CORPS SPENDING CUTS DECRIED LOS ANGELES, LONG BEACH OFFICIALS PROTEST BUSH PLAN.Byline: Bill Hillburg Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - Saying the move threatens crucial projects, Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, maritime interests on Thursday joined a growing chorus of opposition to President George W. Bush's plan to slash spending by the Army Corps of Engineers. Bush's 2002-03 budget proposal would cut Corps spending by 10 percent, from the current $4.62 billion to $4.175 billion, and would eliminate an outlay needed to begin dredging and deepening of the Port of Los Angeles The Port of Los Angeles is located on San Pedro Bay in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, approximately 20 miles (30 km) south of downtown. Also called Los Angeles Harbor and WORLDPORT LA main channel. ``This project means everything to our port - it's our highest priority,'' said Deborah Wood, a legislative representative for the city of Los Angeles
She noted that the dredging and deepening to 55 feet, to be paid for with $141 million in port funds and $42 million from the Corps of Engineers, must be completed by 2004 when new and larger container ships are expected to come into service. Also on the chopping block is a $200,000 request from Long Beach officials to continue a Corps study of beach erosion Noun 1. beach erosion - the erosion of beaches eating away, eroding, erosion, wearing, wearing away - (geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it) on the Alamitos Bay Peninsula, as well as funding for proposed improvements at Marina del Rey Del Rey may refer to:
James Haussener, executive director of the California Marine Affairs and Navigation Conference, a trade group, stressed during an appearance before the House Transportation Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment that Corps of Engineers support for port projects is not a federal handout. He said that much of the agency's money comes from federal harbor maintenance taxes levied on port businesses. ``California's ports generated $250 million in harbor maintenance taxes last year, 40 percent of the national total,'' said Haussener. ``Even last year, California only received 8 percent of its money back in the form of Corps of Engineer projects.'' Haussener also testified that delays in needed port upgrades could threaten the nation's economy. He noted that, in 2001, California's seaports, led by the adjacent ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, contributed $57 billion to the gross national product and $10 billion in taxes and fees to the U.S. Treasury U.S. Treasury Created in 1798, the United States Department of the Treasury is the government (Cabinet) department responsible for issuing all Treasury bonds, notes and bills. Some of the government branches operating under the U.S. Treasury umbrella include the IRS, U.S. . Last year, the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles together handled the equivalent of 10 million 20-foot containers of import and export cargoes, and accounted for 35 percent of the nation's foreign trade. Thursday's hearing came one day after Bush fired Michael Parker, assistant secretary of the Army and the Corps of Engineers' top civilian administrator. Parker, a Bush appointee APPOINTEE. A person who is appointed or selected for a particular purpose; as the appointee under a power, is the person who is to receive the benefit of the trust or power. , had been critical of the budget cuts in recent testimony to Congress. Members of the House panel praised Parker, a former Republican colleague from Mississippi, and vowed to block Bush's budget cuts. The only support for Bush's proposal was offered Thursday by Steve Ellis of Taxpayers for Common Sense Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) is an nonpartisan federal budget watchdog organization based in Washington, D.C. in the United States. TCS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; its 501(c)(4) affiliate is Taxpayers for Common Sense Action (TCS Action). , a Washington-based watchdog group. He argued that key Corps of Engineers programs will not be adversely affected by the cuts. He also said that the agency has long been inefficiently managed, has a huge backlog of incomplete work and has taken on a number of expensive and ill-advised projects. |
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