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Last Updated: 02/11/2005
The Rockbridge Report is produced
under the supervision of the Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communications
at Washington and Lee University.
Reporting supervisors: Prof. Doug Cumming
Technical supervisor:
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How the budget hits home Farm Subsidies:
Video: Professor John Gunn, Lewis Whitaker Adams Professor Emeritus of Economics at W&L, explains why eliminating subsidies might not be a bad thing.
Video: Margaret Ann Smith, a farmer whose family owns 8,000 acres of farmland in Rockbridge County, explains which farmers would be affected by the change in subsidies.
Education Cuts:
Budget would shake up federal school funds By Lisa Baratta President Bush’s proposed budget for federal education aid
would eliminate at least two programs in Rockbridge County, but would add
funding for the No Child Left Behind Act at the high school. Most of the county’s education budget comes from state and local
governments, but federal grants are especially important for programs for
underprivileged and special needs students. Bush’s proposed budget for
next year would reduce federal assistance by one percent and eliminate
many programs. The federal government often passes down mandates without adequate
funding, said Vice Chairman of the Lexington School Board Marilyn
Alexander. Lexington runs its own elementary and middle school but shares
the high school with the county. Alexander said that the states have to take up the slack. A key example
is Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, which uses student test scores to
evaluate school performance. Bush is now proposing to expand this testing
into the high school level, but he wants to provide more funding to help
schools succeed with these tests. The increased funding would be through Title I, a federal program for
schools with low-income students. Title I funding for Rockbridge County
Schools -- currently from $425,000 to $450,000 -- would get a 4.7 percent
increase under
Bush’s plans. But funding would be eliminated at Rockbridge County High School for two
programs, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Talent Search. Talent Search is a program that helps first-generation college-bound
students with tutoring and counseling. All that the student is required to
provide is the motivation, said Talent Search counselor Jennifer Balkey.
She said eliminating the program would be "terrible" and have
significant implications in the Rockbridge community. "If they cut it, a
lot of students will suffer," said Balkey. The local Talent Search program is sponsored by Dabney S. Lancaster
Community College. It serves a wide area including Allegany and Botetourt
counties but Balkey said that the majority of those in need are in
Rockbridge, where their office is located. Alexander said that this area has a lot of local students who are part
of the first-generation of their family to go to college or are at risk
students. Alexander was also unhappy with the proposed elimination of the Safe
and Drug-Free Schools program. "To not have programs that reinforce
drug-free standards would be very crucial – not just for this area but for
the whole country." "If they [these programs] are being cut because of lack of amount of
success, why not take a look and see where improvements can be made
because there are people who can benefit," said Alexander. She urges
people to contact their legislators concerning these proposed cuts.
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Let the battle of the budget begin
By Kaela Harmon President Bush and the GOP announced the 2006 budget plan on Monday which has caused quite a stir in Congress. As part of his proposal Bush has requested increasing funding for defense and domestic security while scaling back on spending for Medicaid, eliminating or deeply cutting more than 150 education programs and reducing farming subsidies. The Associated Press cited a liberal think tank as saying that the new budget will leave deep cuts to environmental protection, community development, veterans benefits and other programs through the end of the decade. The GOP is rallying support for the budget with House Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle, R-Iowa, saying "Don't claim you want to cut the deficit in one breath and demand we spend more in the next.'' According to the AP, Bush's budget chief, Joshua Bolten, said that the President "won't hesitate'' to veto excessive spending bills but the hope is that it will not come to that. In the meantime there will be a lot of discussion in Congress regarding next year's budget. Story compiled using AP wires.
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Treasury
Secretary John Snow defends President Bush's FY 2006 budget before the
Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill Tuesday. (AP Photo)