Tuesday, February 02, 1999
Tristate delegation likes parts of budget
But tax provisions disappoint some
BY PAUL BARTON
Enquirer Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — The White House's proposed 2000 budget includes increased funding for the Fernald and Mill Creek projects and more money for public schools.
Those items — along with the president's plans for using future budget surpluses — attracted the most attention from Tristate lawmakers Monday as the White House unveiled its proposal.
Rep. Rob Portman's staff liked what it saw regarding funding for the cleanup of the former nuclear weapons plant at Fernald. The administration, through the Department of Energy, is proposing $280 million for Fernald in 2000, an increase of $6 million over current spending.
The cleanup is scheduled to be completed by 2006.
“The Fernald funding is consistent with the accelerated cleanup program,” said Portman aide Brian Besanceney.
“It keeps the cleanup program on track.”
Fernald is in the 2nd Congressional District, which Mr. Portman represents.
Mr. Portman's staff found no funding for the I-71 corridor transportation project, but they said that did not alarm them.
The I-71 project, which was authorized in last year's $19 billion transportation bill, will more than likely receive ongoing funding through this year's appropriation process in Congress, the Portman aide said.
The budget also includes $2.6 million for the Duck Creek flood control project.
More cash for NIOSH
A project of interest to the 1st Congressional District, Mill Creek flood control, would receive $915,000 under the president's budget, Rep. Steve Chabot's office said.
“The flood control project is very important to the community. I think it is certainly an appropriate expenditure,” said Mr. Chabot, who normally does not endorse special local spending projects.
Funding for the National In stitute of Occupational Safety and Health, which has one of its major facilities in Cincinnati, also got a boost.
The Clinton budget proposes increasing from $200 million to $212 million funding for the occupational health programs of the Centers for Disease Control. Almost all of that $212 million would go to NIOSH.
Area Democrats in Congress applauded the administration's emphasis on boosting educational funding, such as $1.4 billion to hire new teachers and $22 billion for new schools.
“I like some of the educational proposals in terms of reducing class sizes and creating alternative schools,” said Rep. Baron Hill, D-Seymour, Ind.
But Mr. Hill and Rep. Ken Lucas, D-Richwood, Ky., said they are upset by the administration's plans to increase cigarette taxes 55 cents a pack.
“I don't think we should be raising taxes on middle- and lower-income people,” Mr. Hill said.
Rep. Ted Strickland, D-Lucasville, said he liked both the education initiatives in the president's budget and the empow erment zone designations that would provide $10 million a year in development assistance to areas such as Ironton.
He said he also liked a proposal for $5 million to research what to do with uranium “tails” or waste at the former weapons plant at Piketon.
“That was a bit of good news,” Mr. Strickland said.
Tax plans attacked
Meanwhile, Mr. Chabot and Rep. John Boehner, R-West Chester, took aim at the budget's fiscal policy implications.
Mr. Chabot continued to lament the absence of any kind of broad tax cut in the proposal.
Mr. Boehner objected to the president's plan to allocate future budget surpluses before they are even realized.
Mr. Boehner introduced legislation in 1997 that was designed to see that at least some of expected future surpluses was returned to taxpayers.
“Americans support using the surplus for retirement security, debt reduction and tax relief. They don't support raiding it for billions and billions in new federal spending,” he said.
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