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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 2005)
| Global update | Today Thursday Friday High: 55 High: 54 High: 53 Low: 41 Low: 41 Low: 39 Precip: 50% Precip: 20% Precip: 60% IN BRIEF House Democrats demand look at tax breaks SALEM — Lawmakers should scour hundreds of tax breaks now on the books to look for ways to get rev enue for schools, a coalition of House Democrats said Tbesday. The majority Republicans said ending a break is a tax increase by another name. “I’m not enthused about solving our shortfall by shifting the burden onto businesses,” said Rep. Tom But ler, R-Ontario, chairman of the House Revenue Committee. His panel has jurisdiction over bills to raise revenue. The Democrats, who are in the minority in the House and have few moderate Republican allies left, pitched a “strong schools plan” with mostly familiar themes, includ ing a hard look at tax breaks they said cost the state $8.8 billion in general fund revenue. School advocates are sharply criti cizing Democratic Gov. Ted Kulon goski’s proposed $5 billion school support budget as inadequate, saying it will cause more classroom crowd ing and shortened school districts in some places. “For four years our schools have been on a downward slide,” said House Minority Leader Jeff Merkley, D-Portland. “Today we draw a line in the sand.” r Kulongoski’s proposed school aid for 2005-07 is a relatively small in crease — $84 million — from current spending. Fiscal analysts estimate that maintaining all existing services would require an additional $300 mil lion to $400 million. Kulongoski, along with legislative leaders of both parties, acknowl edge there’s little or no chance of any outright tax increases, especial ly after voters have defeated pro posed budget-balancing tax boosts twice in the past two years. “We absolutely must look at the tax giveaways,” said Rep. Steve March, D-Portland. Democrats didn’t specify which breaks should be ended but in the past have criticized allowing tax credits to businesses for the costs of complying with pollution control laws, for example. Butler said it’s “fertile ground to at least examine” some tax breaks but that he doubted whether there are enough votes on his panel to re scind many of them, if any. He noted also that it requires three-fifths approval in the House — 36 votes — to pass any revenue raising bill. Republicans outnumber Democrats 33-27 in the chamber. White House: Deficit will hit record $427 billion WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House will project that this year’s federal deficit will hit $427 bil lion, a senior administration official said Tliesday, a record amount partly driven by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The official, among three who briefed reporters on con dition of anonymity, said the esti mate was a conservative one that as sumed some higher spending than other analysts use. Last February, the White House projected that the 2004 shortfall would hit $521 billion, only to see it come in at $412 billion. Oscar nominations set up Scorsese-Eastwood duel BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Martin Scorsese may finally be positioned for Academy Awards glory, but his Howard Hughes epic “The Aviator” will have to duke it out with Clint Eastwood’s boxing drama. The best picture and best director honors are shaping up as a two-film race be tween Scorsese’s and Eastwood’s flicks, with “The Aviator” having the inside track, leading the pack with 11 nominations Tliesday. Officials: Israel ends targeted killings JERUSALEM — Israel has stopped targeting Palestinian militants for death, according to Israeli security of ficials, fulfilling a key Palestinian de mand for a truce to end four years of violence. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Israel has informed the Palestinians of their decision. It came after generals from the two sides met Tuesday to plan de ployment of Palestinian police in cen tral and southern Gaza, to prevent militants from attacking Israelis. National guard would give bonuses to bolster ranks WASHINGTON — Looking for new ways to bolster its thinning ranks, the Army National Guard is seeking legal authority to offer $15,000 bonuses to active-duty sol diers willing to join the Guard — up from the current bonus of $50. Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told re porters Tuesday that the Guard is 15,000 soldiers below its normal strength of 350,000, and he expects further short-term declines despite recent gains from tripling re-enlist ment bonuses for guardsmen de ployed abroad. — The Associated Press S-fcudeni Chedklis-fc l5^£fa<dy-Coir-test Do laundry □ /n«t (or piz-zA And a brew/ Introducing... 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