Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 14, 1995 TAG: 9503140149
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The conservative radio talk-show host has called on his audience to counter what he calls the Democrats' distortions and misrepresentations about the Republicans' proposal to shift the federal school lunch program to the states.
On his show Friday, Limbaugh asked his listeners to call local newspapers and radio and television stations and urge them to tell the truth about the GOP school lunch proposal.
He said that, under their proposal to give the states the money as a block grant, the Republicans actually would provide more money for the lunch program next year than the Democrats.
He struck a responsive chord with listeners in Western Virginia.
Within an hour, seven callers contacted the Roanoke Times & World-News to complain about the Democrats and the news coverage of the issue.
``I'm bringing a message from Rush to your liberal paper: stop lying about the school lunch program,'' said Richard Raymond, one of the early callers.
James Holland said the GOP proposal would provide an increase of 4.5 percent in funding for school lunches next year, while President Clinton proposes a 3.1 percent increase.
Holland said it is only the second time during his five years listening to Limbaugh that he has heard the radio host urge listeners to begin a telephone campaign.
``Rush is the only one who is telling the truth. He's the only one who is giving the Republicans' side,'' Holland said.
John McKenna, another caller, said Republicans will not take food away from children and let them go hungry.
``I can't believe Clinton would go into a school cafeteria, eat with children and accuse the Republicans of taking food from kids,'' he said.
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, supports the callers' contention that the Republicans' proposal would provide more funds for school lunches next year, an aide said.
Goodlatte said through the aide Monday that he's disappointed that early news reports left the impression that the GOP proposed to end the school lunch program.
The aide said that's not true. In fact, the aide said, it would provide more money because the overhead for the federal bureaucracy would be eliminated and the funds would be sent directly to the states.
The GOP proposal would provide an increase of up to 4.5 percent a year, according to Goodlatte's office, with an increase based on the number of meals served in a state compared with all other states.
But the Republican proposal makes no provision for inflation and allows a governor to have discretionary use of 20 percent of the block grant, according to a spokesman for Sen. Charles Robb, D-Va.
Meanwhile, the proposed overhaul in the school lunch and child nutrition programs could affect a little-known program that provides federal reimbursement for meals for preschool children who are cared for by baby sitters.
Baby sitters can be reimbursed $2.76 a day for breakfast, lunch and snacks for children who are kept in their homes.
The child-care food program is a part of the National School Lunch Act. It is designed to ensure that children who are kept in private homes receive nutritious meals.
Under the GOP proposal, the child-care food program would be converted to a block grant to the states, like the school lunch program. And the money could be used only as reimbursement for meals for children from low-income families.
Pamela Kestner-Chappelear, associate executive director of the Council of Community Services, said there currently are no income guidelines for children to be eligible for meal reimbursements.
``It is a nutrition program, not a welfare program,'' she said. ``The goal is to make sure that all the children get healthy meals.''
The Council of Community Services administers the child-care food program for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 3,700 children kept in 420 homes in Central and Southwest Virginia.
Kestner-Chappelear said she is worried that the state might not continue the program if the changes are made, in which case the child-care providers probably would have to raise their fees.
by CNB