76-16-B6
- Main Page \ Reagan Radio Commentaries \ 1977
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Spending[edit]
Transcript[edit]To suggest that the tax collector is limited as to how much he can lift from our pockets because government just can't spend money fast enough to really hurt us is like saying we don't need a limit on ducks because there are more ducks than hunters. Some time ago I told of the town that couldn't resist taking $300,000 in federal funds to build a fire station it didn't need. The excuse the town fathers used to justify this was the possibility the fire house might be needed in eight years. In the meantime, an unnecessary emergency medical team will be put in the building just for appearances. Over the eight years, that will cost the taxpayers $1,480,000 for their "free" $300,000 building. Well, that is not a rare and isolated case. Winter Park, Florida asked the Economic Development Administration for $883,500 to build a new library. There is no evidence to suggest that was not a legitimate need. But apparently business hadn't been too brisk at E.D.A. And you know what can happen to a federal agency if it comes to the end of the fiscal year with money left over. E.D.A. was heart and soul for the Winter Park library. It would not only spring for the $883,000 -- it urged the city to accept $2,650,000 which is more than half of the city's entire annual budget. For awhile a few of the city fathers wanted to turn down the money on principle -- but principle lost. Of course, the town had to come up with some projects to keep E.D.A. legitimate, but that was easily handled. There were tennis courts, bike paths, a baseball grandstand. All told, about 20 projects were thought of to justify the enlarged federal grant. I really think Budget Director Lance has underestimated the energy and the inventiveness of the Santa Claus helpers who dwell in the Potomac puzzle palaces. It's a plain case of survival with them. If they stop giving away goodies, they disappear. Maybe it will brighten your day a little, however, to learn that the recently convicted "Welfare Queen of Chicago" served a useful purpose. Even government was shaken to find that an enterprising individual could collect welfare under 127 different names, hold 50 social security cards and get widow's benefits from a couple of non-existent husbands. Her achievement triggered an investigation into a number of coincidental incidents where names listed on the public payrolls were also showing up on the welfare rolls. So far, there have been 3,183 such duplications including some who were on the payroll for salaries up to $17,500 a year. All in all, 62 per cent of the cases show -- QUOTE -- "irregularities" -- UNQUOTE. Indictments have been brought against some, several hundred have been removed from the welfare rolls and the investigators have moved on to a list of another 4,500 names. Losses to city, state and federal government (which means to the taxpayers) stand at about $10 million. Last word is that Detroit is undergoing a similar experience and a U.S. Attorney is proposing that similar investigations should be launched in every major metropolitan area. Rather than depending on Mr. Lance's optimistic hope that lack of time and energy will limit public spending, why don't we set a legal limit on what percentage of total earnings government can take in tax? This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening. |
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