8
Mondav. November 30.1992
PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Businesses cater to Clinton
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Willard Hotel, just two blocks from the White House, wasted no time in cashing on its new neighbor. It started serving bottled water from Arkansas the day after Bill Clinton won the election.
Two days later, Dominique's French restaurant announced with the words "Bon Appetit, Y'all!" that it would add catfish and chicken-fried steak to its menu — labeled "Clinton Cuisine."
Washington businesses are looking to capitalize on Clinton and to associate their names with the new administration. Some are trying out hokey down-home promotions. Others are offering expert advice.
"We want to make everyone from Arkansas feel at home," said one of Dominique's owners, Herb Ezrin, who insisted catfish was not out of place on a menu featuring rack of lamb and "Lobster Champagne."
"We sold out of it when Clinton was in town last week." Ezrin said.
The Clinton transition office in Little Rock is not being flooded only with resumes. It also has received plenty of mail from Washington real estate agents, eager to be chosen. They're sending brochures, listings and promotional key chains, aides say.
Soon after the election, the Washington office of an Atlanta-based job placement company, EnterChange Inc., offered itself as an authority on the transition. It sent out a press release to offices around town offering job hunting tips for out-of-work Republicans and zoom-to-the-top Democrats.
Republicans, it recommended,
should rush out their resumes for jobs
as lobbyists, paid political consultants
or conservative think-tank pundits.
Democrats should shore up connections
with Clinton and his friends.
In an effort to influence the incoming first family's radio listening habits, radio station WASH-FM sent a gift basket the week after the election.
Presents included WASH-FM mugs, a Washington map and a Michael Bolton compact disc for Chelsea. There was also a tape with a saxophone version of "Hail to the Chief" and an impersonation of Clinton by one of the station's disc jockeys.
"We wanted to acquaint the Clintons with Washington, and part of Washington is Washington radio, and part of Washington radio is WASH," said representative Terry Lowe-Edwards. "We hope we'll hear from them."
The weekend after the election, Occasions Caterers on Capitol Hill laid out an Arkansas spread for a luncheon hosted by Frank Manciwicz of the powerful public relations firm, Hill & Knowlton. Okra and fried green tomatoes were on the menu.
"We did some research in a general sort of a way, in case Clinton got elected," said co-owner Mark Michaels.
Clinton's tax cut may have to wait
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President-elect Bill Clinton's promised middle-class tax cut next year may fall victim to the government's record budget deficit, just as President George Bush's own opronosal did earlier this year.
He insists that there has been no decision to abandon it. "If there are not adequate revenues to deal with it, they may decide to put aside the tax cut for the short term and concentrate on economic growth incentives," said Rep. Robert Matsui, D-Calif., a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Clinton, whose campaign included a pledge to cut middle-class taxes by $60 billion in the next four years, now adds a condition: "If we can work it out."
There is general agreement -- barring dramatic economic developments -- that any tax bill passed by Congress
"We have to take into account what the status of the economy is when we convene in January," said Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, D-Maine, who supports a tax cut.
Members of Congress, their advisers, lobbyists and others, who closely watch tax legislation, disagree on the desirability of a general tax cut when the government is taking in about $300 billion a year less than it is spending. There is general agreement — barring dramatic econom-
When Bush sent his budget to Congress in February, he advocated a $500 increase in the personal exemption for each child under 18. But he put the proposal on the back burner after Republican allies in Congress balked at the spending reductions he proposed to pay for it.
and signed by Clinton early next year will:
■ Restore, at least temporarily, the investment tax credit, in which the government would pay for 10 percent of the cost of machinery and equipment bought by businesses.
Raise taxes on the 2 1/2 percent to 3 percent with the highest incomes. This increase probably would be restricted to single people with total income above $140,000 and couples more than $170,000.
A new, 36 percent top tax rate would be created for these people, who now pay a maximum 31 percent on part of their earnings. In addition, a surtax of up to 10 percent would apply to taxable incomes of more than $1 million. If history is a guide, Congress will be unable to resist the temptation to add lots of amendments to that bill.
Thus, there is a good chance that a simple bill to stimulate business investment in job-create machinery and to raise taxes on the well-to-do could balloon into a potpouri package similar to those Bush rejected March 20 and Nov.4.
At the top of this secondary list: repealing the luxury tax on high-priced yachts, planes, jewels and furs; renewing a dozen targeted tax breaks that expired in June, including those for investment in low-income rental housing and employer-provided assistance for continuing education; a new credit for first-time home buyers; incentives for real estate investment, and expansion of Individual Retirement Accounts.
The Sound Alternative 90.7 presents
KJHX "Cares"
The Annual Holiday Auction
Wednesday, December 2nd at the Lawrence Holidome-Regency Room
6:00 FOOD FAIR
Stuff yourself full of food from local restaurants for just $2. (profits will be donated to Women's Transitional Care services)
7:00 AUCTION
Save up to 75% by bidding on merchandise and services donated by local businesses.