ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, May 18, 1996 TAG: 9605200030
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
* CUT ENERGY Secretary Hazel O'Leary's bloated travel budget, say some congressional Republicans, and use the savings to offset some of the forgone revenue from a gas-tax cut.
Give us a break.
For sure, cut O'Leary's travel budget. In fact, cut her from the payroll. But apply the savings to deficit reduction, a worthier cause than boosting the subsidy for gas guzzling.
And keep in mind: The energy secretary's travel budget doesn't amount to billions of dollars, as would a cut in the gas tax. Citing her expenses hardly qualifies as a responsible answer to the question: How would you offset the reduced tax revenues?
Rep. Dick Armey at least was being more honest, if bizarre, when he suggested education funding be cut to help compensate for the revenue reduction.
* GOV. GEORGE Allen has been globe-trotting in East Asia - Tokyo, Hong Kong, Korea - to promote increased foreign investment in Virginia and try to sell more Virginia products - including chicken feet.
Don't laugh. Chicken feet are considered by many Asians a delicacy, especially delicious if cooked in mustard. The governor isn't proposing for Virginians a chicken foot in every wok, but that isn't the point.
The search for export markets is a creative and culture-bridging journey that more Virginians should be sharing. The governor does well to bring such opportunities to citizens' attention.
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