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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 23, 1995                   TAG: 9508230085
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

ROBB CALLS PROPOSED TAX CUT `IRRESPONSIBLE'

Sen. Charles Robb said Tuesday that it would be irresponsible for Congress to cut taxes while also slashing crucial government programs to balance the federal budget.

Robb, D-Va., told the Richmond Rotary Club that a $245 billion tax cut proposed by Republicans who gained control of Congress in the last election is ``completely irresponsible.''

``Admittedly, it's politically appealing, but it ignores our national debt, trivializes our fiscal integrity and takes precious resources from other more important domains,'' he said. ``It makes a tough job immeasurably tougher.''

Robb said a $245 billion tax cut would require huge cuts in spending on Medicare and Medicaid, education, crime prevention, environmental protection and other services.

The tax cut is one of many thorny issues on the congressional calendar, Robb said.

``I really do think the next few months could be almost without parallel in modern American history in terms of the number of important changes we will make in federal government, the way we do business and the effect it has on people's lives,'' he said.

by CNB