A busy week in Congress

S.J. Cahn and Lolita Harper

Whether it’s because it’s the start the of the 108th Congress or

because Rep. Chris Cox has a new presswoman, the news has been flying

fast and furious from his office this week.

“Rep. Cox Bill Is Centerpiece of Bush Economic Growth Plan. Ending

the Double Tax on Dividends is 25-Year Cox Campaign” was the topper

of the most eye-opening, which was sent on Wednesday.

Apparently, in 1977, Cox wrote a thesis at Harvard advocating the

repeal of the double tax on dividends, which of course is a piece of

the President Bush economic plan released this week. And in 1992, he

introduced a bill to do that.

“By ending the confiscatory double tax on dividends, President

Bush’s economic plan will promote investment, encourage consumer

spending and create jobs for Americans,” Cox said in the release. “It

will help protect Americans’ savings during stock market declines.

Every person who pays taxes, invests in the stock market, saves for

retirement, lives on a fixed income, or is looking for a job will

benefit from the president’s plan. Congress will put its full support

behind the president’s plan to get the American economy back on

track.”

But that isn’t all. On Tuesday, Cox’s new presswoman, Kate

Whitman, sent out a release: “On Opening Day, Rep. Cox Has Long ‘To

Do’ List for 108th Congress.”

That list includes the repeal of the estate tax (referred to in

the release by the popular “death tax” monicure); the “Child Support

Enforcement Act,” which Cox says will permit a divorced parent to

deduct unpaid child support from a delinquent former spouse’s

paycheck; and a bill to repeal the “luxury tax” on beer, which,

according to the release, is “the last of the 1990 luxury taxes on

cars, planes, jewelry and furs. By doubling the federal beer excise,

the tax has hurt farmers, producers and consumers, and overtaxed beer

in comparison with other alcoholic beverages.”

Finally, there was a release titled “Cox, Wyden Introduce Bill to

Permanently Ban Unfair Internet Taxes Bipartisan Legislation Protects

the Tech Economy.” Cox has long pressed for Internet tax relief.

“By ending this unfair practice once and for all, we can protect

Internet users from unnecessary and burdensome taxes,” Cox said.

“This will encourage spending, promote investment, expand business

and create new jobs.”

And it’s just the first few days of Congress.

PROMISES, PROMISES

Campaign promises are not something to be taken lightly.

Costa Mesa Councilman Allan Mansoor’s was the lone vote Monday for

independent study of a 19th Street bridge, which he admits is a

desolate political position to take.

“Will it revitalize the Westside? I am not convinced,” Mansoor

said about the contentious plan to build a bridge over the Santa Ana

River to connect the city to Huntington Beach. “Whether it was smart

or not, I said during the campaign that I would support a study and I

will stand by my word.”

Speaking of keeping your promises, Costa Mesa Councilman Chris

Steel has shown a renewed effort to tackle the “magnets” he vowed to

bring down during his 2000 campaign.

His efforts to reduce the number of charities and illegal aliens

in the city and shrink the Job Center have faltered in the first half

of his four-year term, but Steel addressed the issues with vigor

again Monday.

During talks on the decrepit Huscroft House, Steel suggested that

$250,000 given to the city by the Segerstroms during Home Ranch

negotiations be used to battle his infamous “magnets.”

The money was originally designated to move the arguably historic

craftsman house to Fairview Park, but another suitable use must be

found since the council has scrapped those plans.

Steel has big plans for it.

“Give the remaining bulk toward getting rid of the magnets and

zeroing in on these businesses and their so-called hiring process.

Let’s clean up and go after these slums.”

He iterated his ambition later in the evening when he told the

Community Redevelopment Action Committee -- lovingly nicknamed CRAC

-- to focus on the real issues that plague the city.

“Get cracking and start getting rid of these magnets that cause

our Westside to be in the condition it is in the first place,” Steel

said.

MORBID PLANS PUT IN PLACE

Chris Cox wasn’t all about death taxes and dividends during

Congress’ first week. He also saw a few rules he’d proposed after the

Sept. 11 attacks put in place.

The rules include allowing the speaker to adjust the numbers in

the House so that, given a mass loss of House members, the body could

continue meeting and voting until special elections filled the empty

seats.

They also provide for the speaker to put together a list of who

would act as temporary speaker if the speaker was killed in a

terrorist attack.

Finally, the rules allow the speaker to adjourn the House at any

point if there appears to be an imminent threat to the safety of its

members.

Those are some heavy changes.