Many Hispanics dispute Bush's budget

Hispanic advocacy groups contend that Latinos and other communities of color will be hurt the most by President Bush's security-focused $2.6 trillion budget proposal submitted to Congress Feb. 7 for fiscal year 2006. Contacted by Hispanic Link News Service, they are expressing particular concern with the proposed elimination of long-standing educational programs. More than a third of the overall cuts are of Education Department programs. All federal departments except Homeland Security and Defense face reductions. Eliminated would be a total of 48 educational programs, including the Perkins Loan Fund and college preparation programs, such as Upward Bound, Talent Search and GEAR UP for low-income students. Some 450,000 underserved youth currently participate in Upward Bound and Talent Search, which are part of the TRIO programs. Latinos comprise 19 percent of TRIO participants. Hilda Crespo, vice president for public policy and federal relations at ASPIRA, a non-profit organization providing educational and leadership training to Hispanic youth, says that the cuts for such programs will be "devastating" for Hispanic students. ASPIRA stand to lose more than $1 million in funding. Without Talent Search, she states, "We won't be able to provide post-secondary education at the same level." ASPIRA serves 20,000 students each year, with the majority participating in that program. Additionally, the League of United Latin American Citizens' National Educational Service Centers would undergo drastic changes. Charles Tamez, its development director, reports that as many as 17 of its education centers serving more than 25,000 Latino students may shut down if Congress votes to eliminate Upward Bound and Talent Search. The centers would lose approximately $5.5 million, Tamez projects. Rep. Hilda Solis, D-Calif., accuses Bush of breaking faith with Hispanics, "hitting us at the very heart of our community." The president's response to critics who accuse him of submitting a budget that is "hurtful" to disadvantage communities, minces no words: "The important question that needs to be asked from all constituencies is whether or not the programs achieve a certain result. The poor and disadvantaged absolutely ought to be asking the question, too." [more]