November 13, 1996

Pres Clinton bows to political reality by softening opposition to Constitutional amendment to balance Federal budget; says he does not believe amendment is necessary but that, if enacted, should be implemented in way that actually works and gives country what it needs to handle recession; defeat of balanced-budget measure by one vote in Senate in '95 after Clinton lobbied against it noted; recent gain of two Senate seats by Republicans has made passage more likely in 105th Congress; Senate majority leader Trent Lott and House Speaker Newt Gingrich say they are in no hurry to act on Clinton's pending proposals to balance budget, overhaul campaign finance laws and to establish commission to address long-term solvency of Medicare (M)

Blossom Peretz, state official who represents public in rate disputes with utility companies, says she will decide whether recent increases in water rates have made it difficult for some people to pay their water bills and, if so, whether state can help (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)

Array of civil rights leaders, led by Rev Jesse Jackson, step up pressure on Texaco Inc, with calls for national boycott to protest alleged racial problems there and with demands that the company make changes in its policies toward nonwhites; calls for boycott cause deep concern among investors; Texaco shares fall as much as $3 a share, or 3 percent, in late afternoon trading but stock recovers somewhat, closing at $95.375, down $1.875; Texaco's chairman Peter I Bijur announces that company wants to settle quickly two-year-old discrimination suit that has led to company's problems; Bijur shuttles among meetings with civil rights leaders, apologizing for words captured on tape and committing his company to becoming a model for equality in employment; while number of civil rights leaders say they are impressed with Bijur's words, they remain concerned not only about company's actions, but also about what they say is inadequate number of minority executives at Texaco (L)

New Jersey Transit suspends rush-hour train service between Philadelphia and Cherry Hill while authorities negotiate with man barricaded in his home near the rail line's tracks in Merchantville (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)

David Gonzalez About New York column on George Fox, retired president of Grow Tunneling who helped build first phase of city's third water tunnel; notes that Cooper Union, where Fox went to school and was later chairman of board, will honor him with their first Builders of City award on Nov 13 (M)