SECTION 2-PAGE «- PLAINDEALER - WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 3,1980 f 1 -- 1 P L A I N D E A L E R -- • 1 Editorial Opinion Poll Accuracy Pollsters like to tell readers (and viewers) that their margin of error is about 3 percent. That's the line used by Gallup, Roper, CBS-New York Times, Harris, Associated Press-NBC, etc. In the election earlier this month, most of them missed by about 10 percent. Only the Lou Harris poll came closer and only at the very end. Other polls announced the day before the election, or the morning of the election, that the result was "too close to call". The now-discredited Washington Post poll predicted a Carter victory! So much for the accuracy of the polls. One reason they cannot be accurate to within 3 percent, as claimed, is that they contact too few voters. Even the Lou Harris poll, which came closest, contacted only 640 people in its last sampling. Obviously, this isn't enough. The Computer Age One gets the distinct feeling as time marches on that the computer age is not all good. For one thing, computers aren't human. They are cold blooded. For another, they don't apologize for mistakes; and their mistakes, if always blindly accepted, can be quite serious, even fatal. The industry argues that computers don't make as many mistakes as humans, a point which is probably true. But the mistakes computers make are often much harder to correct. And in some instances, the correction is an involved process. Someone has to program a computer to achieve corrections. And it should also be remembered that a clever operator, by choosing the parameters, can make a computer prove almost anything. How many people have experienced computer errors in their bank accounts, stock brokerage accounts and department store accounts? How many have been at least partially rebuffed by the familiar story that "the computer arrived at that figure and doesn't make mistakes." Computers do make mistakes and operators using them make mistakes. And just because the figure or sum or amount comes out of the computer, it isn't necessarily correct. This increasing dependence on computers for more and more is, in fact, a bit intimidating. The indivudal today sometimes feel as if he were at the mercy of a mass of electronics and those hired to man the machines, which electrical surges can sometimes upset, and which periodically develop technological problems. PETER M.JUSTEN & SON FUNERAL HOME PLAINDEALER"* Letter to the Editor Public Pulse (The Pleindeoler invltet the public to m ttiii column at an eiprettton of fhoir viewt on ftubfoctt of fenerel int#r#tt in our community Our only rt^vMl I* Hut •ho Kfilm 91*0 tifneture full oddroti and phono numbor Wo ask tea. that ana individual not write on tho tome »ub|ect mara than one a a month. We reterve the right to delete eny materiel which we consider libelous or in obfectianeMe ta*te.) Roll Call Report (Your Congressmen's Vote) Washington - Here's how area members of Congress were recorded on major roll call votes Nov. 13 through Nov. 19. HOUSE Impoundment ~ The House delined, 154 for and 232 against, to recommend that presidents once again have power to refuse to spend money appropriated by Congress. Such impoundment authority, outlawed in 1974, was advocated by Republicans wanting to enable Ronald Reagan to withhold appropriations that exceed congressional budget ceilings. The vote came during debate on a fiscal 1961 budget measure (H Con. Res. 448) that was later passed. Rep. Delbert Latta, R-Ohio, a supporter, said "one of the saddest days in the history of this Congress" was the 1974 enactment of "this anti-impoundment legislation which forces the president in the U.S. to spend taxpayers' dollars he feels should not be spent." Rep. Robert Giaimo, D-Conn., an opponent, said: "Remember the impoundment fights around here in the days of Richard Nixon? Let us not go back to that now, particularly when we have this exciting new Congress that is going to come in and solve these (spending) problems." Members voting "yea" wanted a restoration of presidential impoundment authority. Rep Robert MeClory, R-13, voted "yea". Rep. John Anderson, R-16, voted "nay". A Federal Benefit- By a vote of 313 for and 56 against, the House passed and sent to the Senate a bill (HR 5888) providing a $50,000 death benefit to survivors of federal firefighters and law enforcement officiers killed "in the line of duty". The bill broadens a federal program already in place for survivors of state and local peace officers and fire fighters. Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Mich., a supporter, said "it is a major injustice to ask someone to risk his or her life and then not make adequate provision for those who are dependent upon that person's income." Rep. John Erlenborn, R-Ill., an opponent, predicted that "in a few short years the state and local employees will be coming back to Congress" asking for additional survivors' benefits equal to those in this bill. "So the equity argument will again be made and will start the game of leapfrog, each one trying to get back ahead of or equal to the other." Members voting "yea" favored the death-benefit bill. Anderson voted "yea". MeClory voted "nay". Juvenile Offenders - The House adopted, 239 for and 123 against, an amendment giving judges authority to lock up certain juvenile "status offenders" who have been found in contempt-of-court for violating a court order. Status offenders are incorrigible youth who have committed non-criminal acts such as chronically missing school or running away from home. Under present federal law, a juvenile judge can order a status offender to a halfway house but has no recourse if the youth disobeys the order. The law applies in the 43 states which accept federal juvenile justice grants and thus agree to abide by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The amendment was offered during debate on HR 6704, later passed and sent to the Senate. Rep. Thomas Coleman, R-Mo., a supporter, said that if the amendment* is not enacted there will be "hundreds of thousands of youths who...can simply thumb their noses at the judge and know that nothing - absolutely nothing ~ will happen to them." Rep. Tom Railsback, R-Ill., an opponent, said it was wrong to incarcerate non-criminal youth with criminal offenders For Your Information Dear friends, To be selected at a pallbearer it o distinct honor. !i denotes both a dot* relationship with tho docootod and alto a tonto of esteem by tho boroavod family. Thoto who aro choton to be pallboarort should bo promplty notified to that they may make personal arrangements to per form thit final oct of retpect for their depar ted friend. Retpectfully, OVERTAXED "Editor: "In response to 'Con cerned Parent' S. Beam on the defeated school referendum. "Perhaps you don't have more senior citizens than concerned parents - just overtaxed ones. "I am not a senior citizen. I am a concerned parent of a student and also concerned about the quality of his education. "I would have preferred that he learned better to read and do math when he was younger. One doesn't need art and music and sports for that. "If our schools are in real trouble, perhaps our teachers could do without raises that raise and raise our tax bills. "That's what it is really all about. Just how much real estate taxes can we take before we have to give up our homes? "That's why I am con cerned! I am concerned that my family keep their home around them; and a few more tax raises will render this impossible "Education is important to everyone - but so is sup porting our homes. "Schools can just look elsewhere for money as far as I am concerned because I will continue to vote down referendums and any other tax raises. "Sincerely, "Fed up with taxes, "D. Hodgson "McHenry" CITY FINANCING "Dear Sir: "I understand thai the developers of the proposed shopping center have requested that the city help financing of the project by issuing tax-exempt bonds which gives the developers loans at a substantially lower rate than would otherwise be attainable in the free marketplace. "I feel that this type of financing is a subsidy to just a few individuals and to just a small segment of the total retail industry which, in effect, gives them an ad vantage over the rest of the retail businesses of the community. All the rest of the retailers had to finance our own businesses in accordance with the costs of the marketplace and without any artificial Subsidies or help from thte public. "We are in agreement that subsidies in the form of tax- exempt financing by municipalities is highly desirable for industrial plants. This type of new economic activity creates wealth and brings new jobs into the community. On the other hand, for the most part, just adding a few more retail stores does not create any new job opportunities. We are not producing anything new in retail stores. It's just an additional marketing facility which tends to cut the pie into more and smaller pieces. One big store may create some more jobs but most of the time this is at the expense of a smaller competitor in either the same community or a smaller adjoining com munity that perhaps drops out of business and losses some employees in the process. "I would like to call these matters to public attention first as a resident and second as a participant in the local businesscommunity.We wel come competition and new retail facilities to tend to make our local markets stronger (even though it may be at the expense of small outlying markets) and this in turn helps us promote our business. We feel, however, that the com petition should pay its own way in the same way that all other local retail businesses have been paying their own way for so many years. "I certainly hope that if the city passes this type of tax-exempt bonds for one individual, that they also pass the same financing for any other person wanting to open up a local retail establishment regardless of the size or name of the retail establishment. "Regards, "Vincent A. Giacomin "Store manager "Spurgeon's" THE SCHOOL ISSUE "Dear Editor: "I have taught in Uie McHenry grade school (District 15) for 18 years now, and I have seen our school system go from an average one to a very good one. In my opinion, during the past few years, our schools have been as good or better than any in our county. With the cuts in the school budget, however, I have begun to see a reversal. This year I would have to say that our school system is not as good as it was last year. "Now with the defeat of because "these secure facilities frequently become schools of crime..." _ Members voting "yea" favored the incarceration of certain non-criminal juvenile offenders. MeClory voted "yea". Anderson did not vote. SENATE The Budget - The Senate approved, 48 for and 46 against, the fiscal 1981 federal budget blueprint limiting outlays to $633 billion and anticipating a deficit of $34.7 billion. The resolution (HCon. Res. 448) later received final congressional approval. In its final form, it limits spending to $632.4 billion and assumes a $27.4 billion deficit. The measure is not law but wUl discipline the Congress in its spending decisions. Sen. Howard Baker, R-Tenn., said he was unenthusiastic about approving the congressional budget blueprint during the lameduck session, but would vote for it by way of "preserving the integrity" of the congressional budget process. Sen. S. I. Hayakawa, R-Calif., said that to cut federal spending the Senate should "reject this budget and mandate a new budget for FY 1981, as the Ameican people recently did." Members voting "yea" tavored adoption of the congressional budget blueprint. . Sen. Adlai Stevenson, D, voted "yea". Sen. Charles Percy, R, voted "nay". ARE YOU NEW IN McHenry Area? sssessssssss Do You Know Someone New? WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A ROYAL WELCOME TO EVERY NEWCOMER TO OUR AREA!!!!! CALL LORRAINE MONAHAN 385 5475 JUNE VOIGHT 385-2850 *0 ob, '0* urn wncw the school board referen dum, I can see that the quality of education for our young children will continue to go downhill. This hurts me more than most of you because not only have I worked hard to help educate the McHenry children, I have also paid taxes so that these children could have a quality education, and now my own children are starting in our schools. It is painful for me to see them coming into a system that is no longer up to a high standard. "What is the answer? "Must I move to another community to insure my children of a good education? what of the many good teachers we have? Will they also consider leaving McHenry? How bad will our schools have to get before the community wakes up and sees what is happening to education in our town? I wonder also if people realize that our property values will also go down as the quality of our education goes down. People with young children would be wise not to move into our town if this trend continues. "Finally, I am making a special appeal to the people of voting age who attended the public schools here in McHenry to get out the 'yes ' vote when the educational referendum comes up again in February. The people of the community supported your education and I hope you are far-sighted enough to support education for our young people at this time. What better resource does McHenry have than its children? "A Concerned Parent and Teacher "Dick Anderson "5920 W. Elm Street "McHenry" WHAT'S NEW Small Business Survey Tax Relief No. I Need A side from achieving further coat improvements in workers' compensation and tmemployment in surance, the enactment of tax relief measures to stimulate growth is the number one need of Illinois' small business today, ac cording to the results of a survey announced by the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce. The survev. conducted bv the ISCC Small Business council in cooperation with about 90 local chambers of commerce, involved more than 2-,400 small business persons throughout the state. The findings were presented to the Illinois Legislative Small Business conference scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 18-19, in the Springfield Hilton. The conference, authorized by the Illinois General Assembly, ex amined small business problems and propose solutions. It is expected to determine the posture of state government toward small business for years to come, according to Roy Van Buskirk, chairman of ISCC's Small Business council. Following are Illinois small business' major legislative needs as ranked in order of greatest concern by the survey respondents: 1--Achieve further cost- effective improvements in workers' compensation and unemployment insurance. 2--Provide tax credits, deductions or other tax relief measures to stimulate small business growth. 3--Consolidate, simplify, reduce or eliminate where psosible state-required paperwork. 4--Abolish inheritance taxes on small business which remain in family ownership. 5--Require a con sideration of the economic impact of existing and proposed governmental regulations on small business. 6--Provide a statutory or constitutional limit to state spending. 7--Provide economic incentives to stimulate small business growth. 8--Reduce the cost impact of the personal property replacement tax. 9--Simplify sales tax rates, collection and reporting procedures. 10--Establish small business representation on state boards and com missions affecting business. 11--Assist capital for mation by offering state guarantees on loans. 12--Fund and administer small business management training and assistance programs. 13--Expand the powers and duties of the state's small business office. 1 4 -- E x p a n d s m a l l business opportunities in international trade. 1 5 -- C r e a t e s p e c i a l programs and incentives to stimulate minority and women-owned businesses. Propose Rules Change In Food Service Program DOUBLE-ACTION In basic form this tool contracts internal snap rings. Disengage an arm from one handle and swing it to the other handle and lock han dles together to expand an external snap ring. Available at auto parts stores or Lisle Corp. Clarinda, Iowa 51632. Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Carol Tucker Foreman has announced proposed rules that would reduce waste in the summer food service program and give states more flexibility in monitoring food sites. Under the proposed rules, states would be required to set a limit on the number of meals served at sites where the food is prepared by food s e r v i c e m a n a g e m e n t companies. States would set the limits according to previous records of at tendance and other in formation. This should reduce the number of excess meals claimed for reim bursement under the program, Ms. Foreman said. The new rules also give states more flexibility on when to make pre-approval visits and program reviews. This should allow states to better target their monitoring resources and to place more emphasis on corrective actions to remedy deficiencies and follow up reviews. The rules also propose to KNOW YOUR AREA ROYAL WELCOME DOES IT BEST McHENRY, ILLINOIS - 383-0063 SERVICE LINE McHENRY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 385-4300 FANILY SERVICE t MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC 3409 W. Waukegan Road McHenry 385-6400 PARENTAL STRESS LINE OF McHenry Meeting Place: McHenry County 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Call 815-344-3944 Parents Anonymous meetings on Wednesday. STATE CHAMBER GOVERNMENT _____ REGULATIONS HOTLINE 217-522-5514 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 202-755-8660 Hours 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. week days (Ever had a problem involving the federal government and not known where to call? And then been given the runaround or referrals by persons who meant well but didn't know how to help? Ten specialists available at this center.) NATIONAL RUN-AWAY SWITCHBOARD Illinois Phone: 800-972-6004 (For confidential conversations on problems dealing with run away children.) MOVING HOTLINE Phone 800-424 9213 (Complaints about interstate moving by companies, buses or trains. Sponsored by Interstate Commerce commission) CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION Phone 800-638-2666 (For Questions or Complaints on products ranging from toys to ovens) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION Phone 800-424-9393 (Answers questions about automobile safety defects or whether a particular model has ever been recalled. Valuable lor those interested in buying a used car.) ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES Child Abuse Center McHenry County (312)546-2150 CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION 800 638-2666 (Operates five national lines. Answers inquires about or repor ting on the safety of products from kitchen appliances to children's toys.) NATIONAL SOLAR HEATING AND COOLING INFORMATION CENTER 800-523-2929 P.O.Box 1607 Rockville. Md. 20850 (Dispenses information on solar systems for heating and cooling to anyone from architects to home owners looking for a sun- powered hot-water system) CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION 312 793-3580 Chicago III. BIRTHRIGHT Pregnant? Need Help? Counseling Service. 385-2999. 24 hour Answering Service. YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU FOR McHENRY COUNTY 4719 W. Elm St., McHenry Phone 344-3240 24 hour Crisis Intervention and Confidential Counseling for youth and families Are you concerned about your angry feelings toward your children9 24 hour Parental Stress Line 344-3944 ILLINOIS STATE CHAMBER HOTLINE Phone 217-522-5514 Answer to questions on government regulations MENTAL HEALTH 1 -800-892-8900 Crisis Center Line for McHenry Co. 24-Hour Emergency number and professional staff will answer your call. Sponsoring agency McHenry County Comprehensive Mental Health Service System. require annual audits for sponsors receiving more than $75,000 a year in program payments. Under current rules; sponsors receiving $50,000 or more must be annually audited. According to Ms. Foreman, raising this level to $75,000 will eliminate unnecessary audits of sponsors who have experienced minimal growth over the past few years. Many of these sponsors have had their programs audited because inflation raised their reimbursement to $50,000 or more. TTie summer food service program for children provides meals to needy children during the months that school is out. Non-profit organizations sponsor the program and are reim bursed by state agencies with federal funds. Last year 2.1 million children received meals through the program. Comments on the proposed regulations should be sub mitted to Jordan Benderly, director, child care and summer programs division, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., 20250, no later than Dec. 7. A LABGE IWREM/I J Identified More than 260 species of birds have been identified at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island off the Virginia and Maryland mainland. fessi°n EARL R. WALSH & JACK WALSH INS. Plre Auto Perm lit* Repretenllnf RELIAOLE COMPANIES 4410 W Rte 120 McH.nr, MS 1M0 DENNIS CONWAY AUTO LIPE Mil State Fan Im Co. SHOW llm S*r"et McHw>| III MS 7111 JAMES M. MclNTEE. LAWYER AVAILABLE TO PRACTICE IN: Peraonel ln|ury /Trlolt Outlnett Corporation* Wlllt/Probate Olvorce-RealEttate Workman's Compensation MM W. Elm Stroat McHenry. Illinois Pec appointment phono: MS 2440 DR. lEONMD BOTTMI 1303 Richmond Rd.-McHonry Eyat examined-Contact L«im Glattot fitted Mon., Tuet.. Ttiurs. PH. 4-4pm Tues., Thurt.. Prl. 7-9 pm Sot. f:M-3 pm Phone 3U-41S1 or 305-2M2 McHENRY COUNTY OFFICE MACHINES SAIES SERVICE « RENTALS Man ia) «SM Friday tU 9:00 tl Grant St Crystal lako Phone 4S* 1114 If Pays To Advertise In The Plajndeilef. Farm Equipment Ororg'o P. Freund. I em* Case - New Holland 4102 W. Crystal lake Rd . McHenry Bus. 3)5-0420 Res. 385-0227 IREL1I RADIAL TIRES FOR ALL CARS Europa Motors, Inc 2318 Rte 120 815 385 0700 OMMl It I m • W Jt our quic quick action copy center FINEST QUALITY COPIES MADE ON XEROX EQUIPMENT See us, also, lor every kind of Printing Need I MCHENRY PRINTING 3909 W. MAIN 345-7400 HORSE ft CATTIE TRAILERS -- s DUMP FLATBEOS CAR HAULERS \ • TRAILER HITCHES » (EXPERT INSTAUATION) V RUNNING BOARDS BRADEN WINCHES 1 s ADAMS ENTERPRISES < 3017 W Rte 120 McHenry II SIS 3BS SV70