Washington, D.C. – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), in recognition of Cost of Government Day, today expressed outrage at the federal government’s continued abuse of hundreds of billions of tax dollars in outdated, ineffective, duplicative, and wasteful programs and agencies.  Cost of Government Day is the date of the calendar year on which the average American worker has earned enough to pay off his or her share of tax and regulatory burdens imposed by all levels of government.  CCAGW recommends that government take aggressive action to reduce taxes and burdensome regulations to reduce American families’ burden.

“Cost of Government is three days later this year than in 2000.  We’re going in the wrong direction, and taxpayers should be outraged by the government’s ongoing waste of their hard-earned money,” CCAGW President Tom Schatz said. 

“Each year, as Americans struggle to earn more, the government invents new ways to increase its share,” Schatz said.  “Discretionary spending increased by 11 percent in fiscal 2000 and 8 percent in 2001.  Now it seems members of Congress want to stretch the reasonable budget limits for fiscal 2002, as requests for pork-barrel projects already number 18,898 in the House of Representatives alone.  Such requests may well lead Congress to surpass this year’s record of 6,333 pork projects, worth $18.5 billion.”

“In a sign of their fiscal incontinence, members of the House couldn’t even eliminate $200,000 for ‘international asparagus competitiveness’ last year.  The massive porkfest on Capitol Hill clearly demonstrates that federal levies are too high, and every step should be taken to ensure that Washington’s big spenders get their hands on fewer taxpayer dollars.  CCAGW applauds President Bush’s pledge to block appropriators from exceeding the budget resolution for fiscal 2002,” Schatz added.

Schatz also expressed concern over redundant, obsolete, and burdensome regulations such as milk marketing orders, an anachronism from the days prior to refrigeration; and waste, fraud, and abuse at the U.S. Postal Service of more than $1.4 billion at the same time USPS is raising postal rates. 

“Regulations are a hidden burden on taxpayers, but they are pervasive in number and pernicious in effect,” Schatz said.  “Deregulation has worked in the airline, natural gas, telecommunications, and trucking industries.  It’s time to allow more of the private sector the opportunity to move toward a free market and away from government intervention.”

The Council Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.