NEWSLETTER

January 1999

How to tackle the pesky budget

By Carl Weiser
Gannett News Service

Sometime in early February, President Clinton will submit his proposed budget to Congress.

Your papers, of course, will want to know what's in it for their states, counties, military bases, schools and overburdened highways, as well as whether Clinton funded some program that only your editor has heard of.

You will have to do this story in three hours. Yikes.

So what do you do?

Thanks to the Web, the federal budget will be posted on line. It might be posted on the White House's Web site, located at www.whitehouse.gov. If not, it will likely be found at the Office of Management and Budget's site (www2.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/OMB/html/ombhome.html). Last year it was posted by around 11 a.m. The most important thing about posting is that it is SEARCHABLE. You might want to practice on the fiscal 1999 budget, which is up and searchable now. Go to OMB's Web site, click on "federal budget." Then click on "budget and supporting documents." Then click on "search selected documents." Most of what you're looking for will be in the budget's appendix.
Unfortunately, the big budget doesn't get very local. To really get the local nitty gritty, you need to go to the agency budget briefings. Of course, you can't visit all of them, so pick the one or two that are most important to your area. Some of those budget briefing books are also posted on the Web, and some are searchable.
Whatever Clinton submits, it's going to be rewritten by Congress anyway. Remember how Clinton was going use all that tobacco settlement money for Head Start and reading tutors? As we all know, Congress busts the budget into 13 separate bills and writes them itself. Theoretically, they have to have the bills passed by Oct. 1, when the 2000 fiscal year begins. Theoretically.
Reading the budget appendix can be a mind-addling experience. There are "obligations," "outlays," "budget authority," and mystifying brackets. The following glossary should help. As for the brackets, the OMB's Chris Ferris explains that the numbers in brackets represent last year's values; the numbers in italics are the proposed new numbers.

Here's a little glossary, courtesy of OMB:

Appropriation -- An appropriation is an act of Congress that enables federal agencies to spend money for specific purposes.
Authorization -- An authorization is an act of Congress that establishes or continues a federal program or agency and sets forth the guidelines to which it must adhere.
Balanced Budget -- A balanced budget occurs when total revenues equal total outlays for a fiscal year.
Budget Authority (BA) -- Budget authority is what the law authorizes, or allows, the federal government to spend for programs, projects or activities.
Budget Enforcement Act (BEA) of 1990 -- The BEA is the law that was designed to limit discretionary spending while ensuring that any new entitlement program or tax cuts did not make the deficit worse. It set annual limits on total discretionary spending and created "pay-as-you-go" rules for any changes in entitlements and taxes. (See Pay-as-you-go.)
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings, or GRH) -- The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 was designed to end deficit spending. It set annual deficit targets for five years, declining to a balanced budget in 1991. If necessary, it required across-the-board cuts in programs to comply with the deficit targets. It was never fully implemented.
Budget Resolution -- The budget resolution is the annual framework within which Congress makes its decisions about spending and taxes. This framework includes targets for total spending, total revenues and the deficit, as well as allocations, within the spending target, for discretionary and mandatory spending.
Cap -- A cap is a legal limit on annual discretionary spending.
Deficit -- The deficit is the difference produced when spending exceeds revenues in a fiscal year.
Discretionary Spending -- Discretionary spending, as opposed to mandatory spending, is what the president and Congress must decide to spend for the next fiscal year through 13 annual appropriations bills. Examples include money for such activities as the FBI and the Coast Guard, housing and education, space exploration and highway construction, and defense and foreign aid.
Entitlement -- An entitlement is a program that legally obligates the federal government to make payments to any person who meets the legal criteria for eligibility. Examples include Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Excise Taxes -- Excise taxes apply to various products, including alcohol, tobacco, transportation fuels and telephone service.
Federal Debt -- The gross federal debt is divided into two categories: debt held by the public, and debt the government owes itself. Another category is debt subject to legal limit.
Debt Held by the Public -- Debt held by the public is the total of all federal deficits, minus surpluses, over the years. This is the cumulative amount of money the federal government has borrowed from the public, through the sale of notes and bonds of varying sizes and time periods.
Debt the Government Owes Itself -- Debt the government owes itself is the total of all trust fund surpluses over the years, like the Social Security surpluses, that the law says must be invested in federal securities.
Debt Subject to Legal Limit -- Debt subject to legal limit, which is roughly the same as gross federal debt, is the maximum amount of federal securities that may be legally outstanding at any time. When the limit is reached, the president and Congress must enact a law to increase it.
Fiscal Year -- The fiscal year is the federal government's accounting period. It begins Oct. 1 and ends on Sept. 30. For example, fiscal 1999 ends Sept. 30, 1999.
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings -- See Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) -- GDP is the standard measurement of the size of the economy. It is the total production of goods and services within the United States.
Mandatory Spending -- Mandatory spending, as opposed to discretionary spending, is authorized by permanent law. An example is Social Security. The president and Congress can change the law to change the level of spending on mandatory programs, but they don't have to.
Off-Budget -- By law, the government must distinguish "off-budget" programs separate from the budget totals. Social Security and the Postal Service are "off-budget."
Outlays -- Outlays are the amount of money the government actually spends in a given fiscal year.
Pay-As-You-Go -- Set forth by the BEA, "pay-as-you-go" refers to requirements that new spending proposals on entitlements or tax cuts must be offset by cuts in other entitlements or by other tax increases to ensure that the deficit does not rise. (See BEA.)
Revenue -- Revenue is money collected by the government.
Social Insurance Payroll Taxes -- This tax category includes Social Security taxes, Medicare taxes, unemployment insurance taxes, and federal employee retirement payments.
Surplus -- A surplus is the amount by which revenues exceed outlays.
Trust Funds -- Trust funds are government accounts, set forth by law as trust funds, for revenues and spending designated for specific purposes.
Unified Federal Budget -- The unified budget, the most useful display of the government's finances, is the presentation of the federal budget in which revenues from all sources and outlays to all activities are consolidated.

RRA marks 10th anniversary

By Deborah Kalb
Gannett News Service

On a week when impeachment was the overwhelming story, speakers at the Regional Reporters Association's 10th anniversary forum tackled subjects ranging from Watergate to public cynicism about government.

The event, held Dec. 14 at the Freedom Forum, featured The Washington Post's David Broder, as well as several past and present regional reporters, scholars and sources who discussed the good and the bad of the regional beat.

Kicking off the morning, James Rosen of The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., (and an RRA board member) discussed his approach to regional reporting. Rosen, who won the 1998 Robin Goldstein Washington Reporting Award for his work, called regional reporting in Washington "about the best job I've ever had."

A former editor in Raleigh, Rosen discussed the different perspectives often experienced by reporters (who complain that their story wasn't on the front page) and editors (who complain that they have nothing to put on the front page). Rosen described two of his major assignments: Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., and tobacco.

The first panel, focusing on the evolution of the regional beat, was moderated by Sean Griffin, the first RRA president and now a senior public relations officer with Boeing.

Griffin described some of the changes in a reporter's life since his early days in Washington, the advent of voice mail, C-SPAN and quick-and-easy fax machines among them.

Panelist Alan Emory, bureau chief of the Watertown (N.Y.) Daily Times, said that regional reporting has no limits and that a story that seems regional easily can become national. He described how he made contact with various political figures, such as Bobby Kennedy, who had local connections but also national stature.

Panelist Tom Brazaitis, senior Washington editor of The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer and co-founder of RRA, described his first assignment in Washington: the Watergate impeachment hearings. He said coming to Washington made him feel like a smaller fish in a bigger pond, and he suggested that the best stories for regional reporters are those featuring a local person with national importance.

The third panel member, Norm Lockman, associate editor of The (Wilmington) News Journal, described being locked in the White House during Nixon's resignation in 1974, unable to contact his office and tell them his whereabouts.

Lockman told the audience that becoming an expert in a specific issue would be helpful and suggested becoming familiar with document reading rooms at various government agencies.

The second panel dealt with the future of regional reporting. Moderator Gene Roberts, who teachers journalism at the University of Maryland and was managing editor at The New York Times for three years, said the role of national correspondents in Washington has changed, thereby affecting what regionals do.

He said national correspondents used to cover federal agencies in detail, but now just parachute in without knowing the specific players. Regional reporters, with their local connections, are more likely to develop sources in those agencies, Roberts said.

Perry Flippin, news director for Donrey Media Group, discussed the importance of finding people from the local area during a national story; for example, searching for local people at the Capitol during last summer's shootings. He warned that it was dangerous for reporters to get too close to people in power.

Stephen Hess of the Brookings Institution, who has been studying the Washington press corps for 20 years, discussed changes in regional TV bureaus. He said over the years the bureaus became dominated by large media organizations and therefore were less likely to provide unique coverage for one station at a time.

TV bureaus' abdication of that particular regional role could be important for print regional reporters, Hess said.

Rep. Paul McHale, D-Pa., speaking weeks before he retired from Congress, said that overall he has been treated more than fairly by regional reporters. But he questioned what he called a shift from education to entertainment, as print reporters attempt to compete with TV.

McHale said it is harder to persuade reporters to cover public policy these days, because they are focused on covering inflammatory remarks.

Cheryl Arvidson, director of the Paul Miller Regional Reporting Fellowship Program, said reporters need to show people that government is relevant. National reporters, she said, are not doing that because they are following the "pack" story of the day. She said she would not advise reporters to ignore scandals, but said they should not feel ashamed to write about the times when government does something right.

The Post's Broder delivered the keynote address. Broder made the point that many decisions these days are being made at the state or local level, so Washington reporters should work with their colleagues at statehouses and city halls to explore stories.

He also said reporters should pay attention to voters when doing political stories, not just candidates and consultants.

In addition, Broder discussed the cynicism afflicting the public and suggested reporters should not pass up opportunities to describe honorable performances in government.

In Brief

Events planned at RRA
The Regional Reporters Association is planning to hold its annual budget seminar on Wed., Jan. 27, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the National Press Club.
Bill Hoagland, majority staff director for the Senate Budget Committee, will attend. Other speakers will be announced later. Watch the RRA Web site, www.rra.org for more details.
Togo D. West Jr., Secretary of Veterans Affairs, will be the RRA's February newsmaker. West will speak to the group the week of Feb. 2. Details to come.
Miller applications due
Regional reporters looking for additional insights into covering Washington may apply for the Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowships.
Applications are due Feb. 1. Reporters can request an application by contacting Cheryl Arvidson at The Freedom Forum at (703) 284-3507 or by e-mail (carvidson@freedomforum.org).
The program is open to any print or broadcast reporter who covers Washington from a regional perspective for hometown readers or viewers.
The goal of the program is to help reporters find solid news stories with a local angle in the various branches of the federal government.
Participants also get a chance to make contact with other journalists in similar jobs.
Anniversary clip books still available from RRA
RRA has a few copies of the special edition clip book, "Ten Years of Regional Reporting," a compilation of stories from the past deca de.
Anyone who would like a free copy may contact RRA president Christine Dorsey at (202) 783-1760 or cdorsey@nationalpress.com. Please include your mailing address.
Hurry! Supplies are limited
Comments sought on dealing with White House
The RRA is currently working on scheduling a meeting between the RRA board and the White House press operation to discuss ways to improve communication between the White House and the regional press corps.
Regionals with ideas, suggestions or gripes about working with the White House press people should contact RRA President Christine Dorsey. The goal is to offer the White House solid ideas of how to better serve the regional press in Washington.
Reporters who wish to comment should give specific examples, if possible, about problems or benefits concerning dealing with regional press aides.
RRA members will soon be receiving by mail an invoice for the 1999 dues. Please return the form with payment as soon as possible so that the RRA can continue to fund seminars and other programs for your benefit.
Also please check the postal and e-mail addresses on the invoice and let us know of any changes. E-mail has increasingly become an important way we inform members of events and other information useful to regional reporters. If you have already paid, please disregard the notice, but do check your addresses.
Board Meeting Minutes - January 4, 1999
The RRA board discussed 1999 newsmakers. A briefing on veterans issues is set for the week of Feb. 4 with Veterans Affairs Secretary Togo West, and another may be held with Tony Precipe, chairman of the Congressional Commission on Servicemembers and Veterans Transition Assistance, to talk about a new report on veterans benefits.
Also in the works are briefings with the head of the White House Office of Management and Budget and White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart to discuss the Clinton administration's new budget and other issues.
Other newsmaker events being considered are briefings with HUD, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and House Speaker Dennis Hastert.
The board also made plans to host a forum for Standing Committee candidates before the Jan. 21 election. The Standing Committee oversees the House and Senate press galleries and will decide such matters as allocating press workspace at the 2000 political conventions.
Board President Christine Dorsey told the board she is sending out a dues notice to the membership in January. Also, she will offer members extra copies of the clip book that was created for the 10th anniversary event.

President's Report

On to the second decade of RRA

By Christine Dorsey

Now that RRA's 10th anniversary celebration is history, it's time to focus on the future. I've been at the helm of RRA for six months, and we've had a packed schedule of newsmakers and other events. 1999 looks as though it will be even better.

The board is working on several newsmaker events, its annual budget seminar and a meeting with White House regional press contacts to try to improve relations with Washington's premiere spin machine.

We're continuing to pass along tips and ideas that come our way via the "Net" and other sources and are trying to keep you up to date using the RRA Web site, http://www.rra.org (Notice how we plug that thing anywhere we can??)

All of this does not get done by itself. The 1998-99 RRA board has been working very hard to bring the membership these services at the low cost of $20 per year. That pays for the Web site, newsletter postage and some printing, special events (and the coffee that gets sopped up at them!), and a part-time intern who helps keep my administrative nightmares at bay, among other costs.

What I ask of you is that you keep supporting RRA by staying on our membership rolls in 1999. We're sending out our annual dues notice this month. Please don't let it get lost among the stack of dues notices that are beginning to pile up on your desk. We're even springing for the return postage to make your life as easy as possible.

I've said this many times over the last six months: RRA is only as good as its membership. We're volunteers here, and we can only serve our colleagues if they continue to support what we do.

So please take a moment to send in your dues when you receive your invoice. If you have colleagues you think would benefit from RRA, please pass along a membership application (located on the back of this newsletter), or have them contact me.

But most of all, don't be a stranger! If you have regional story tips you think other members could use, e-mail me and I'll pass them along.

If you have event ideas or newsletter submissions, send them in!

Thanks again for keeping RRA alive and active for the past 10 years. Here's to 10 more!

RESTIVE REGIONS

RESTIVE REGIONS Pat Howe, a reporter for Small Newspaper Group, has joined the Washington bureau of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. His job at Small has been filled by Angela Grieling, a former intern with the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Andy Sher has joined the Washington press corps for the Chattanooga Times and Free Press. The two Tennessee papers were merged recently, after being bought by owners of the Democrat-Gazette. Sher was a political reporter at the Chattanooga Times. Christi Harlan, correspondent for the Austin American Statesman, has left journalism to take over as press secretary for the Senate Banking Committee, now chaired by Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas. Her position has not yet been filled.

WWWeblink

If you're having a hard time keeping up with the latest polls on the president, Congress or even the Oscars, there's now a Web site that does it all.

The Polling Report provides a compilation of polls on a whole range of subjects, from Monica to the next millennium.

The Web site says it's a service of The Polling Report, an independent, nonpartisan resource on American public opinion, published in Washington, D.C.

The polls are divided into categories - politics, Hollywood, sports, computers, heath, etc. And within the categories are various polls by organizations ranging from Money Magazine to various news organizations and magazines.

Under the economy section, you can check surveys by Money Magazine or CBS News on consumer confidence.

Under politics, you can track the president's job approval ratings as they changed over the last month. The site offers a list of all the different polls, the date and the approval rating - sometimes showing more than one poll for a particular date. In addition to a quick snapshot of the most recent polls, there is a more detailed page showing ratings going back to 1997.

There are also polls on the best movies, the biggest problem that will face the 21st century, whether we are spending enough on space exploration and favorite television doctors.

And, for a quick dose of humility - check out the polling on news gatherers. Seems less than half of those surveyed think we get the facts straight.

The site is located at: http://www.pollingreport.com

-- Lolita Baldor,
New Haven Register

Have a link to share? E-mail it to Lolita Baldor lbaldor@aol.com

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Has your e-mail address changed? Please remember to let RRA know if you move, or if your e-mail address changes. We try to keep our database current, but we need your help. Let us know if you're not receiving e-mail bulletins from RRA president Christine Dorsey. Or, if you prefer not to receive e-mail, let us know that, too. E-mail is becoming RRA's fastest and easiest means of communication with the membership. Be sure to update us on any snail mail or fax number changes as well.

January 1999

How to tackle the pesky budget

RRA marks 10th anniversary

In Brief

President's Report

On to the second decade of RRA

RESTIVE REGIONS

WWWeblink

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