TEEN BACKS ECONOMIC PLAN WITH HIS OWN $1,000 CHECK

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 23, 1993                   TAG: 9302230173
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: FARGO, N.D.                                LENGTH: Medium
TEEN BACKS ECONOMIC PLAN WITH HIS OWN $1,000 CHECK
Others complain about President Clinton's plan to trim the federal deficit by raising taxes. A 14-year-old who fears the proposal will get bogged down in politics sent Clinton a check for $1,000 on Monday.
"The economy is hurting now. I think we have to do something now to get things going," said Larry Villella of Fargo, who started his own business three years ago. "President Clinton needs to bypass all the governmental red tape to stimulate the economy.
"My solution makes this possible because it eliminates the `middle man,' and the money gets to the government much faster," he wrote in a letter to Clinton.
The check was still in the mail when the president got wind of it and called from aboard Air Force One to thank him.
"I'm really, really impressed that you did this," Clinton told him Monday afternoon. "I think you're really a symbol of what's best with this country. I'm proud of you."
The president said he would have to make sure the government could accept the money. He said he would get back to Larry on that, adding that he hoped to eventually meet him.
Larry's sister balked at sending so much, "but he said he wanted to make a point, and the $1,000 would be more powerful," said their mother, Debbi Villella.
The money came from Larry's bank account for ConServ Products, a company that markets a tree- and shrub-watering system he invented.
"He's always been quite responsible. And it was his own money, so we went along with it," said his mother.
In his letter, Larry suggested some areas to apply the money, including $100 each to AIDS research, environment, health care, education, jobs, housing, drug rehabilitation, defense, Medicare and Social Security.
Larry said he has been interested in politics for quite a while and has been impressed with Clinton so far. "I wanted to do this because I saw how interested he was in what kids had to say," he said.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB