Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 19, 1994 TAG: 9408230006
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
In the Aug. 14 edition of this newspaper, there was a commentary entitled ``Surprise! Clinton's budget plan is working'' by Ernest F. Hollings, D-S.C., who, by the way, is a member of the Senate Budget Committee. It says: ``When President Clinton took office, the Congressional Budget Office projected that if the new president did nothing, the deficit he inherits would be $291 billion in 1994 and $284 billion in 1995. Today CBO projects that the deficits will be $200 billion in 1994 (a $91 billion reduction) and $180 billion in 1995 (a $104 billion reduction).''
Does anyone, especially those on the Budget Committee, see the fallacy in this type of economics? That's like spending $35 on Friday night when you thought you might spend $70, and then saying you saved $35. Sorry for the overly simple analogy, but the fact is that nothing is being reduced. You can never reach an ideal deficit of zero with this type of economics.
Also, when was the last time we saw any figures on what the government takes in? This way, we could see what the deficit would be for a certain year. Maybe these figures are at the library or posted on some telephone pole somewhere. Anyway, by not operating in reality, we'll never be able to reach the zero-deficit ideal. And I would venture to say that we aren't even cutting into the interest accruing from the deficit. In reality, there's no reduction, just steady growth.
BYRON D. CAMPBELL ROCKY MOUNT
Moderate GOP will hang in there
THE JULY 30 news article, ``A race of high hurdles,'' makes me laugh. Our own Gov. George Allen tried to rid the Republican Party of its state chairman, Patrick McSweeney, and wasn't successful. So what makes McSweeney think he can oust moderate Republicans?
The nominating process already has lost credibility, with Oliver North supporters signing petitions to get Doug Wilder on the ballot, and then following orders from the North camp to vote for Sen. Charles Robb in the Democratic primary. At least there's one Republican left in this state - Sen. John Warner - who has enough common sense to know that you don't win elections when you're an extremist. Look at our last election.
As a Christian and a Republican, I believe Jesus Christ is neither a Democrat nor a Republican.
I'll stick with my moderate Republican views, and continue voting for people like Warner, Allen and Marshall Coleman, who are more Republican than North will ever be. As for McSweeney, maybe Republicans in Virginia will finally learn from their mistakes and elect a leader for the party who isn't an extremist, and who is interested in party unity.
CALVIN W. HALL RADFORD
Harvesting yields healthy forests
JUSTIN Askins' July 4 letter to the editor (``Now's the time to push for more wilderness preservation'') was very disappointing. Such simple-minded ideas on management of a complex and productive ecosystem prove that opposition to multiple use of publicly owned natural resources is based purely on emotion.
To refute Askins' comments specifically, ``Protecting biological diversity'' and wilderness aren't synonymous. Please remember that most accessible areas of our national forests have been logged in the past 125 years. Many beautiful, healthy forests seen today (even in wilderness areas) were once victims of so-called ``destructive logging practices'' in the past. Also, the only harmful thing about clear-cutting is the reputation it gets from preservationists. Clear-cutting is very useful and suitable to many timber types, based on the management scheme employed. The only real disadvantage is the outcry of people like Askins, since the result of clear-cutting isn't visually pleasing to them.
We're a society dependent upon forest products because trees are a renewable resource. Because of professional foresters, we in the United States have more healthy, productive and diverse forests now than 70 years ago. A forest isn't destroyed when it's harvested; room has been created for another quality forest that will be grown and utilized by the same flora and fauna that used it before. Plus, we gain forest products that are produced with less energy than steel, are completely biodegradable, and are used by all Americans in one form or another.
Before we decide that wilderness is the only way to ``save'' our forests, let's think about how important trees are to our society. I recall the immortal words of a logger: ``What do you call a 70-year-old clear-cut? A forest!''
GREG GAMBREL ROANOKE
The best bargain in Roanoke County
ON BEHALF of the Roanoke County Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, I'd like to respond to Joan Wheeler's Aug. 2 letter to the editor (``County parks are below par''). Rather than compare us to other jurisdictions, I challenge her to look at what the county has done to improve its parks system.
The 1992 bond referendum contained $1.8 million for improvements, including construction of 17 playing fields, renovation of more than 20 tennis courts, construction of two new playgrounds, and safety-surfacing upgrades at 15 playgrounds. Other projects include picnic shelters, parking-lot expansions, community-center upgrades, and improved handicapped access at numerous facilities.
The Board of Supervisors donated the former administration building, which is being renovated into the valley's largest public multipurpose community center, including the first teen center in the area.
In addition to the bond projects, the county's '94-'95 budget included more than $70,000 in funds for Brambleton Center's renovation, three additional playgrounds and numerous improvements throughout county parks.
As Ms. Wheeler pointed out, Garst Mill Park is one of our most used, and it very much needs improvements. From the bond issue, it will receive significant upgrades. To do this work as economically as possible, construction is being coordinated with the replacement of the sewer line, which runs through the park. Completion is projected for next spring.
I've had the privilege and pleasure of serving on the commission for the past four years. It's with tremendous pride that I remind county residents that the parks and recreation system provides numerous programs for all citizens. Supervisors and the county staff have repeatedly shown their support for these programs, which we believe are the best bargain in Roanoke County!
LEE BLAIR Chairperson Roanoke County Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission ROANOKE
Georgia lottery provides tuition help
VIRGINIA CITIZENS, Gov. George Allen and lawmakers may be interested in a college scholarship program sponsored by the state of Georgia called Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally.
This program, financed entirely by Georgia state-lottery earnings, offers its students tuition-free admission to state colleges, universities and technical schools. Conditional to the scholarship is graduating from high school with a B average. Also, the student's family cannot have an annual income of more than $100,000, and students must maintain a cumulative B average in college to automatically qualify for tuition-free sophomore, junior and senior years.
Gov. Allen and responsible Virginia lawmakers and educators should take a long look at this program. If it works for Georgia, why not Virginia?
JAMES R. EATON ROCKY MOUNT
New tax rule strikes out
A NEW U.S. internal-revenue code section became effective Jan. 1. This section made annual compensation payments to certain individuals in publicly held corporations deductible for federal income-tax purposes only up to $1 million, with any payment in excess of $1 million per applicable individual nondeductible.
I think the section is abominable, and it cannot be justified by any argument. But if our representatives are determined to legislate socialism, it should be across the board and applicable to all - including athletes.
Congress was quick to pass legislation applying the code section's negative effect to only a few voters. Let's see how many have the intestinal fortitude to make the rule applicable to baseball players.
JACK F. HANKINS MARTINSVILLE
by CNB