TRUST BUSH, CONGRESSMAN SAYS MCKEON CONDUCTS TOWN-HALL SESSION.

Byline: Heather MacDonald Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Linda Wood just wished she could have heard more from ``Buck'' McKeon.

The Canyon Country resident had to leave a town hall meeting held Thursday night early, so she could catch the bus home.

``I want to stay, but I have to get home,'' Wood said. ``This shows that we need a better public transportation system. I hope McKeon can help us.''

Rep. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon looked very much the part of a Western congressman at his town hall meeting Thursday night, wearing tooled black cowboy boots and a shiny silk red and black tie with matching handkerchief.

The two-term Republican, who represents Santa Clarita, fielded questions and requests from area residents for about two hours, covering a wide range of issues, including health care, campaign finance reform and a proposal to build a new post office in Castaic.

Before opening up the meeting to questions, McKeon ticked off the Republican congressional agenda. He highlighted plans for education, defense, Social Security and tax reform for about a half-hour.

McKeon endorsed Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush's plan that would allow workers to set aside about 2 percent of their Social Security taxes in a private retirement account or a thrift savings plan.

``It's risky to go forward the way we have been,'' McKeon said, standing in front of a podium and wearing a portable microphone in the City Council chambers. ``We know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it (Social Security) is going to be gone.''

McKeon also criticized President Clinton for vetoing a repeal of the so-called marriage tax penalty, which would have reduced income taxes for married couples to the same level paid by singles.

``It discourages marriage,'' McKeon said. ``You can decide which side you are on and act accordingly in November.''

McKeon also responded to a question about whether the country could afford the massive tax cut Bush has proposed.

``It's tough to figure out who is telling me the truth,'' Bob Klusendorf, a Santa Clarita resident, told McKeon. McKeon assured him he could trust Bush.

Several of the questions McKeon fielded dealt with illegal immigration and the role of the federal government in policing California's border with Mexico.

``California suffers from the TMI virus - too much immigration,'' said Billy Hughes, a Newhall resident, to the applause and laughter of the 100 people who came to the meeting.

Hughes and other speakers urged McKeon to vote against a proposed increase of visas for skilled workers and in favor of reducing legal immigration.

McKeon, who took notes on Hughes' suggestions, said he agreed the government had been negligent in policing the border.

``But even if you seal off California, you would still have overcrowded schools and overused infrastructure,'' he said. ``It's a tough situation we have to deal with.''