Against Insurance Rate Increases Black Legislators Vote With John Ingram All eiv n_I!_7_1_I n> I_I *-*_e . * ' - ——- —Mvn » Ul VUI v/lliia legislators ended up voting wjth North Carolina Insurance Commissioner John Ingram - and the consumers of the state last week as the North Caro lina General Assembly passed a bill that would mean unlimi ted increases in some insu rance rates and hikes of up to twelve percent in automobile liability rates over the next two years. The bill was strongly sup ported by the insurance indus try, and some accuse the insurance industry of being the author of the bill. The bill was bitterly oppos ed by state insurance Com missioner John Ingram, who campaigned for re-election last year on a pledge to hold down insurance rates. As the bill reached its final vote for concurrence for a Senate House conferees com mittee, Representatives Mic key Michaux of Durham Coun ty, J.J. Johnson of Roberson County, Henry Frye of Guil tviu auu nauaiu win Forsythe County, along with Senators Fred Alexander of Mecklenburg County and John Winters from Wake County, all voted against the bill. The new law takes effect September 1st and rates on nonessential insurance cove rage, such as wind and storm damage, could go up immedi ately after that. Automobile liability insurance, which is mandatory under existing laws, could jump six percent by December 1st and another six percent the following year. There will be no ceiling on increases after the first two years. North Carolina Insurance Commissioner John Ingram reacted strongly to the pass age of the bill. Ingram said, "Wall to wall lobbyists have overcome the will of the peo ple." He added, “This is a pocketbook issue, which the people will not take lightly. There is disappointment...that the Governor (Jim Hunt) did Fred Alexander State senator not speax out againsi uie bill." Hunt had said repeatedly that he wanted the General Assembly to resolve the issue, and evaded reporters ques tions about why he did not take a stand. Ingram charged yesterday, "This bill would not have passed without the votes of lawyers who represented in surance companies, agents and. if Governor Jim Hunt had apunen oui against tne dui Ingram told reporters. The insurance industry started out to get John Ingram, but they have hurt the people of North Carolina." The bill passed the House two weeks ago and the Senate last week. House opponents succeeded in delaying consi deration of conflicting Senate amendments until last Wed nesday. Even as the bill was being approved, there were reports that the automobile insurance industry, operating in North Carolina - claiming its com panies were losing money - was preparing to seek an immediate rate increase of sixteen percent before the new law goes into effect. The larger requests need Insurance Commissioner John Ingram's approval and it isn't considered likely he will ap prove it. Subscribe to the Charlotte Post! Your support helps! • nuwuu; , wui; k 1, kJllkk U-. VWniVL/Ul Uj rUOiTdgC 11 WSOC-TV, Channel 9 To Air Alternatives To Abortion .-Vllfl lldll v IU dLMJl UUU Will be discussed by Jean Carton and NBC News Correspondent Betty Rollin in "The Alterna tives." on the NBC Television Network Sunday, July 17 Mrs. Garton. chairperson of the Task Force on Women for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, was appointed by the New Jersey State Senate to serve on a committee to inves tigate abortion clinic abuses The discussion will deal with r ~ icamica ui mtr dUCrild lives to abortion - do alterna tives exist or are they wishful thinking-’ - as well as with abortion as it relates to teen age pregnancy and its conse quences. abortion as it relates to the poor, and the new United States Supreme Court ruling limiting Medicaid mo ney for abortions. 'The Alternatives" is a pro duction of the NBC Television tree estimates Terms Charlotte Remodeling Company General Contractors Job s Of Any Size 332-8414 Or 892-3609 . A. Ford 430 W. Morehead St. t I AU VARIETIES EXCEPT SLICED MSP « MEAT LOAF FREEZER QUEEN Eft |09 ENTREES » ALLOOOD BRAND DOGS 2-1?° LAND-O-FAOST ■BAA ! BOIDCMA — ^ST I DIET PEPSI OR PEPSI OFFER GOOD ONLY IN i CHARLOTTE 64 OZ NO RETURN BOTTLE* ITjk7rO«MUT^«JkVY WMTCIIN 0IIAJ»tjAir0UAU™i«!I™!»T»1U<0lu!>^^\I7oUAU™w*«TWl!o