely, as would many in the metropolitan area.

We would miss the speed and hustle that the retired jerseys and the four Stanley Cup banners symbolize. fTiip Htv shniilrl sup fnr riistnHv rf thps artl- The major question New Hampshire must face before it concludes a business deal with Delaware North is whether the still-rural character of the Granite State will change, a question going beyond economics. Will New Hampshire, the state that once advertised itself as "the way America used to be" maintain its uniqueness and its rugged individualism? If New Hampshire changes for the worse, it can't say that it wasn't warned by Delaware North. The half-billion-dollar corporation states its own influence in its management report: "We affect the lives of our employees who seasonally number up to the social well-being of the communities in which we operate, and the economics of the many businesses with which we come in contact as suppliers and customers. As a member of the business sector, we reach into American society at all levels." It's already reached into the State House in Concord.

Delaware North has hired local lobbyists with ties in the political community to persuade New Hampshire that all will be well in its pari-mutuel future. The Boston Globe, along with most hockey fans south of Billerica, would like to see the Bruins stay in Boston. Mayor White's professed lack of interest in sports should not prevent him from using his political sagacity to keep the team here. Much of the future of professional sports lies in cable television. The Salem arena could be a half-empty television studio but still make money Boston via the cable.

The mayor controls the cable franchise here and might look favorably on an applicant that didn't look favorably on broadcasting hockey games from New Hampshire. This technique might look like high-sticking on the mayor's part, but Delaware North's sportsmanship record does not make it a likely candidate for the Lady Byng trophy. Accompanying the potential loss of the Bruins is the plight of the Celtics, unhappy with their lot as Delaware North's tenants. If the Celtics cannot build their own arena, they, too, might be forced northward. The mayor and Gov.

King should accept the invitation of Sens. Kennedy and Tsongas to see if federal funds might help the building of a new arena in the North Station urban renewal area. This "livable" city will be considerably less so if families must travel to another state to see professional basketball, hockey, ice shows, circuses and concerts. If New Hampshire rejects the idea of a hockey team as an adjunct to a dogtrack, it will have acted to preserve its unique landscape and leave urban enterprises to urban areas. Such a decision in Concord would create an opportunity in Boston.

A new arena may seem a luxury in an era of budgetary cutbacks, but a state bond Issue is an investment that will pay off eventually for Boston, Massachusetts and even New Hampshire. ,1 SALIH MEMECAN. Sales tax: A minus Two will leave a School Committee Proposition 2'2, there is little" to; encourage our continued seryfee." The improvements in wlijcji. we have shared over almost two' decades will, now give way elimination of people, programs' and services in a cut-back pio-cess too painful to Almost 200 administrates, teachers and other employees will be dismissed in June and; this represents only the first phase of the process. We are fearful for the futurelof public education.

Inevitably; Proposition 2xh must be reversed. Some selective and reasonable re-ductions in expenditures are' unquestionably called for but wRat we must ultimately achieve is complete reform of our tax structure. JACQUES M. DRONSfcK ANN M. ACKER Brookline The uncertainty and insecurity generated by Proposition 2Vi will not only discourage well-motivated and talented young people from entering the teaching profession but, in addition, we will lose a number of gifted teachers who will leave education to seek greater security in other fields.

The adverse impact on students of future years is obvious. The second by-product of Proposition 2li is the reluctance of people of good will to seek or to remain in public office to preside over what at best will prove to be a salvage operation. After a combined total of 27 years of service on the Brookline School Committee, during which both of us have served as chairman, we have reached the derision not to seek re-election this spring. With the constraints of facts; they were not won in New Hampshire.) There may yet be a chance for the city to keep the Bruins, but much depends on what hap-pens in New Hampshire. sports palaces are, alas, a trend, arid not necessarily a healthy one.

The Celtics play the Richfield Cavaliers, Landover Bullets and Piscataway Nets. The NFL schedule features the Irving Cowboys. Anaheim Rams, Pon- tiac Lions, East Rutherford, N.J. Giants and Foxboro Patriots. The Patriots and the Giants benefit from the proximity of racetracks, providing dual-pur- pose parking facilities.

Neither team is a centerpiece, the lure the Bruins would be. Foxboro -Raceway already existed and the Meadowlands complex was reclaimed from the swamps of Hackensack. The political, economic and aesthetic ecology of southern New Hampshire differs, happily, from that of northern New Jersey. New Hampshire is joining the big leagues, it -must consider the impact of this type of urbanization. What else will Delaware North bring to New Hampshire jai alai, blackjack, roulette, Las Vegas casinos, whatever the traffic' will bear? The sales tax will generate revenue 1 want to compliment The (low not to use foreign aid The controversy between the White House budget office and the State Department has been over the size of the foreign aid cuts proposed last week by director David Stockman, and not over Stockman's view of the uses of foreign aid.

Secretary of State Alexander Haig is in basic 'agreement with the two main Stockman concepts. They are that direct foreign aid between A recent Globe editorial titled "Taxing Massachusetts" seemed to be advocating a new type of tax program to serve as a bailout for Proposition 2Vt. It speaks of local option taxes, a broader sales tax, or possibly even an MBTA district payroll tax. All of these and many more have been advocated in recent years as various attempts to aid the cities and towns have come before the Legislature. The vote on Question 2 was decisive.

Advocating a new tax program before Proposition 2V is even off the ground might well be more than the voters could bear. To advocate the increased use of the sales tax at a time of such severe economic hardship would have the greatest impact on the people who could least afford to who urge the increased utilization of the sales tax often forget that many of the poor, elderly and those whose sole source of income js Social Security do not have to file state income tax returns and thus could not take advantage of the sales tax credit. In addition, the $4 and $8 credit for sales tax paid by low-income people is hardly reflective of the amount of sales tax paid. These credits were put in when the tax was first instituted at the rate of 3 percent. Because of the low dollar amounts and the high administrative costs, the governor thought seriously of eliminating the credit last year.

Our sales tax remains the most regressive tax in Massachusetts and making up lost revenues for Proposition 2xi by this tax has presents economic consequences for people in difficult financial conditions. The coming months will be critical for all concerned and before the Legislature is accused of meddling again a careful analysis of the full scope of Proposition 2'4 and related matters is in order. SEN. JOHN W. OLVER Franklin and Hampshire Boston District EDITORIAL POINTS Hull? Las Vegas East? As a beverage, hard cider is now obsolete, and those who had ever tasted the stuff can understand why.

Patience, we now see. is the virtue that brought the hostages home alive. When writing To be published, letters must be signed. Including address and telephone number for verification. Letters should be 150 uvrds or less: all are subject to condensation.

Address: Letters to the Editor. The Boston Globe. Boston 02107. protect the low income person is instituted, we should move our tax emphasis to consumption. While hamburger perhaps should not pay a tax.

it has- always seemed to be questionable that we have left caviar tax free. An across-the-board sales tax could answer this problem. But the next question remains: how new revehue might be distributed to replace property taxes. Most of our state distribution formulas relate' to education. However, public safety in our largest cities is a very serious and costly problem.

seems to me that all facets of municipal activity should be considered. New local taxing powers have their problems. The community that has the shopping center would gain an enormous advantage over the community next door. WILLIAM L. SALTONSTALL Boston Globe on its editorial, "Taxing Massachusetts." It outlines most succinctly many of the problems that have arisen since the passage of Proposition 2'i.

The first move must be to try to cut expenditures. Many of these are tied up in the historical habits of state and municipal finance and man agement systems. As a proponent of program budgeting. I still believe that that approach setting aside a certain amount of money to do a Job, but telling the manager to manage it in the most effective way is more efficient than trying to budget money in great detail. The manager should have some discretionary authority if he or she is to be held fully accountable.

If the state is to find new revenue, a broadened sales tax almost has to be the answer. This state has taxed production too long and has thereby inhibited its grow th. If a credit or refund to What the should try on Sunday aid because its prime minister, Robert Mugabe, fears the Soviet offers of aid are part of Moscow's expansionist aims. The Carter Administration spent $100 million in bi lateral aid to Zimbabwe. Another $75 million will have to run the HaigStockman gantlet.

US support for Kenyan economic development preceded that nation's increased support for US positions at the United Nations and the willingness to permit the US Navy to use the port at Mbasa. Stockman claimed that too much multilateral aid goes to countries that are not within the US sphere of influence or strategic interest. However, from 1948 to 1980, the countries that received the most money from the World Bank, about $33.5 billion, were Korea, the Phillipines. Brazil. Indonesia, Turkey, Colombia.

Pakistan and India all nations in which the United States has a strategic interest. The United States has an economic interest in the developing nations. US exports to the developing nations of Asia. Africa and South America amount to more than US exports to the Soviet Union and all of Eastern Europe. Large amounts of the multilateral aid to developing nations eventually comes back to the private sector in the United States because the aid increases their ability to purchase American goods and technology.

In 1980. the United States devoted only 22 percent of its gross national product to foreign aid of all kinds, trailing In 14th place behind nations like West Germany. France. Canada. Australia and Norway.

It Is a meager amount for a nation that desires to raise Its esteem in the eyes of the world. In the 1980s, foreign aid may change directions, but it need not revert to the fruitless paths of the 1950s. As the US learned in South Vietnam, Cambodia and Iran, "dollar diplomacy" does not buy gratitude or stability. the United States and demonstratedly friendly nations (bi lateral aid) should take precedence birer participation in international aid pro-. grms like the World Bank (multilateral aid).

aod that military aid to governments sympa-. th'etlc to US foreign policy concerns should take precedence over economic aid. If those concepts are put into action, US foreign aid will move firmly back into "dollar diplomacy," which has not worked in the past. A for providing military aid is likely not only to increase international tensions, but also to worsen internal strains when such aid Isigiven to repressive regimes. is plenty to criticize in the way American foreign policy has been handled.

Too much of.lt never reaches the people for whom it was Intended, either because it is passed through unscrupulous hands or because it is frittered "away by inefficient bureaucracies. Nothing in the Stockman approach would prevent that. Yet it would prevent the kind of bi lateral economic aid that the Carter Administration to the previously hostile African nations of Zambia. Tanzania and Botswana. That aid IS partly credited with those countries to go along with a British-imposed solu-' tion to the Rhodesia-Zimbabwe civil war and probably helped prevent the kind of Soviet intervention that resulted in Cuban involvement in Angola and Mozambique.

Zimbabwe itself, though its government is nominally socialist, relies on US and European assuring themselves that this would not happen. Simply require the landlord to split the 2' i windfall 5050 with the tenant In the form of reduced rent. I would think most tenants would be fairly conscientious in policing such a requirement. A simple phDOe call to the proper housing office would solve most disputes. Some of the city-sponsored hospitals will lose some fundiOg because of 2.

It's time for theni to become more aggressive -id solicit public financing. Pepjj-e have always shown a willingness to support health facilities projects and this support cOfd certainly be utilized here. THOMAS AMLKA Cambridge On Sundays, the should experiment with passenger-supported service. Make the monthly passes invalid on Sundays and charge each passenger whatever it will cost to transport him. Even if this means $2 a trip.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd be willing to fork it over in order to get to work. Why should tax reform allow a landlord to benefit tremendously by lowering his expenditures while he maintains his cash input? This tax reform then provides a government subsidy to tenants in the form of a tax deduct ion. Why subsidize everything? It is the elderly on fixed income and the poor who will lose the most in the coming months, yet I remember supporters of 2 I.