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Exchange of Remarks between President and Governor of Iowa and Question and Answer Session [Ford Speech or Statement]
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7344327
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Exchange of Remarks between President and Governor of Iowa and Question and Answer Session [Ford Speech or Statement]
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
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1976
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Digitized from Box 27 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 3, 1976
OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
THE WHITE HOUSE
EXCHANGE OF REMARKS
BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT
AND
ROBERT D. RAY
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF IOWA
AND
QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
THE NORTH GROUNDS
4:15 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: I thought it would be helpful
to give you a report in part on the meeting that we held
this afternoon. Many of you were there at the outset.
The meeting, of course, was called, as I indicated, at
the request of the New Coalition, composed of the Governors,
the city officials, county officials and others in order
to convince the Members of the House of Representatives
on both sides of the aisle the need and necessity for
general revenue sharing.
The meeting did indicate that the legislation
would be on the floor of the House most likely next week.
There are some serious differences of opinion, differences
that I hope can be worked out. The question was asked,
would I support the bill that came out of the full
committee of Government Operations, and I said it was
drastically different than the legislation I had recommended,
and I would have to reserve judgment as to whether or not
I would sign it, depending of course on what the final
version was.
It is a very serious matter that involves local
services. It involves State taxation and local taxation.
I was pleased to be on the side of those who have faith
and trust in the Governors of our various States, the
mayors of our cities and the county officials. Whether
they are Democratic or Republican, I think they can do a
good job.
It is my hope and trust that the Congress will
respond with good legislation.
Bob, do you want to add anything?
MORE
Page 2
GOVERNOR RAY: I might just add to what the
President said, that we were very pleased that the President
responded as he did at the White House and had the members
of the New Coalition meet with him and the Members of
the House of Representatives. I think aga. n we found
there is much more resistance to revenue st aring in
Congress than we would ever dream possible coming from our
States and/or local communities because there--in some
39,000 communities where revenue sharing is SO important--
we get the feeling that it is the right thing and we have
great faith that the money is being used and would be
used, continue to be used, in a wise fashion.
Then we come back here and we find Congress wants
to add restrictions and limitations and all of the things
that we are trying to get away from in this small amount
of money that goes back to the local communities, so I
think the meeting was worthwhile from the benefit of
both us and Members of Congress.
I can't, of course, speak for them, but at least
they know that we feel this is extremely important and
we heard people say that undoubtedly taxes would have to
be raised on the local level if we don't get revenue
sharing. In most communities around this country,
property taxes are very regressive and are a great burden,
and that is very frightening, if they would have to raise
property taxes, because revenue sharing would stop and
cease to continue.
QUESTION: Governor, what kind of deadline do
you have? When do you think you should know if there is
going to be revenue sharing or not?
GOVERNOR RAY: Well, in a sense one deadline
is almost past and that is that most legislatures now have
adopted some kind of a budget. If we don't get it soon,
of course, I think in some jurisdictions they are going
to have to look to other ways to raise more taxes.
There is a deadline now, and this meeting is
very timely because we understand if something does not
happen and it doesn't come out soon, they will get into
the appropriation bill and it will be very difficult for
them to find a spot on the calendar.
QUESTION: Is there any assurance that both
party platforms will include revenue sharing as it is
now?
GOVERNOR RAY: I don't think there is any
assurance that anything will appear in either party plat-
form on any subject, but I think both parties are certainly
in favor of revenue sharing, and I would expect them to
deal with it, particularly if something happens that does
not come through this Congress. We just deem it extremely
important.
MORE
Page 3
QUESTION: Mr. President, did your objections
to the House Government Operations Committee bill go
beyond the time element?
THE PRESIDENT: My objections are the short
time. I think it ought to be extended for five and three-
quarter years. I think the provision that existed in the
present general revenue sharing legislation for the
handling of the financing is the right approach. It was
pointed out in a meeting by Governors as well as mayors
that if we went through the regular appropriation process
it would be very difficult for them to handle the prospect
or the lack of prospect of money in the future.
In addition, it seems to me that I recommended
the growth of $150 million a year, which takes into
account the inflationary aspects that we would anticipate
each year for the next five and three-quarter years.
The full committee bill does not provide for any growth.
In fact, it freezes the amount at the present level, so
there are other objections besides the two that you
mentioned.
QUESTION: Mr. President, just as Jack Brooks
got up to speak our microphones went dead down here. We
did not hear what he had to tell you.
THE PRESIDENT: I think Congressman Brooks' views
are well known. He has been against general revenue
sharing. He was in 1972. He is opposed to it in 1976.
I don't think you needed any amplification of Congressman
Brooks' views. He holds them very strongly, and we
respect them. We just think he is wrong.
QUESTION: Mr. President, how important was
this meeting in your strategy to secure the revenue
sharing bill that you think will be accepted?
THE PRESIDENT: I think it was very important
because the request for the meeting came from the New
Coalition, which indicates their concern, and it gave
me an opportunity to put in the same room the people who
are strongly urging the extension of the legislation as
I recommended it, and some of the people in the Congress
who either want to cripple it or defeat it altogether.
QUESTION: Mr. President, may I ask you a
question? Are you displeased with what Mr. Reagan has
purportedly said about publicly getting involved in
Rhodesia, possibly sending troops to Rhodesia? How do
you feel about that?
MORE
Page 4
THE PRESIDENT: I feel that it was responsible
for me to send the Secretary of State to Southern Africa
to try and negotiate the settlement of those problems.
They are serious, and it was far more responsible for me
to send our Secretary of State there, as I said, to
solve those problems by negotiation rather than to
threaten or to indicate the possibility of sending
American troops to settle the problem.
QUESTION: So, you disagree with Governor Reagan?
THE PRESIDENT: I would say yes, I do, if what
I understand he has said is his personal viewpoint. I
believe that the action that I took to send the Secretary
of State to Southern Africa to settle those problems by
negotiation is the responsible thing to do, and that is
why I did it and any indication that a President might
send troops to Southern Africa -- American troops -- I
think is irresponsible.
QUESTION: How does that differ from your
statement in the campaign that you would provide absolute
guarantees to protect minority rights in Rhodesia?
THE PRESIDENT: I think we can take care of that
by negotiation.
QUESTION: You weren't talking about sending
troops, you were talking about absolute guarantees?
THE PRESIDENT: That is correct.
QUESTION: Is Mr. Reagan's rhetoric dangerous?
THE PRESIDENT: I would not want to comment on
his rhetoric, I simply wanted to indicate my view was
different from his.
QUESTION: He said something about using
American troops as a possible peacekeeping force in the
Middle East. How do you feel about that?
THE PRESIDENT: I haven't seen that comment by
him, but I don't believe that it is necessary to involve
U.S. troops in Southern Africa. I think we can accomplish
the necessary solutions of those problems by skillful
diplomacy, and that was the purpose of my sending the
Secretary of State to Southern Africa.
QUESTION: Has there been any result of his
mission there?
THE PRESIDENT: I think they have been very
constructive.
THE PRESS: Thank you, gentlemen.
END
(AT 4:27 P.M. EDT)