Bush's budget would hurt local governments.President Bush's proposed 2005 budget would result in drastic cuts in critical areas important to local governments, including public safety and housing. "The proposed budget is a flawed budget that fails to keep our communities strong," said NLC NLC National League of Cities NLC National Library of Canada NLC National Library of China NLC Northern Lights College (British Columbia, Canada) NLC North Lake College (Irving, Texas) President Charles Lyons, selectman se·lect·man n. One of a board of town officers chosen annually in New England communities to manage local affairs. Noun 1. selectman - an elected member of a board of officials who run New England towns from Arlington, Mass. Lyons said cuts to federal programs like community policing would translate directly into cuts in local services. In the proposed budget, America's cities and towns would suffer critical cuts in the following areas: * Community Oriented Policing Services This article is about Community Oriented Policing Services. For other uses of COPS or cops, see Cops. The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) is an agency within the United States Department of Justice. (COPS) * Local law enforcement grants * Homeland security funding for local governments and first responders * Housing and community development funding At the same time, the National League of Cities acknowledges proposed increases for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act  Some statements may be disputed, incorrect, , biased or otherwise objectionable. The National League of Cities is also concerned that the continuing, growing federal deficit will take resources from programs that benefit America's cities and towns. "Across too many of our cities and towns, there exists virtually no capacity to absorb or compensate for cuts in program budgets," Lyons said. "It is a drastic mistake to forget about programs that make our communities and hometown America strong." NLC Priorities Homeland Security Department of Homeland Security Noun 1. Department of Homeland Security - the federal department that administers all matters relating to homeland security Homeland Security executive department - a federal department in the executive branch of the government of the United States (DHS DHS Department of Homeland Security (USA) DHS Department of Human Services DHS Department of Health Services DHS Demographic and Health Surveys DHS Dirhams (Morocco national currency) ) Secretary Tom Ridge announced a proposed 10 percent increase in homeland security funding. However, only 5 percent would apply to DHS programs to strengthen border and port security, bioterrorism preparedness, aviation security, and immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. . The remainder would go to other federal departments responsible for homeland security operations such as the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services Noun 1. Health and Human Services - the United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with health and welfare; created in 1979 Department of Health and Human Services, HHS . While cities welcome increased funding for homeland security activities, there is concern that the decreased funding for important programs at the local level, such as first responders, will compromise cities' ability to respond in an emergency. Of the $40.2 billion DHS budget request, $3.6 billion would be allotted to first responder first responder First response personnel Emergency medicine A person employed in the public sector–EMT, fire fighter, police, volunteer EMS–whose duties include provision of immediate medical care in the event of an emergency; FRs have basic emergency grants through the Department's Office of Domestic Preparedness. Key elements of interest to cities are proposals to: * Shift funds, with a net loss, from the state formula grant program (reduced from $1.7 billion to $750 million) to the Urban Area Security Initiative grant program (increased from $725 million to $1.45 billion). * Decrease funding for the firefighter grant program from $750 million to $500 million (grants would continue to go directly to local fire departments). * Eliminate the $60 million Urban Search and Rescue The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. program. * Increase the Citizen Corps funding from $40 million to $50 million. * Maintain at $500 million the law enforcement terrorism prevention grants. Transportation The Bush Administration used its FY 2005 budget proposal to modify its surface transportation reauthorization package, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2003 (SAFETEA SAFETEA Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act ). The Administration proposes to increase spending on highway and transit to $43 billion in 2005, totaling $256 billion over six years. This is a 9 percent increase over the Administration's original SAFETEA proposal made last year. The Administration opposes any gas tax increase, indexing or bonding to fund transportation programs. The Administration would further modify its SAFETEA proposal by: * Redirecting $1 billion from the Surface Transportation Program (STP STP or standard temperature and pressure, standard conditions for measurement of the properties of matter. The standard temperature is the freezing point of pure water, 0°C; or 273.15°K;. ) to establish a new highway infrastructure performance and maintenance block grant pilot program to the states; and * Requesting an additional $3.4 billion in highway funding over the original amount requested in SAFETEA to compensate for the omnibus spending bill  This article or section may deal primarily with the U.S. and may not present a worldwide view. passed by Congress that "digs deeper into the
transportation trust funds."
The FY 2005 budget package requests $58.7 billion for transportation, up from $58.6 billion actually received in 2004. Highways The Administration's proposal holds funding on federal-aid for highways steady at approximately $35 billion for FY 2005. However, funding for STP would drop to $6.8 billion because of the redirection of $1 billion for a proposed block grant program to the states for highway infrastructure performance and maintenance. Mass Transit Funding for mass transit remains constant at $7.2 billion. Within this total is a request for $1.56 billion in major capital investment grants for the "New Starts" program to finance commuter rail, light rail, heavy rail, and bus rapid transit
The Administration's proposal also calls for $5.6 billion in formula grants. Within this amount are requests for: * $1.6 billion in transit formula grants to urbanized areas (a 50 percent reduction from the FY 2004 level of $3.3 billion); and * $115 million in formula grants and $31 million in major capital investment grants to support state and regional planning. In FY 2004, the proposed funding levels were $70 million and $19 million, respectively. Airport Improvement The Administration's budget proposes: * $3.4 billion for airport grants-in-aid under the Airport Improvement Program, an increase over the $3.1 billion authorized in 2004; and * $7.8 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), component of the U.S. Department of Transportation that sets standards for the air-worthiness of all civilian aircraft, inspects and licenses them, and regulates civilian and military air traffic through its air traffic control operations, of which $6 billion would come from the Airport and Airways Trust Fund Amtrak Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corp., authorized to operate virtually all intercity passenger railroad routes in the United States. Amtrak was created by Congress in 1970 in response to more than two decades of continuous operating deficits by privately run The Administration's budget request for Amtrak is down from $1.225 billion to $900 million, but the Administration would increase Amtrak's budget to $1.4 billion each year for FY 2006 through FY 2009 if Congress enacts the Administration's Amtrak management and financial reform legislation, currently pending in Congress. Housing HOPE VI The Administration has again requested no funding for the HOPE VI program. The program was funded at $570 million in FY 2003 and is slated for $149 million in the recently enacted FY 2004 Consolidated Appropriations Act. HOME The Administration would fund the HOME program at $2.084 billion in FY 2005. This represents a $78 million increase over the FY 2004 appropriation of $2.006 billion. However, the President proposes to set aside $200 million for his new American Dream Down Payment Initiative, which was enacted in December 2003. Section 8 Homeownership The Administration proposes funding levels for Section 8 housing vouchers of $16.9 billion, an increase of nearly $469 million over the FY 2004 level. However, President's budget funds Section 8 Contract Renewals at $16.92 in FY 2005, a cut of $610 million. Additionally, Central Fund monies, the fund used to pay for new vouchers, would fall by $36 million down to a level of $100 million in FY 2005. Finally, the President's budget proposes to convert the Section 8 program into a block grant going directly to Public Housing Authorities. While the block grant proposal may create more flexibility for the administration of funds at the local level, NLC is concerned that such a scheme would actually serve as a means to cap funding for Section 8 vouchers. Public Safety Direct federal money to local governments for public safety did not fare well in the Administration's FY 2005 requests. Justice Assistance Grants in Lieu of Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Local Law Enforcement Block Grants (LLEBG) were federal assistance block grant programs provided by the United States Department of Justice to local governments, which would then use the funds to support public safety or crime prevention efforts. (LLEBG LLEBG Local Law Enforcement Block Grant ) The Budget proposal again calls for the creation of a new Justice Assistance Grants (JAG judge advocate general (J.A.G.) n. a military officer who advises the government on courts-martial and administers the conduct of courts-martial. The officers who are judge advocates and counsel assigned to the accused come from the office of the judge advocate ) program that would combine the LLEBG program with other state grant programs. The Administration would eliminate the $225 million in direct funding to cities and fold it into a $528 million grant program available to state and local governments. NLC opposes this new grant program because local governments, while eligible for the same funding as before, would be in direct competition with states for grant monies. COPS Program The Administration proposes to severely slash COPS funding from $756 million appropriated for FY 2004 to just $44 million in FY 2005. The Administration would eliminate funds within the Public Safety and Community Policing Grants (a COPS program) for hiring new officers. That cut translates into a potential loss of $120 million in funding for hiring activities as compared to FY 2004. Anti-Drug Programs The Administration proposes to provide $70 million for drug courts, an increase of 84 percent over the FY 2004 funding level $43 million. Additionally, the budget provides $76.05 million for Residential Substance Abuse Treatment to assist state and local governments in developing and implementing residential substance abuse treatment programs within correctional and detention facilities. Children and Families The President proposed increasing funding for both Title I for disadvantaged students and for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by $1 billion each in his FY 2005 budget proposal. Though these increases are significant they fall well below the funding mandated by federal law and advocated by NLC. Title I The President proposed funding for Title I grants to disadvantaged school districts at $13.4 billion. This is still $7.1 billion below the amount authorized by law, and would leave roughly 2.4 million students behind. IDEA The $1 billion increase proposed in the President's budget for IDEA would bring the federal commitment to $11.1 billion for FY 2005. This is about 20 percent of the special education tab, still well below the 40 percent federal contribution authorized in the IDEA. Afterschool The Administration proposes level funding of $999 million for afterschool programs--the 21st Century Community Learning Centers--for the third straight year. This amount is less than half of the $2 billion authorized by law. If enacted, this level of funding would deprive 1.3 million children of afterschool services. Head Start Head Start would receive a minor increase of $169 million. Of this amount: * $45 million would support the President's initiative to improve Head Start by funding nine state pilot projects to coordinate state preschool programs, federal child care grants and Head Start into a comprehensive system of early childhood programs; and * $124 million would allow Head Start grantees to maintain competitive salaries for Head Start teachers. NLC opposes state control of Head Start and the block granting of the program. For 40 years Head Start has been a successful local-federal partnership. NLC also supports increased funding for Head Start. Other Programs of Importance to Municipalities Environment Water Infrastructure The President's FY 2005 Budget for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency again proposes to reduce the current level of $1.350 billion in funding for the Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund (CWSRF CWSRF Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund ) by $500 million. The Administration would maintain the current $850 million annual funding level for the Drinking Water SRF SRF abbr. somatotropin-releasing factor (DWSRF DWSRF Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (United States) ), a program begun in 1997. Superfund The President's budget proposes $1.381 billion for Superfund (the nation's hazardous waste site clean-up law) which is an increase of $123 million above current levels. Brownfields To further its "Healthy Communities and Ecosystems" goal, the Administration is proposing $121 million--an increase of $28 million--for remediation of old abandoned industrial sites (brownfields) and cleanup of sites contaminated by petroleum or petroleum products. Jobs The President's FY 2005 budget proposes to consolidate funding from three programs--the Work Investment Act (WIA) Adult. Dislocated Worker, and Employment Service--into a single, more flexible comprehensive jobs program for adults. The Administration's budget includes $250 million for Community-Based Job Training Grants, a new initiative to partner with community colleges to train workers for high-growth jobs. The Administration also requested $50 million for a new Personal Reemployment Accounts program, which seeks to give unemployed workers more control over access to training and services to help them return to work quickly. The Administration proposed level funding of $1 billion for the WIA youth programs and $1.5 billion for the Job Corps program. Energy The Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP LIHEAP Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program ) would receive an increase of $112 million. As a favorite program of both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, LIHEAP funds are likely to receive an even greater increase during the appropriations process. Community Development The Administration proposes to fund the Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG CDBG Community Development Block Grant ) at $4.618 billion to meet locally identified community and economic development needs. This would represent a $316 million reduction from the estimated $4.934 billion appropriated for FY 2004. FY 2005 Budget Proposal--NLC Priorities NLC Priority FY 2003 Programs Actual Homeland Security First Responder Initiative $4.2 billion Firefighter Assistance Grants $750 million Children and Families Title I **** IDEA $7.7 billion Transportation Highways $31.8 billion Mass Transit $7.2 billion Amtrak $1.04 billion Housing Community Development Block Grant $4.9 billion HOME $1.99 billion Section 8 $15.9 billion HOPE VI $570 million Public Safety COPS Program $1.05 billion Local Law Enforcement Block Grant $387 million NLC Priority FY 2004 Programs Omnibus Homeland Security First Responder Initiative $4.4 billion Firefighter Assistance Grants $750 million Children and Families Title I $12.3 billion IDEA $10.1 billion Transportation Highways $33.8 billion Mass Transit $7.3 billion Amtrak $1.3 billion Housing Community Development Block Grant $4.9 billion HOME $2 billion Section 8 $16.4 billion HOPE VI $149 million Public Safety COPS Program $756 million Local Law Enforcement Block Grant $225 million NLC Priority FY2005 Programs President's Budget Homeland Security First Responder Initiative $3.6 billion Firefighter Assistance Grants $500 million Children and Families Title I $13.3 billion IDEA $11.1 billion Transportation Highways $35.2 billion Mass Transit $7.27 billion Amtrak $900 million Housing Community Development Block Grant $4.6 billion HOME $2.08 billion Section 8 $16.9 billion HOPE VI 0 Public Safety COPS Program $97 million Local Law Enforcement Block Grant 0 NLC Priority Difference Programs FY 04 and FY 05 Homeland Security First Responder Initiative -$809 million Firefighter Assistance Grants -$250 million Children and Families Title I +$1 billion IDEA +$1 billion Transportation Highways +$1.4 billion Mass Transit -$43 million Amtrak -$325 million Housing Community Development Block Grant -$316 million HOME +$78 million Section 8 +$496 million HOPE VI -$149 million Public Safety COPS Program -$659 million Local Law Enforcement Block Grant -$225 million |
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