NJN News; 10/26/1989/ Thursday

Major funding for New Jersey Network News is provided by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, First Bidelity Bank and Jersey Central Power and Light. Good evening. Governor Kane had some good and some bad economic news for New Jerseyans today. The bad news income from taxes in the first quarter is down about $25 million. But according to Kane, that's offset by an increase in the state surplus from the last fiscal year. Still, as Larry Stoopnaker reports, state agencies have been told to prepare for tight times ahead.

With most of the first quarter tax figures in, Governor Kane today set a combination of a decrease in sales taxes and increases in corporate taxes add up to a $25 million shortfall in income for the state. However, the state received $40 million extra dollars in last year's budget surplus, boosting the state's fiscal picture and giving New Jersey a $274 million cushion. It's good right now. I mean, I think a lot of people said about now we'd be, we'd see a major decline in revenue and we haven't. When Kane signed the new budget last July, there were some projections. The state would be looking at a $500 million shortfall in the next fiscal year. The Democratic Appropriations Committee member, Gerald Stockman says, if current trends continue, the next governor is looking at at least a $100 million deficit. These things add up and the expenses of state governor continuing to climb. And therefore, I think it's going to put the next governor in a very, very tight spot. Both Jim Floreo and Jim Quarter have campaigned on a promise of no new taxes. And Governor Kane said today he saw nothing in these figures to make the men change that

pledge. We can at any time put together and I can help them put together a budget which there'll be no new taxes required under any economic scenario. The question that balance all was, is what kind of sacrifices do you want to make in state services to do that? Kane says he sees neither good or bad news in the first quarter figures. But as he drafts his administration's final budget, as told his departments, not to expect too much. We have asked some of the cabinet departments to come back at no growth whatsoever. We have asked some of the cabinet departments to come back at actual decreases. Larry Stoopnagel, New Jersey Network News, the State House. With a new poll showing him ahead by 14 points, Jim Floreo promised today to make the preservation of open space an extremely high priority if he becomes governor. And Jim Quarter pledged to push for pre-Kindergarten public schooling in urban areas, the story from Michael Aaron.

As you probably have abled understand, I didn't come here today to play a round of golf. But this is a good place to make a statement. And I understand that there are some people who are teed off. The golf course behind Jim Floreo is zoned for single family homes. Floreo promised to slow down development today and said if we don't, we'll go from growth to gridlock. What I'm suggesting is we're going to have to get off of the existing system of letting every town do whatever it wants to do and change the status quo. So as to be able to have a balance of growth with the capability of dealing with that growth. Floreo gave tentative support to the state planning commissions ongoing effort and warned developers they'll have to kick in more. Some experts say development will never be controlled unless farmers and landowners are compensated more for keeping their land out of development. Floreo said today common sense tells him spending money like that is not the answer. Common sense tells many other people that if you don't spend money to buy up land, you're

not going to solve the problem. So that's not the common sense that the people of this state have signed on to. You're not going to be able to and nobody I think sensibly thinks we can buy up all of the undeveloped parts of the state. You mentioned the transfer of development rights, I advocate as well, the purchase of development rights by the state, by counties. You would spend money on that. Oh I would. I think it's extraordinarily important. The order says his plan to break up the DEP would also help. Think of the EPA and the Department of Interior. They have different functions and therefore I want to divide up DEP into those logical functions. Floreo says reorganizations are sometimes justified. But in this instance, that's not what the problem is over DEP. The commitment, the problem over there is the absence of efficiency in the existing system. Quarter tour to private school for three to eight year olds and drew a comparison with kids in the inner city. Obviously the children here have advantages that children in some of the other urban areas

don't have and Joe Palaya has legislation, it's experimental, it's a few million dollars. And you're going to push that? Yes I am, I certainly am. A new poll of 400 voters shows Floreo with 43%, quarter with 29%, and 23% undecided. It says the trend is in my direction, Congress, the gap between Congressman Floreo and Jim Carter is narrowing. I've been working from the assumption this is going to be a neck and neck race at the very end. I am working very hard. Michael Aaron, New Jersey Network News, Ocean Township. Through the election day, less than two weeks away, the abortion issue continues to dominate the gubernatorial race. While pro-choice advocates were rallying their efforts today, pro-lifers say they'll sidestep the election because neither candidate is satisfactory. But Linda Morton has that report. Jim Carter is a mess on the abortion issue. He has been completely almost schizophrenic on the issue.

This minute efforts to educate the public on where the candidates stand on abortion are intensifying as election day draws near. You can elect Jim Carter, who wants the government to decide who can have an abortion. Or Jim Floreo, who believes the decision should be yours, not the politicians. Abortion advocates are hoping this 32nd commercial expected to hit air tomorrow will clarify that and push pro-choices to the poll. A new star Ledger Eagleton poll found that more than half of the state's voters are unclear on where either candidate stands on the issue. This is an important issue. Although once an opponent of abortion, Democratic candidate Jim Floreo now supports a woman's right to choose. His rival, Republican candidate Jim Carter, had been considered a member of the pro-life camp until recent statements, softening his position on abortion. And either one is speaking up for those children who cannot speak for themselves.

Today at a news conference in Trenton, New Jersey right to lifers announced they had no plans to endorse either of the gubernatorial candidates. This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. This is an issue that goes to the very core of society. Mother Teresa stated it best. Abortion not only kills the baby, but the conscience of the society that allows it. Pro-life supporters say instead of endorsing a political candidate, they'll spend their efforts on long-term education. New Jersey's right to lifers say pro-abortionists are simply brainwash. The group says they're hoping to change that. Starting in November, they'll conduct public forums throughout the state, in an effort to, according to their president, re-educate the public about abortion. Alinda Morton, New Jersey Network News, Trenton. Up until today, the corruption case against two Essex County investigators relied heavily on the testimony of an admitted murderer, who also admits he's lied to juries in the past.

But today, his wife was on the stand, backing up his account of detectives on the take. Trish Degasperous reports. 25-year-old Jackie Vidal is the wife of convicted murderer and drug kingpin Robert Vidal, the government star witness against the two former investigators with the Essex County prosecutor's office. Mrs. Vidal, sporting an expensive designer bag and gold jewelry, helped her husband in his multi-million dollar drug trade. She is now on welfare. She didn't have anything to say to us today. But in court, as a cooperating witness for the government, Mrs. Vidal said plenty. She talked about being angry with her husband because he was allegedly paying off the two officers with cocaine and cash. It was her turn to hand over the payoff. Jackie Vidal says she short-changed the officers. I would always put less in the bag. When Robert did it, he gave them the right amount. She says the money she saved, she put on the side and spent on herself. Mrs. Vidal says she frequently bagged cocaine for her husband to give to investigator Ralph

Chickalice. For investigator Thomas Gilsonon, she says the payoff was cash and jewelry. jewelry she says she gave her husband. Mrs. Vidal testified that she got into a furious argument with her husband because Thomas Gilsonon kept showing up wearing Robert Vidal's gold rings and chains. One item that particularly angered her, she said, was a small gold gun charm. I told him I was going to take it off Tommy's neck, said Jackie Vidal. I called Robert a liar because he told me he lost it in a fight. Because she's a cooperating witness for the government, Mrs. Vidal told the jury that she got a reduction in her own sentence for her part in the drug operation. As Jackie Vidal with some friends left federal court this evening, they mugged for the camera. One friend saying, meet Jackie Vidal, drug queen. Trishti Gaspers, New Jersey Network News, Newark. A baby sperm whale is fighting for its life tonight. The mammal was found by fishermen early today in Atlantic City.

The whale is said to be in poor condition, experts believe its stomach is clogged with plastic debris as Deborah Zara reports. This is the second pygmy sperm whale found in two days stranded along the New Jersey coast. Both of them believed to be about six months old. Another whale found yesterday and long branch died shortly after it was discovered, apparently from plastic debris lodged in its stomach. The third shell cough director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brighantine believes that this animal may be suffering from the same complications. Looking at the animal from yesterday, we saw the same condition where the lower bladder was blocked up and really plugged with a waste matter and the stomach was completely packed with plastic. So there was nothing that could go through to feed the animal where to get rid of the waste material within. This is what was found inside of the animal that died yesterday. It bags, straws, fast food wrappers, enough to fill the mammal's stomach.

Plastics kill marine animals who often mistake them for food. Shell cough has been lobbying legislators for years to rid the ocean of plastics and just this year a bill introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg was finally passed into federal law. I believe the fine is something like $175,000 maximum fine if they're caught. Unfortunately, many people in the ocean know that they can't be caught if there's no one to see them. Shell cough and his staff will continue to nurse this baby whale back to health, but he admits there is little chance that this small animal will survive. Deborah Zara, New Jersey Network News, Brigham Teen. Coming up in ancient process revived in Newark, trial by church. And new steps to make the drug AZT available to children suffering from AIDS. Stay with us for the story. New hope tonight for children with AIDS.

The federal government says AZT, the only drug available that slows down AIDS symptoms, now will be available to some infected children free of charge. That's especially important here because the drug is expensive. And New Jersey has the nation's highest rate of AIDS among children. The story from our science and health correspondent, Mark Loveinson. AIDS homes like this one in Elizabeth infected infants and children may have only a few months or years to live. But under a new federal program, AZT, the AIDS drug that helps adults slow their disease, will now be made available to some infected children too. Especially in areas of the state where they may not have access to investigational use AZT. Dr. Edward Conner runs the Pediatric Infectious Disease Program at Newark's Children's Hospital. Under his clinical trials, children have already been getting AZT free. Now the federal program makes free AZT more widely available to help test how well it works in children.

That saves parents the annual AZT bill that can run up to $8,000. The only catch when the test is over, AZT will not be free anymore. If we controlled it, we'd obviously want to be able to give it away if we could. Over 200 New Jersey children are diagnosed with AIDS, the highest pediatric AIDS rate in the country. Many of them may qualify for the free AZT test. But the state health department says as many as 600 a year may be at risk, either because their mothers never went to prenatal care or their doctors never ran prenatal AIDS testing. And the earlier you can evaluate an infant or young child for appropriately receiving AZT, the earlier you can spread, protect the child from the further spread of that virus and make more likely his a longer life for him. The health department says it's pushing legislation that would require doctors to give prenatal AIDS testing. A way to ensure that no infected child who might one day qualify for free AZT will ever be overlooked. Mark Levenson, New Jersey Network News, Trenton. Time now for Jim's business report.

And there's been a lot of talk recently about the economic negatives in this part of the country. Well, you know, Kent, you may recall, as far back as three years ago, poor authority economists were wearing the rising costs and high-priced housing might see migration of businesses to other parts of the country. New Jersey, of course, has benefited at New York's expense, to some extent. But now, Exxon says it is packing its bags. We'll move its headquarters to Dallas and move along Conham, plated in the move will affect, they say, some 300 headquarters employees. One more thing, striking at the regional economy. A home of your own, we call it the American dream, but it's more than that. It's a part of the cement that binds our society together. As we all know, that bit of cement is out of reach for all too many people. But what if people of low income could get a house on a deal like this? For a $60,000 house put down as little as $1,800 and have a mortgage set, 1.5 percent below current rates. The down payment on the house would be $12,000, but the balance would be wrapped in a second

mortgage with no interest, which would not have to be repaid until the house was sold. The community affairs commissioner, Valene, announced the program today. I hope to be able to put 50 families into good housing with very low down payments. The banking community to their credit has taken a role in this, and they're willing to put those families that qualify for this low and modern income housing, a 1.5 percent to 1 percent below the mortgage rate. The median income rate in Mercer County for a family of four is $41,700, a moderate income family, one whose income is half, but not more than 80 percent that much would qualify for a mortgage rate, 1 percent below market. Families earning less than half that median amount would qualify for one and a half percent below market rates. A cooperative effort involving eight area banks and a number of nonprofit agencies. The hope, of course, is to expand the program statewide in urban areas.

If at first you don't succeed, well, for AT&T it was when one lose one today. Yes, as the FCC, AT&T can continue to offer price discounts to its big customers, a competitive necessity for AT&T. Under rules, big telephone has to file tariffs, schedules of prices, while its competitors can price their long distance more or less ad hoc. Although the FCC concurs that in the interest of fair play, AT&T ought to be able to meet price-cutting competition, but they lost a battle with MCI over the holiday corporation account. MCI came in with a low price, AT&T sought to counter it, but MCI claimed that its low rate offered holiday was really generally offered rate. The FCC denied ATT on this one. Gross national product came in at the expected 2.5 percent today, but the market perceived the rise in inventories and what was concerned over profits, we get this drop. And we get it on fairly strong volume.

The market also saw car profits take a dive, 4 down 40 percent, Chrysler 80 percent, on top of which computer and high-tech stocks took a hit, which to some extent accounts for the deep give back by the OTC index. The computer is much in evidence today, as the dial swung up and down 20 points almost from one moment to the next, adding to concern that many are expressing that the computers are driving individual investors out of the market, and that's something a lot of people worry about. Thank you, Jim. For the first time in 115 years, an Episcopal priest is standing trial before an ecclesiastical court in the Newark diocese. Father George Swanson has been brought before the panel for allegedly lying in a civil suit he filed against the diocese. Marie DeNoire reports his priesthood is at stake. The sign outside the burned out Ascension Church in Jersey City hangs as a testament of the people of this parish. Three years ago, a fire destroyed the 115-year-old Gothic building. Through sheer will, the parishioners managed to glue it back together and continue to hold

weekly services. But there's yet another threat to the parish. Now its rector George Swanson is in danger of being defraught. In a series of surprises, a series of outrages and surprises as to how a small urban parish has been treated by the people who are supposed to love and cherish it at the diocesan level. Swanson is charged with maliciously knowingly lying in a civil suit he filed last year. In the suit, Swanson accuses the diocese, Newark Bishop John Spung, and attorney Michael Rehal with scheming to destroy his parish. According to Swanson, when the fire insurance check came in, the parishioners wanted to rebuild the structure, but the diocese claimed the money for its own. According to Swanson, that's against the law. It was demonstrated in the trial that those statements were true because Mr. Rehal admitted under oath that his uses and purposes were those of the diocese and the so-or-the-bishops and that the diocese was going to be getting the money and having control of it. I thought it was very simple. Members of the diocese and Bishop Spung refused to comment.

Today closing arguments were heard in the nine-day long ecclesiastical trial that will determine Swanson's fate. Today the prosecuting attorney describes Swanson as a failed priest, a liar. There's not a whole lot more they can say about me. They haven't already said. All I can say is thank God for the people who know me and who love me. The ecclesiastical panel is expected to announce on Monday whether Swanson will have to leave the priesthood. Marie de Noia, New Jersey Network News, Newark. And when we come back, still no end in sight to this delightful weather we're having. I'll have the forecast. And in sports Rutgers Soccer has something to kick about, Pat with the Tales Next. The State Supreme Court gave supporters of New Jersey's 40-year ban on self-service gasoline

stations another victory today, when it refused to hear an appeal from a firm that wants to open self-service stations. The High Court's refusal to hear the case essentially upholds a June appeals court ruling maintaining the ban on self-service stations. New Jersey and Oregon are the only two states that bar drivers from pumping their own gas. Supporters of self-service stations claim they would lead to lower gas prices, claimed disputed by the State Petroleum Council. No word yet on whether supporters of self-service will now take their case to the federal courts. The Oyster Creek nuclear plant is building itself back up to full power tonight after a so-called unusual event. That's the least serious class of emergency at the Generating Station at Fork at River. It was declared after an internal electrical system failed during maintenance, knocking

out some safety monitoring systems. GPU nuclear, which operates the plant, said repairs have been made and no radio activity was released. Can't. Delightful for the next couple of days, that's the weather picture today was the fourth straight day of warm temperatures and bright sunshine. A perfect day for fishing, blue fishing. At Leeds Point along the bay in Atlanta County, obviously they were biting. These three guys are taking home some 30 pounds of blue fish, a little breadcrumbs, some lemon, broil for 10 minutes, mmm, mmm, delicious, and there's plenty left over for the freezer. Let's check current conditions. Clear skies this evening, temperatures in the 60s, the high today in Newark, 77 sunny and warm tomorrow, very warm indeed between 72 and 82, the expected highs. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? And more warm temperatures for Saturday. Let's get to Saturday. Alright, there we go with Hazy Sunshine between 70 and 79 degrees. In sports tonight, the soap opera is finally over and the NFL's new commissioner is from

Jersey City, originally. That's right, I'm sure someone in Jersey City will celebrate that tonight, Phil. After weeks of haggling and infighting, Paul Taglia-Boo is the new NFL commissioners succeeding Pete Roselle. Taglia-Boo is from Jersey City, went to St. Michael's High School in Union City and played college basketball at Georgetown. The Washington D.C. base lawyer accepted the job this afternoon. Because the league, among other things, is more than football. It's really a great American tradition. And when I talk about the league, obviously I'm thinking of the millions of fans throughout America who are touched by this sport, especially in the fall. But also, the great players, the great coaches, and everyone else involved in the league as well as the owners. Turning to college football, Rutgers is at Army Saturday and Princeton takes a 3-0 Ivy League record to Harvard. Steve Tosh's Tigers have a great shot at an Ivy title with four games left. And quarterback Joel Sharp can take his share of credit for Princeton's success.

The junior quarterback rush for one touchdown and two for three others against Fordham last week. He's taken over for graduated Jason Garrett in style, ranked ninth in one AA ball, and he's modest as well. Offensive line, certainly has helped me out a lot, and they've opened up some holes for Judd. Anytime you've got a threat like Judd, you're going to put some offense on the board and it'll open up some pass and some other guys run on the ball. We're getting good play out of a lot of different areas. We're not really relying on one person, although Judd Garrett had some headlines. I think to play a Joel Sharp, I think to play the offensive line. I think the strength of our defensive front against the run, I think our second areas come around. So, I mean, you know, the reason we're 4-1-1 right now is because we're getting a total team effort, and it's a lot of different areas doing their job and not having to rely on one area or one individual. Good year for New Jersey Soccer, and Rutgers Soccer is kicking up a storm again in Piscat

away. Last night, the Scarlet Knights kept a perfect 10-0 record at home by beating Ryder 3-1. Bob Riassos' club is ranked seventh in the nation, and number one in the east tied with Fairly Dickinson. Rutgers is hoping for an NCAA tournament bid, and Riassos is doing it with local soccer talent. What we try and do is, you know, provide them a great opportunity in the state. You know, New Jersey is the greatest state in the country for soccer. There's really no reason for people to go away and play. I think you can tell by the atmosphere here tonight, it's an exciting environment, it's a great academic environment, and we've been able to keep the top players here. Riassos smiling because he's got 19 of 29 players from New Jersey on the roster, including Steve Rammell from Woodbury, who has 12 goals, and Scotch Payne's Lino DeQuelo, a goal score with a natural instinct. Yeah, it's the thrill of scoring. He's excitement when the ball hits the back of the net, and it just keeps me going game after game. And Rutgers Rammell is excited about the team's prospects. Well, what they set out was when we went out there, we can go pretty far, and they said

we're a final four team, but we take each day as it comes, you can be knocked off at any day. So we'll just take each day, and we'll just do the best we can, and I think we're a final four team. Hockey tonight, the devil's host, the Hartford Whalers, and Offfield problems continue for Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor. His wife, Deborah Belinda, has filed for divorce. Mrs. Taylor bases her suit on cruelty, saying her husband showed up at a family function with another woman, also charging he was drunk at the hospital while she was in labor with her third child. Lawrence Taylor and his lawyer called the matter personal and declined comment. Phil? I guess the only good news out of that is despite whatever else she had to say about LT. She did say he'd licked his cocaine problem, apparently. Back on the NFL commissioner, that's a tough job, tough to get. It was an amazing battle between Tagliaboo and Jim Fanks of the New Orleans Saints. The old block led by Wellington Mayor of the Giants and the new block, Norman Braiman and the Eagles, but they finally solved their differences and decided on it, man. Thanks, Pat. That's all for tonight. I'm Phil Braiman. And I'm Kent Manahan from all of us here. Thank you for being with us.

Good night.