SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 16, 2017 (UPI/Gephardt Daily) — White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney defended the Trump administration’s proposed deep cuts to social welfare programs, such as free school lunches and Meals on Wheels, as “about as compassionate as you can get” for taxpayers.
Mulvaney, speaking to the White House press corps on Thursday, addressed some of the controversial elements of Trump’s proposed $1.1 trillion discretionary spending plan, which includes a $54 billion increase for the Pentagon and deep cuts to the State Department, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Under Trump’s plan, the popular HUD program known as Community Development Block Grants would be ended. The grants are pots of money given to the states to fund various social programs, including free and reduced-price school meals for children from low-income families and Meals on Wheels, the national nonprofit that coordinates volunteers at the community level who cook and drive meals to homebound seniors.
The CDBG program cost $3 billion in the last federal budget.
Cutting Meals on Wheels and school lunch programs for low-income students will have a direct impact on people who depend on these services for what is often their only meal of the day.
But Community Development Block Grants also provide funds for other community needs.
Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski addressed this in a press release late Thursday afternoon, in which she points out that, “While campaigning in cities throughout the country last year, then candidate Donald Trump spoke often about the ‘issue of urban renewal’ and the ‘rebuilding of our inner cities.'”
Now, she says, “President Trump is proposing a budget which will strip billions of dollars cities use to improve infrastructure and provide services to residents most in need.”
“Salt Lake City utilized funds now under threat, to make sidewalk repairs, improve the Jordan River Parkway, provide home repair for seniors and those with disabilities, support computer literacy programs for youth, and for various homeless services.”
In his press conference, Mulvaney said Trump’s spending plan delivers on the promise he made during the campaign, to cut wasteful spending. He told reporters that many of these programs aren’t “delivering on their mission.”
“You’re only focusing on half of the equation, right? You’re focusing on recipients of the money. We’re trying to focus on both the recipients of the money and the folks who give us the money in the first place,” Mulvaney told reporters. “And I think it’s fairly compassionate to go to them and say, ‘Look, we’re not going to ask you for your hard-earned money anymore … unless we can guarantee to you that that money is actually going to be used in a proper function. And I think that is about as compassionate as you can get.”
Biskupski’s press release is below:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2017
Mayor Biskupski’s statement on President Trump’s budget proposal
“While campaigning in cities throughout the country last year, then candidate Donald Trump spoke often about the “issue of urban renewal” and the “rebuilding of our inner cities.”
Not quite two months into his term of office, President Trump is proposing a budget which will strip billions of dollars cities use to improve infrastructure and provide services to residents most in need.
This reduction in funding will severely affect the quality of life of many low-income residents, contribute to the deterioration of already struggling communities, imperil our local environment, and rob us of the arts and culture which make life beautiful.
In the last year alone, Salt Lake City utilized funds now under threat, to make sidewalk repairs, improve the Jordan River Parkway, provide home repair for seniors and those with disabilities, support computer literacy programs for youth, and for various homeless services.
As Mayor, I urge our Congressional delegation to consider the local-level consequences of these proposals, and to work with the Administration to ensure we truly are rebuilding and renewing cities and towns across the State of Utah.”
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