European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 14, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday january 14, 1988 the stars and stripes o cities give Congress Reagan Low Grade Washington a officials of uie nation s cities gave Congress and he Reagan administration a Lousy report card on the Way Washington handles key issues ranging from drug to the deficit a report released monday said. The 596 local officials surveyed by the National league of cities characterized Washington s of tank As poor or inferior on six policy issues illegal drugs housing disposal of hazardous materials unemployment poverty and the Federal budget deficit. The lowest Mark Overall it Tel to Congress Tor its handling of the deficit problem and inc second Iov St was assigned to the administration for tic same Issue. Both received grades of under 1.0, with 1.0 being a a on the scale or poor and 0.0 being an for inferior Al the top end 1.0 was an a or  by any Standard this is a Lousy report card for our National Leaden they arc still playing Hooky from he school of responsible government White local officials arc being burdened with the costs of doing someone else s Homework along with their own said Alan Beals executive director of the league of cities. The local officials gave higher Marks to the presidential candidates Overall and also higher Marks to the Media than it gave the Federal government for treat ment of the six issues. The presidential contender and National Media both scored a a minus inc local Media got a a while the Federal government got a p. The league of cities circulated a questionnaire to presidential hopefuls on issues of concern of the seven major democratic runners six responded Gary Han did not because he was out of inc race at the Tim of the questionnaire. Of inc Sis republicans Only vice president George Bush and rep. Jack Kemp of new York responded. Beats said the Survey of City officials found the local picture was a combination of the Good inc bad and  the Good news was the improving Economy that has helped Case local unemployment. And is percent of political briefs Bush holds Lead in . Ver other gop hopefuls. Bany . A vice residents Educ Bush holds a commanding Leal among Republican presidential hopefuls in to Tow York while Here is no Clear front runner a Hong the demo ats according to the result Jbf a poll . I the Lues Survey by the Marist cell Csc Institute for Public opinion showed Busti As the Choice 0144,2 percent of the re i Blicaus surveyed lolp.3 percent for sen. Be Dole of Kan Sas. Rep. Lack Kemp s support As at 10.9 per cent Ami his Home slate rep liens. Former be Creary of stale Alexander Haig was the Choice 1" 7.4 percent Folk 311 republicans polled Patk Obinson was jul 1.6 percent and former Del svarc gov. Per flu font was at 1.3 percent. 1 f on the a of Craitic of. Former sen. Gary Hart was Al 116 per cup with a so Jackson at 19.5 percent Aid maae Husetis gov Michae Dukakis at i 8.1 per Dot. Trailing were Illinois sen. Paul Simon 12 percent former arizon Agov. Bruce Batic Impat 3.8 percent Missouri rep. Richard gab wet Al 1.6 percent and ten Nessee sen. . 011.3 percent. Of the379 democrats a cd 24.1 percent said they were undecided.  few attest deception Phoenix gave the legit Days after his lace when a Spilions afterwards the guards time median arms for a i live Tower a at his i night  a four i other Coujil am. Our up Many made on i is a lure Ai Ruji Clec jct owl i gov Evan Mecham apologetic speech three but received Little so la owed up for a Recap Lul numbed inc guests by the look hit life Florence in his around vie poor of his exec in Capitol monday evening. 1, the yer nor danced All Ibert Gutier bid after inc Mech their one Date and left. _ band was Wing but Only one was dancing wigs id inc much estimated that to people Sho Edily briefly but rely a Dent was platters of fruit Tjw vegetables and sandwiches when the race Patio and ended. Housing search lbs difficult metro areas to find rental units for Transfer employees in percent of firms surveyed new York " " l 78% los Angeles a Loston  Chicago . Note does nol add to 1 00% due to multiple answers. Chicago Tribune graphic source Runzheimer intact Ladonal the cily officials said they expect their local economies will continue growing while 71 percent said their local economics grew in 1987. They were less optimistic about the prospects for the National Economy however with 58 percent anticipating National economic growth in the coming year com pared to 63 percent who said there was significant economic growth in 1987. The bad news is that Many of the toughest prob lems facing our cities and our nation poverty drugs homelessness affordable housing and crime. Again showed signs of worsening in the Pas year and there it Little reason to expect any dramatic improvements in 1988," Beals told a news conference. The ugly news he added is that most local officials think Washington s handling of these problems has Bee somewhere Between poor and absolutely inferior. The City officials said inc top five areas in which conditions worsened last year were drugs crime the Cost of Energy  and the afford ability of housing. Thirty five percent of the respondents said they expect to raise lanes in their cities this year while 59 percent said taxes will slay the same and 3 percent said lanes would go Down. Sixty eight percent said fees for services would group and 28 Pyrc Cal said they would stay the same. One percent of the cities expect their local fees to go Down. On a regional basis budget and work Force cutback were predicted More frequently in cities in the West and Midwest than in the Northeast and South. City staff cuts were projected by 20 percent of the Western officials 18 percent in the Midwest 11 per cent in the Norl Licals and id percent in the South. The local officials were asked to list the three most important problems facing their cities. The problems cited most often were Overall economic conditions listed by 36 percent streets roads and sidewalks 30 percent City fiscal conditions 25 percent solid waste disposal 22 percent and unemployment 19 percent. Bush goes before Walsh Pom Erno hopefuls debate i Jowa by the associated press vice pics mint George Bush answered questions under oath Mol May in Independent counsel Lawrence Walsh s Iran Conn. Prode while four of the demo erotic presidential a muts traded familiar jabs in Iowa during their first doute Antic election year. Bush spokesman Sliphe Hjart provided no details except to say that the vice part in Cut voluntarily met with and answered All quellion Smied by the members of the Independent counsel s Sta All question were answered Coni holy. Fully and under oath said Hart adding that the flee president is not a target of Walsh s criminal probe Duih spent inc Day in Washington while mow of theother dozen Republican and democratic  were pressing their Case with the voters. Democrat Michael Dukakis ridiculed the Runi feud Between Bush and sen. Bob Dole saying the l republicans reminded him of Little boys throw mud pies in the Back Yard. Dukakis threw his Dart As he rep. Richard Ophardt of Missouri sen. Paul Simon of  Arizona gov. Bruce Babbili debated two hours in Sioux City Iowa. Gary Hart who skipped the event was stiff d out by Babbitt who referred to Gary Hart   he Laid he was going to Inke his Casi filhe people Babbitt said referring to Hart s slate mls when he re entered the democratic race. It into to me like the people Are he  most of the serious  directed at Simon and his deficit culling Plaa Simon has generally fared Well in most polls in Igig Lead in some recent pm Dukakis Challon Kimon to justify a jobs program Hal costs Biloni Smollan instead  As welfare Reform us Dukakis said would save Money. Jesse jacks Ovand Tennessee sen Albert Gore or. Also skipped Jne event but All seven candidates Are expected Iafa Moines on Friday for the firs full scale democratic confrontation of the election year. The Iff a caucuses will be held in four weeks and a Lawine in the first major contest of the election year a Villa for a would be president to demonstrate the strength of his candidacy i tuned up for the democratic debate by Bash i Bush and Dole in a speech to business officials in of Iowa. Dole says he offers leadership to the country while Bush is running on his resume. The vice president began returning fire last week. Artof the republicans Fei to the spectacle of a re i the Senate minority Leader but Dukakis offered this this nation has been publican vice president. Throwing mud pies Al Din other like a couple of link boys in the Back Yard  governor said. Gore held so note meetings with Virginia Cov Gerald Halides Tjit Kentucky Cov. Wallace Wilkinson As he sought whore up his Southern base.  surprised the Gore Camp when he said last week Wright Back Dukakis said after a 40-Minutc  monday that he is still undecided. Harakas in new Hampshire where he Laid a High tour Ienco he had decided on the person he ask to be his running male if he wins the noun. Bui he would t a who it is. Tone candidate who dropped out. Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware said in u newspaper interview thai he was t ready for a presidential Campaign. Arguably i can say i was intellectually ready but iwas t ready in Lermit of the staffing the scheduling the so and i also was naive Aboul How Tough it was he told j Wilmington morning news. Biden of Uit the race last Ember after admitting he had plagiarized some of his Orfin Law school exaggerated his academic credentials and ulu another politician s words As Hii own. Bush office refilled to provide details of the vice  with Walsh s attorneys. Instead Bush chose the Day to release a package of ii Federal in me la returns dam 197 to 19s6. Campaign spam woman Barbara Purdue said All of the material had in released previously. Bush released Phakni Aerial after proposing in the candidate debate Frid Spight that All gop contenders make their Filangi for the so 10 years available. Bush has been under prof care in recent weeks to Dis close All he knew about the in Contra affair. During weekend appearances he Vij Rohly defended he Candor saying that he had answered All questions except those dealing with his private advice to . Dote was in new York where kit inked up the endorsement of sen. Alfonse d Amato a first term rep. Artory Houghlon. We re going m have an amnesty  Pali Liciu supporting Bush the Kansas senator a he then went to new Hampshire where he toyed own the running verbal feud he and Bush have having in recent Days. There s not much bickering going on he said. Let she realistic we re less than 30 Days away from a big big contest and less than 40 Days away from a second big Monte so. There s some panic in some