ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, January 16, 1996 TAG: 9601160020
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
ALTHOUGH balancing the federal budget may seem like a good idea, it may actually cause our economy more harm than good.
The greatest periods of economic growth in our history have been associated with deficit spending. A recession in the '30s was aggravated by Congress' balancing the budget, thus pushing the economy into a Depression that lasted until World War II. A much better solution to guarantee future economic prosperity without leaving a mountain of debt and no resources for coming generations is a capital budget.
Proponents of a balanced budget have led us to believe that businesses and households have a balanced budget, but we know this isn't true. Almost all families have a mortgage on their homes, and usually have a car loan. Also, businesses routinely borrow money for capital projects, such as building new facilities and purchasing equipment. The reason households and businesses borrow money for these expenses and then pay it off over a period of years is that they get the benefit of having that car, that home or that piece of equipment over many years. It wouldn't make sense (even if it were possible) to pay it off all in one year.
When new capital projects such as roads and bridges are appropriated by the federal government, money is taken out of current tax revenue, even though taxpayers in future years and generations will benefit from the use of such projects. There are many items in the federal budget that could be considered as capital expenses - construction projects, land acquisitions, equipment purchases, etc.
Once capital expenses can be separated from operational expenses, then we can see how much of our debt is operational and how much is capital expenses. I suspect there's a large shortfall in the operational budget, and this is where cuts should be made. It makes no sense for future taxpayers to pay for today's operational expenses since they will get no benefit, but it makes no sense for future taxpayers to benefit from roads and bridges that they didn't have to pay for.
States and local governments have followed this practice for years. It's time for the federal government to use the same rational accounting - balance the operational budget, but extend the cost of capital expenses over the years that the benefits are received.
MICHAEL G. SANTOROSKI
ROANOKE
How to heal our divisions
IN THE Jan. 1 letter to the editor, ``Christmas was on display in public schools,'' Amina Al-Hindi expressed disapproval over the fact that so many Christians celebrated the birth of their Lord with Christmas trees, Christmas plays, etc., in public schools. Among other things, Al-Hindi wrote: ``Isn't it mandated that church and schools be separated?''
After his resurrection and before his ascension into heaven, Jesus Christ said to his disciples, ``Go therefore to all nations and make them my disciples.'' In my view, this is exactly what Christians are doing when they express their religion by their activities year-round, both in private and public, including schools.
As for the separation of church and state, the First Amendment reads: ``Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'' This tells me that government is to protect religion and those who practice it, whether they're Christian, Jew, Muslim or whatever. But at the same time, if all people the world over would come to the God of the Holy Bible and yield their lives to him as he commands, then all of our divisions would be healed.
ROBERT S. McCORMICK JR.
LEXINGTON
Monty Leitch is a treat for readers
THROUGH the years, I've learned that when I see the byline of Monty Simmons Leitch, the item is going to be well worth reading - whether it's a feature article, column or a book review. She not only writes beautifully and with just the right words chosen to express her thoughts, but also her writing always contains a lot of deeper meaning under the surface polish. Even the most light-hearted and humorous columns leave the reader with something to think about. They're literally thought-provoking.
Her Christmas Day column (``A light has come into the darkness ... '') was one of the best Christmas articles I've ever read, and it prompted my first letter to the editor to express my thanks to you for printing it.
KATHRYN G. OBENSHAIN
CHRISTIANSBURG
Lottery relief for prescription costs
BEING A new resident of the Roanoke area and of Virginia, I read with great interest about the debates concerning the disbursement of lottery funds.
New Jersey has set an example that helps many: Education and other groups get a slice of the pie along with another very important segment, a program of pharmacists' assistance for the aged and disabled. Within the guidelines for income established, which are very generous, a person on Supplemental Security Income or Social Security, Workman's Compensation, etc., receives all prescriptions for $5 each. This in turn alleviates the need for Medicaid-based funds.
I've seen the benefits of this portion of the lottery aid some extremely needy people, and feel every state that has a lottery should review its platform when dispersing funds.
MIMI TAYLOR
ROANOKE
Don't penalize schools over parks
IN YOUR Jan. 1 article, ``School support mixed,'' Jeff Herrick, co-president of the Glen Cove Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association, refers to the condition of ball fields and playground equipment at Glen Cove Elementary as reasons not to support the school bond issue. County voters should be aware that these items are not always controlled by the school system.
Ball-field maintenance is performed by the Parks and Recreation Department and, in Southwest County, volunteer groups of parents. We've spent many evenings and Saturday mornings repairing baseball fields washed out by storms.
Cave Spring Elementary's playground equipment was purchased and installed by the PTA. This hard-working group of volunteers works many hours each year conducting a carnival to raise funds to buy equipment, computers, books, etc., that the county cannot or will not purchase. These folks would rather work to supply these items than complain about the lack of them.
The school bond issue, if passed, will supply quality educational facilities for many county students. Voters shouldn't vote against it because of ball-field conditions.
STANLEY H. PUCKETT
ROANOKE
Winners had an unfair advantage
THE short-story contest (``A Christmas Memory'') that was published in your Extra section last month was a real big joke for me and probably most of the 800 entrants. Why didn't you just headline the contest for ``English, Creative Writing and Drama Teachers Only''?
The whole thing was an insult to the rest of us. Do you think we had a chance of winning over English teachers' entries? Not that they were all that good. One of the stories I had heard before. It was just added to, and it still won.
Were your judges kin to the ones who won?
I hope the rest of the entrants will write and tell you how they feel, too. I'm sure most will feel like I do.
GERALDINE D. PHILLIPS
ROANOKE
An idiotic way to treat federal workers
I SAW where federal employees were picketing to protest being furloughed or forced to work without pay. As a retired federal employee with more than 40 years of government service, I agree with them completely.
During my employment, I often thought that portions of the government were run by idiots. Now, it's even worse. A portion of Congress, consisting of idiots, wouldn't even let the government run.
GEORGE C. HUNT
ROANOKE
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