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CLEAR Temp: 65 °F Wind: NW at 4 mph Tuesday, August 12, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend July 27, 2003 Budget writers’ denial of grants creates turmoil By PETER PRENGAMAN The Associated Press SALEM — It doesn’t make sense to Frances Smith. Oregon, the fattest state in the West, won’t be getting federal money to fight obesity because of the decisions of two key state lawmakers. "Where else are we supposed to get money for these kinds of programs?" said Smith, public health administrator for Coos County. A state agency’s proposal to apply for the two federal obesity grants was turned down by the co-chairmen of the legislative budget writing committee: Rep. Randy Miller, R-West Linn, and Sen. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby. The obesity grants are not the only chunk of federal money that the legislative budget writers have decided not to pursue. According to legislative records, the Joint Ways and Means Committee has denied 11 of 46 state agency requests to apply for federal grants. Advertisement Among the programs the money would fund are resettling refugees, encouraging Hispanics to use car seats, and a study to re- duce lead-paint hazards. With Oregon in its worst budget crisis since the Depression, passing up free federal money might not make any sense. But legislative budget writers worry the state will have to continue paying for the programs when their federal funding runs out. They also think these programs — like the ones intended to fight obesity — are a waste of time. "Print brochures to give to people that say ‘eat more fruits and vegetables?"’ said Miller. "That’s like putting cancer warnings on cigarette packages. It doesn’t work." Still, many lawmakers are angry over decisions to block programs before they even start. "How many fat people do you have to see before you say you have a problem?" said. Sen. Lenn Hannon, R-Ashland, the longest serving member of the Legislature. The dispute over federal funds is part of a long-standing debate over the proper role and size of government. "Those guys are anti-government," Hannon said of lawmakers controlling the purse strings. "They think everything is bad. But the grants and money just go elsewhere." Rep. Alan Bates, D-Ashland, challenged the rule that allows only the co-chairmen to approve grant requests. Bates sent a letter to members of the budget panel on July 16 advocating that all members make those decisions. Bates serves on Ways and Means. "Grants, like appropriations, would be assigned to a subcommittee for review and then returned to the full committee for final evaluation," Bates said then. Richard Cauchi, health care program manager for the National Conference of State Legislatures, said Oregon’s denials appear to be unusual, though no formal study of federal grant denials has been done. "Do legislatures review studies and spending? Certainly they do," Cauchi said. "But formal rejections are less common. It’s more common that states are seeking federal funds." When the Legislature is in session, federal grant applications are subject to review by the budget committee co-chairs. As a budget writer last session, Hannon said only a few grants were denied because they were trivial. Rejection isn’t the norm, especially when the state is starved for dollars, he said. Taken together, the two obesity grants would have brought $10 million to Oregon over the next five years. At least a dozen dietitians and coordinators statewide would have been hired to do a wide range of intervention activities: visit schools to talk to students about nutrition, chart out routes for children to walk to school instead of getting a ride and help employers set up exercise programs at work for employees. Dr. Katrina Hedberg, assistant state epidemiologist, said most programs in public health are funded federally. "I can’t remember until this past year getting permission to apply denied," Hedberg said. Hedberg said over 60 percent of adult Oregonians are overweight or obese, making Oregon the fattest Western state. Sen. Jackie Winters, a Salem Republican who chairs a health services subcommittee, said the denials have to be seen in the context of a ballooning health division that the state can’t keep up with. "To be quite frank, the Health Division has not seen a grant they didn’t like," Winters said. "The grants are growing the agency." Jane Moore, manager for chronic disease prevention at the Oregon Department of Human Services, where the grants would go, said there is no requirement to match them with state funds. All the more reason, she said, to go after and accept help with the obesity epidemic. "I doubt that in five years we could totally turn around the epidemic," Moore said. "But I think we can make some good progress." Grants so far denied A sample of 11 grant requests so far denied by the co-chairs of the Joint Ways and Means Committee: Asthma, diabetes and obesity prevention: $1.5 million a year for five years. Reducing obesity through nutrition and exercise: $450,000 a year for five years. Lead-base paint hazard control: $1 million per year for three years. Refugee resettlements through employment services: $250,000 a year for three years. Bilingual information on infant car seats: $250,000 a year for four years. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times