Teleconference remarks to the National Association of County Officials - Bill Clinton speech - Transcript

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, July 26, 1993

July 19, 1993

The President. Good morning. I'm honored to address the National Association of County Officials today and very, very grateful for the strong support you've given to our economic plan. It's good for the counties of this country; it's good for America; it's good for the working people of this country.

I very much appreciate that nice introduction by your president and my long-time friend, John Stroger. He's been a valuable part of our team and a very effective advocate for county government. As Cook County Commissioner, he also represents one of the legendary counties in America. That was true even before my wife was born there. [Laughter]

Let me say just a few words about the terrible flooding throughout the Midwest. There's been extraordinary damage done to crops and homes and businesses, but not to the spirit of our people or to our commitment to join them as neighbors to help them to rebuild each of those communities.

As county leaders, you know more than most about the hopes and problems of families. For many, the efforts of local government represent the best ideals of America. But for too many years, since Washington has spent too much and invested too little and refused to make the tough decisions necessary to keep our economy healthy, the only clear message local leaders got from Washington was, "You're on your own. And by the way, here are a few more burdens." Washington gave you make-believe budgets and mandates with no money. They drove up the debt from $1 trillion to $4 trillion and still invested less in the things that make our communities stronger.

Well, you've been at the forefront of trying to change this. You know that we must create high-wage, high-skill jobs again so there will be less crime, fewer transfer payments, and more revenues to support businesses and institutions that are the foundation of all stable communities.

I wish I could be with you in person today, and I'm looking forward to doing so when you have future meetings. But as you know, my first obligation to you and to our Nation is to keep fighting for change right here in Washington and for an economic plan that creates jobs and raises incomes, that invests in a stronger tomorrow and brings this terrible deficit down.

This economic plan is good for the country and the economy and good for the forgotten middle class. It contains the largest Federal reduction of the deficit in history, with over $250 billion of dramatic cuts in spending. It finally begins paying down the deficit and shifting the budget away from waste and toward sound investments in job creation and entrepreneurship, in new technologies, and in the health and education of our people. There couldn't be a more profound change from the old ways and the failed policies of the past to a new direction that will make our economy work again.

For starters, we make more than 200 specific cuts that slash over $250 billion from this budget. For the first time, we secure the savings from both tax increases and spending cuts in a trust fund so they can't be touched. While the old ways favor those at the very top income brackets, our plan asks the most from those who are most able to give. At least 70 percent of the new taxes in this plan will fall on those making over $200,000 a year, while millions of families earning below $30,000 will actually get a tax break. And those who work full-time and have children at home will be lifted out of poverty. Over 90 percent of the small business who are unincorporated will have the opportunity for a reduction in their taxes through increasing their expensing provisions. So working families and the middle class, after 12 long years of being ignored, win in our program.

The old ways ignored the business incentives and the investments in technology and infrastructure that will allow our economy to create growth in a tough global economy. And while my plan does cut the deficit dramatically, it also empowers families and businesses to build better lives and stronger communities.

This plan reforms the student loan program, saving billions of dollars and making it easier for millions of our young people to pay for college. It creates a program of national service to allow young people to pay for college by serving their Nation in communities like yours. And for the majority who don't attend college, we've funded the boldest national apprenticeship program ever. Educating and training young people is the best investment we can make, and it's time we committed ourselves to doing that.

We empower communities to protect themselves by providing more funds for police officers. It empowers creditworthy small businesses to a new network of community development banks and creates empowerment zones to bring to bear the full power of free enterprise on our poorest large and small areas. And because I believe new environmental technologies and improved water systems and better roads and incentives for the private sector will mean more jobs and more growth, our plan creates a greater commitment to each.