Many Americans will feel results of welfare transfers WASHINGTON (AP) — If President Reagan gets his way, not only the poor but America's vast middle class will feel the effects of his plan to transfer an array of social welfare programs from the federal government to the states. Included in Regan's 'new federalism' transfer list of 43 programs are school lunch sub- sidies, which still benefit many pupils from middle and upper income families. Similarly, family planningassistanceis available regardless of income. There are fedral subsidies to help the elderly poor pay their heating bills, and programs for battered children, runaway teen-agers and other troubled youngsters who come from affluent as well as needy families. The programs are as old as the government's maternal and child health services, which began shortly after the Social Security system was established in the mid-1930s. They are as new as child adoption incentives which re undertaken in October 1980. And they include many of the vestiges of the Johnson administration's anti-poverty programs of the 1960s. Altogether, nearly 20 of the 43 programs slated for transfer to state control under the president's plan,' announced in his State of the Union address last week, involve social, health and nutrition services. In addition,the federal government would take over the Medicaid health insurance program for the poor in exchange for full state control of food stamps and Aid to Families with Dependent Children, the government's biggest welfare program. Beyond that, the president has included several of his new block grants in the transfer package, and each block involves consolidation of other federal programs. Block grants can be administered by the states for services as they see fit. The turnback' programs would be financed during an eight-year transition period, star- ting in 1984, by a special $28 billion trust fund using revenues from federal excise taxes and President Reagan SEE PAGE6 Connecticut lattg Campus Serving Storrs Since 1896 y/olumeLXXXVNo.75 University of Connecticut Friday, February 5,1982 UConn officials Financial autonomy proposed dislike report continue to have financial tion, Medicaid and welfare By Al Powell responsibility for the Univer- programs arc always reduced Staff Writer sity, but stressed that the first because they take "up the By Carla Van Kampen switch to fiscal autonomy is largest __ part of the state Staff Writer important. budget. UConn officials reacted unfavorably to a proposal The s'H.e legislature should This state will not pay for released by the state to unite the numerous boards of turn control of the U^Conn all of the items that you Home said he opposes state trustees of the state colleges and UConn under a single budget over to the Universi- describe as essential because income tax because he feels state-controlled board. ty. Republican gubernatorial they will not agree that it is the state's economic growth The proposal was included in the final report released candidate Lewis Rome said essential. The committee he- rate will he sufficient to cover earlier this week by Gov. William O'Neill's Blue Ribbon last night in the first part of a ads will decide you don't programs with existing tax- Commission on Higher Education, an ad-hoc committee candidate lecture series pre- need 200 periodicals because es. formed last summer to study higher education in Connec- sented by the UConn Politic- they only read five." Home also said that he ticut. al Science Honor Society. Rome said that of the 187 believes the state's existing The commission suggested that the 22-member state The program, which Rome legislators, no more than a gun control laws arc sufficie- board of higher education be reduced to one of 11 members. described as 'financial auto- dozen actually understand nt and that other states are at This board of higher education now oversees the individual nomy.' would differ from the the University and its work- fault for having lenient gun boards of trustees of the state colleges and UConn. present system in that the ings."They don't even know control laws. The commission also proposed the state-run colleges and University would submit a what's here,"he said. universities be given less influence in the decision-making budget to the legislature, According to Rome, educa- of the board. Under the commission's proposal, the powers which, if approved, would be of the board would be diminished since the new members left to the trustees to distrib- would be unaffiliated with the state colleges and univer- ute where needed. Now an sities. itemized budget is presented Since the new board would not include members of the and, if approved, the money university, UConn officials believe this would be detrimen- has to be spent on whatever tal to students. it was allocated for, and Steven Donen, student-elected member of the university cannot be redistributed. board of trustees, said, "the closer the decision-making is to The system Rome proposed the campus itself, the better it is for the students." Donen would allow excess funds in said that the two student representatives now on the board one area to be shifted to of trustees would no longer be involved in policy making if cover shortages in others. the report goes into effect. "The board of governors would Rome would have to come be removed from the university," he said. through grants and contribu- Donald Cafero, a student-elected trustee, also echoed tions solicted from business- Donen's thoughts "This report will switch the decision- es and individuals. making over to the people who think they're acting in the Rome, a former state best interests of the students," he said. "The board of senator, and UConn gradua- trustees usually has the best judgement in decisions con- te, said he proposed a simHar cerning the student. We're going to lose our only voice in measure to the State Senate higher education." in 1975. but the UConn's President John A. DiBiaggio said he is concerned about trustees asked him to withdr- the state establishing the university's budget and having aw the suggestion from a the power to distribute the money among the various fear that the funds raised by academic departments. The state would also have authority UConn from private sources to invest money into programs of their choice at the expense would lead the legislature to of others, he said. believe the university could The state would be allowed to raise the tuition of the be financially independent, students in accordance with the level of inflation. DiBiaggio and was therefore, not in added, but the state would not be required to match the in- need of state support. Rome said the state would Atty. Lewis Rome nj m ft. Page 2 Connecticut Daily Campus Friday, February 5,1982. Letters Argentina intervenes in El Salvador WASHINGTON (AP) — Argentina's State Department sources havelongsaid the military government has undertaken a use of a third-party military force was one paramilitary Vole in Central America, a possible alternative to sending U.S. combat move aimed at destabilizing Nicaragua's lef- troops to Central America, a step President tist government and cutting off supplies to Reagan has repeatedly said he does not in- Cartoons rebels in El Salvador, congressional sources tend to take. said Thursday. The sources, however, said the intervention One source said Argentina's role has been of other countries in the political turmoil of in ' coordination' with the United States, but Central America could draw in other nations he said it was unclear how much en- and end up spreading the conflict throughout couragement and support the Reagan ad- Latin America. Columns ministration has provided, if any. One informed source said the Argentinians At the White House, spokesman David R. have a military training mission in El Gergen refused comment and then cautioned Salvador, totaling about 50 men. However, reporters against reading a confirmation on or EL Salvador's ambassador to the United denial into his no comment. States, Ernesto Rivas Gallont, denied the Asked if the United States would engage in presence of any Argentinian military trainers. Needed overt or covert action, or join with another Congressional sources said Argentina's nation, to overthrow a government now in role in Nicaragua and El Salvador dates to place, Gergen replied that policy statements before the current U.S. policy review. have been made on the issue in the past and One source said that since November, that he would not try to repeat them'off the Argentinian military officers have been in- for the editorial top of my head.' volved in training about 1,000 Nicaraguans A spokesman at the Argentine Embassy in fighting for the overthrow of the leftist San- Washington called the report 'completely an dinista government. He said he was not cer- invention.' State Department spokesman Alan tain where that training took place. page Romberg refused comment, but added that He added that 'there has been coordination lack of a response should not be read as 'an with the United States' in Argentina's role_ implicit confirmation.' But the source said it was less clear On Tueday, Secretary of State Alexander whether the United States asked Argentina to M. Haig Jr. said the United States, in take an active role_ He noted the Argentine cooperation with its Latin American allies, military has long been known for its 'strong Call 429-9384 would do'whatever is necessary' to block a vic- anti-communist stand' and its belief that 'if tory by leftists in El Salvador.