The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 3

July 18,1 971 V. Johnston Describes Decision io Avoid Cuts in Budget Hoping for Legislative Support 2 Ids 'Cfmtg Mey School Strategy or) Taxes Uses 'Game Plan' BY JACK McCURDY Timu Educitlon Writer terials) within existing income levels. Then, the Legislature would come along and vote more state school aid which would restore the cutbacks, but leave the tax boosts intact. "This year," Johnston said, "we decided not to cut and then restore. We felt the old game plan was all wrong.

"For us to come out early and say (to Sacramento) that if. you do not do this, we will do this, was hot good." Johnston said the old strategy "developed a credibility gap with employes and the public." Dr. Donald Newman, school board president, added that it was construed by some as a "threat" to taxpayers and legislators. Believe Help Is Coming But the new plan really was based on the belief that financial help from Sacramento would be forthcoming, Johnston and Newman agreed. And no big last-minute tax increase would have been necessary.

"I just didn't think we would have to go this route (raising the tax, rate sharply)," Johnston said. In all the years I've been on the scene," he said, "I was more confident than ever that we would receive substantial funds (from the state) and early enough to make good use of them." Johnston and the school board held off all through the Spring from making clear what they would do about the unfunded programs they considered essential, if more state aid did not materialize. The impression was left that the district would get by without new taxes or at most a modest boost. The turning point came when Reagan vetoed an increase of $100 million for public schools in the state budget several weeks ago even though two major school aid bills remain in the Legislature. Both are scheduled for major tests Monday.

Please Turn to Section Pag 2 As late as one month ago, Supt. William Johnston talked about the "bombshell" which could tear up education in the Los Angeles city schools unless a severe dollar shortage was averted. NO hint of a property tax increase to solve the money problem came from Johnston or any other school people during the Spring exercise of assembling the 1971 72 schools budget. It was austerity all the way for the new superintendent, appointed last January. But the bombshell was unloaded a few days ago.

Instead of fracturing the educational program which is already depleted the impact hit taxpayers pocketbooks to the tune of a tentative 28-cent jump in the city schools' property tax rate. And unless the State Legislature and Gov. Reagan come through with a hefty new school aid bill in three weeks, the 28-cent hike is scheduled to be enacted by the Board of Education Aug. 5. The big boost will not match the 55-cent increase of 1969 or the 35-cent jump in the school tax rate the year before.

Couples With County Hike But it may cause greater shock because of the surprise with which it hit the unsuspecting public plus the prospect of a 54-cent leap in the county tax rate also this year. Johnston admits the lateness in springing the tax increase is part of a new "game plan" he has although the "tactic may appear familiar to Sacramento. In previous years, the district has started off budget preparations in the Spring with big cuts in such programs as athletics, transportation and classes, along with hikes in the tax rate to finance the remaining operational program. The purpose annually has been to curtail spending in order to keep rising costs (salaries, services and ma ON THE BEACH Mrs. William Bolton of, Glendala and daughters Samantha, 4, left, and Vanessa, 18 months are silhouetted at Playa del Rey.

Times photo by Boris Yaro Reagan's Record Could Be Key to Special State Senate Election Governor Major Issue in 27th District Race Tuesday, Democrat Roberti Says; Brophy Supports Administration BY RICHARD BERGHOLZ TlmM Pthticai rrHr PERSECUTION CONTINUES ABROAD Being a Jehovah's Witness Not So Difficult in U.S. Npv BY JOHN DART Tim RtllgiM Wrlttr Tropica! Air Brings Rain to Southland; More on the Way Light to moderate showers fell on scattered desert and mountain areas Saturday as moist, tropical air continued to flow into Southern Califor- -nia. Rainfall measuring up to a half inch Sail in the San Bernardino the San Gabriel Mountains and desert sections. The National Weather Service called for more "scattered thunder- -showers with variable cloudiness in coastal, mountain and desert areas through Thursday. Despite an early morning overcast and haze, beach attendance was high.

Lifeguards estimated more than 500,000 visited beaches in Los Angeles County. 1 i xtaiiuau xoiais. The half-inch rainfall was reported at Lytle Creek, north of Fontana. Other totals include: Big Pine Flats Ranger Station, 5 1 miles northwest of Big Bear, Barton Flats, .20 and Needles and Blythe, .01. Numerous lightning strikes -were reported in mountain areas but.

the showers and damp conditions apparently prevented the outbreak of any fines. in desert areas," temperatures soared despite the scattered shower activity. High readings included El Centro, 106, Needles, 105 and Blythe, 103. In the Los Angeles area, temperatures ranged from. 95 at Burbank and 92 and San Gabriel to 71 at Santa Monica, the Civic Center high was $6.

Similar temperatures are expect-' ed today. have made the special election a test of political muscle. Reagan and Republican Lt. Gov. Ed Reinecke have called on the GOP "victory squad." a highly organized band of more than 2,000 volunteers, to put on a better voter turnout drive than the Democrats.

And the Republicans pointed out the "victory squad" has a record of eight straight special election wins to its credit. Many of those victories came in districts, like the 27th, where Democrats had an edge in registration. Republicans simply outworked their rivals on election day. Democrats, who now hold a 20-19 edge in the State Senate and who need this race to cement their control, have called in helpers from throughout the state. Japanese-American Votes Mayor Norman Mineta of San Jose was scheduled into the district Saturday to help Roberti campaign for votes among Japanese-Americans.

Sen. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.) was booked into the district Saturday to walk precincts with Roberti. And it was Cranston, among others, who brought the governor's name and record into the campaign when he said Reagan "must share part of the shame and the blame" for the state's economic woes. Roberti, a 32-year-old former deputy attorney general, said he will vote to override some of Reagan's vetoes of the new state budget bill, particularly in the field of welfare restrictions and Medi-Cal spending. Brophy, who appeared with Roberti on a televised taping of the Newsmakers Show (Channel 2 KNXT to be seen at 3:30 p.m.

today), said he backs the governor in his attempts to curtail welfare spending and said "there is no doubt that the welfare system has become zation appear staid and "establishment" compared with, say, groups of fundamentalist "Jesus Freaks." The Middle America look was prevalent among the 50,000 Witnesses, white and black, young and old, attending a five-day district assembly ending today at Dodger Stadium. The meeting followed a typically low-key pattern of lectures, songs, dramatic presentations, and baptism of new ministers. Outside the United States where nearly three-fourths of the membership lives the situation is different. According to news wire reports, I.banon became the latest Arab country to ban Jehovah's Witnesses because "it is a political movement working for Zionism." The action in Lebanon, where Witnesses number only about 1,200, followed similar moves by some other Arab governments in early Please turn to Page 26, Col. 1 Compton Police End Sick-in After Court Issues Injunction The sick-in by a handful of Compton police officers was called off Saturday after a judge issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting a work slowdown.

The order, issued Saturday afternoon by Superior Judge Robert A. Wenke, bars the Compton Police Officers Assn. from any activities which would constitute a work stoppage or otherwise inhibit the providing of police services. During the sick-in, which began July 15, four officers were fired by the city. They have been restored to duty but will not be credited-with sick leave benefits for the days they were out, officials said.

As a result of the injunction, the end of the "blue-flu" was announced jointly by Compton's acting city manager, Berton Wills, and Robert Edelen, a representative of the Compton Police Officer's Assn. The announcement stated that full service was restored to the community by 5 p.m. Saturday. The two sides agreed to set aside the issue of a pay raise until next March and will begin to establish a procedure for reconciling employer-employe impasses. The Compton officers had been demanding an 11 increase, which would have put them on a par with Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department current maximum of $092 'a month.

Compton police now make $920 a month. Other police forces in the Los Angeles area continued protest actions regarding wages. In Long Beach, a "professionalization" slowdown remained in effect over a 13.5 pay increase. NEW MINISTERS BAPTIZED look on. new Jehovah's Witness i I i.i -i name won't be on the ballot, but Republican Gov.

Reagan, his record and his prestige, will be a point of contention in Tuesday's special election in the 27th State Senate District. "Gov. Reagan is very much an Issue in this campaign," says Assemblyman David Roberti (D-Los Angeles), who has frequently opposed the governor in the Legislature and who currently is at odds with him over state fiscal matters. "Gov. Reagan is doing the right thing in trying to hold the line on the budget and prevent any tax increases," says Republican nominee Bill a 35-year-old Latin-American and former businessman making his maiden plunge in politics, i And Reagan comes in for extensive criticism from Mrs.

Julia Luna Mount, executive secretary of the Barrio Defense Committee and long active in liberal causes in the Mexican-American community. Democratic Edge She also opposes both major parties and their records. She is a nominee of the Peace and Freedom Party, which has 651 registered members in the district. Democrats, on the other hand, have 79,810 registrants and Republicans 'have 41,787. County Registrar of Voters James S.

Allison is predicting 40 turnout Tuesday. The district stretches from Western Ave. through the Silver Lake and downtown districts to Highland Tark and as far east as Alhambra. And the election is to fill the vacancy created when Democrat George Danielson was elected to Congress last November. Both major parties 1IAGER Wrlttr Dr.

Jerome A. Motto, an associate professor of psychiatry at the UC Medical Center, notes that the number of known bridge deaths has increased steadily from six in 1957 to 36 in 1970, a year in which there were also 97 recorded attempts. This increase, he observes, was substantially greater than the rate of increase in jumping deaths-throughout the city during the same period. Dr. Motto, as others, believes the Golden Gate has a peculiar appeal to the impulsive and that a preventive barrier is long overdue.

"For people who are feeling down, the kind of people who react to external influences, the bridge is like a loaded gun," he says. "They can't resist the temptation. The bridge is there 24 hours a day and has a certain aesthetic appeal: it's clean and they won't hurt anyone or make a mess." Wouldn't those contemplating suicide simply go elswhere if they couldn't use the bridge? "Some would, of course, and I sup- rif tst Turn to Page 22, Col. 1 Barrier Planned to Prevent Suicides on Golden Gate Bridge If you were craving to become a persecuted, throw-me-to-the-1 ions Christian several years ago, your best bet might have been to join the Jehovah's Witnesses. If you wanted that feeling of righteous suffering today, however, you would have to be a Witness in one of several Arab or young African nations where the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is sometimes banned and individual Witnesses are often harassed or imprisoned.

Americans years ago were irritated at the refusal of Jehovah's Witnesses to serve in the armed forces or salute the Flag. Today, the sect is only one of many groups that refuse the draft or reject outward displays of The well-mannered and conservative appearance of the 375,000 active Witnesses in the United States almost makes the 87-year-old organi As thousands ministers cro baptized a Crowds ot a rankensiem monster." Please Turn to Pi 21, Col. 1 SHOTGUN BLASTS FROM PASSING CAR KILL 1, WOUND 1 Shotgun blasts from a passing vehicle killed one man and critically wounded another in Chinatown early Saturday in an apparently motiveless attack, police said. Thomas Van Kiefer, 45, of 2224 Dymond Burbank, was killed as he was entering his car at 925 N. Hill St.

Harold Fales, 28, of 5520 Tujunga Van Nuys, was in critical condition at County-USC Medical Center with gunshot wounds of the face. Fales' stepson, Rene Angelus, 16, escaped unhurt. Tollce said the three men were getting into Fales' car when i blue Toyota carrying two to four persons drove by, opened fire with at least two blasts from a shotgun and then sped off gouthhound on Hi'l St. Officers said both Kieff and Fales were gardeners with no police I i "-At- i i in 1 i ii i i BY PHILIP Timti Ittff SAN-FRANCISCO-Golden Gate Bridge officials, faced with a sharp increase in suicides from the span, are planning to install a new 8-foot barrier they hope will prevent plunges into San Francisco Bay. Bridge directors recently gave preliminary approval to the barrier after hearing the Golden Gate described as a "loaded gun," too readily available to persons contemplating suicide in a city long-noted for its high suicide rate.

Since 1937, the year the bridge opened, 422 persons were reported to have committed suicide from the bridge, with another 135 listed as possible suicides, according to California Highway Tatrol records. Some 1,168 were reported as having, been stopped either during an outright or apparent attempt to jump. Four are recorded as having survived the 220-foot leap into bay waters. Suirlda prevention authorities here have become concerned with what they call a "dramatic" recent increase in the number of suicides and attempts from the bridge. portable pool at Dodger Stadium.

district ossembly averoged 50,000 daily. Times photo by John Malmin.