April 8, 1997

New York Times/CBS News Poll finds most Americans doubt Pres Clinton and Congress are sincerely committed to changing campaign financing system, even though significant majority believe fundamental changes are needed; finds Clinton is maintaining strong personal standing with public, despite months of sometimes withering accusations of improper campaign and fund-raising tactics, but that Vice Pres Al Gore has suffered sizeable loss of support as controversy has grown; charts (M)

Allegheny Power System Inc will buy DQE Inc for $2.6 billion, transaction that will create giant utility in East serving two million customers (L)

Several family members have challenged Harold C Simmons's command of billion-dollar fortune he has amassed as corporate raider and executive; in court filing in Dallas, Tex, last month, Simmons's daughters Scheryle S Patigian and Andrea Swanson said trusts that Simmons set up for them have been used for his personal gain; they also say that Simmons, one of nation's largest Republican donors, pressured them into making what Patigian calls 'illegitimate and illegal' campaign contributions from the trusts; in court documents, Simmons has denied his family's accustions; Simmons achieved notoriety in 1980's for takeover raids on corporations, including NL Industries, Valhi Inc, Keystone Consolidated Industries and Tremont Corp; Simmons is head of Contran Corp; photo (L)

Republicans will draft legislation providing as much as $2 billion in aid to states with large numbers of legal immigrants who will lose benefits under new welfare law, but Clinton Administration strenuously opposes it, arguing that it would result in disparate policies in different states; are seeking to provide states with lump sums, or block grants; are weighing maximum of $2 billion in aid over next two or three years; Clinton Administration, by contrast, wants full restoration of disability benefits for most legal immigrants, including children and elderly people who have not become citizens, at cost of $15 billion over six years (M)

Casino industry analyst Marvin B Roffman says that in 1996 offers of free coins to play slot machines and other promotional giveaways started marketing war between Atlantic City casinos and industry spent $615 million, 26 percent more than in 1995 (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)