WASHINGTON – President Bush told the nation’s governors yesterday that the economy – and lagging state revenues – would get a boost if Congress passes his tax cut.
“I believe we’re going to get a lot of it passed,” Bush said of his plan to cut investment taxes for small businesses, reduce the tax on dividends, boost the child credit and speed up the income-tax cuts passed in 2001.
Bush said his administration would work with states to improve health care, education and the nation’s security.
“We face common challenges. I look forward to working with you all to meet those challenges,” Bush said.
He also expressed willingness to work with the governors, among them Gov. Pataki, to include a prescription-drug benefit for the elderly poor that would ease the states’ Medicaid costs, several governors said.
Speaking as one executive to another, Bush complained about legislators who overspend and the difficulty of getting his message out.
“In this town, you hear a lot of early noise which sometimes fades when a chief executive starts taking the message to the people, and that’s what I intend to do,” Bush said. “And I know you do the same things, when you sell your packages at home,” Bush said.
After the president’s speech, reporters were cleared, and then Bush took questions from several governors seated at tables in the White House State Dining Room.