Trump Proposed Cutting Rat Control for Baltimore

[applegrove]

Trump Proposed Cutting Rat Control for Baltimore

August 27, 2019 at 9:30 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 58 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/27/trump-proposed-cutting-rat-control-for-baltimore/

"SNIP.....

The Trump administration proposed cutting funding for Baltimore’s main rat extermination program — right before President Trump tweeted that parts of Baltimore were a “rat and rodent infested mess,” the Baltimore Sun reports.

....SNIP"

[MichMan]

1. I dont understand why the federal government is funding it in the first place

Seems like it should be done at the local and state level

[Tanuki]

2. It was part of a national program, Community Development Block Grants,

that Bugsy45 wanted to cut. These block grants are utilized in every congressional district across the nation.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-rat-budget-trump-20190826-t6oay6qtqzexbefumapeyqp2hq-story.html?via=newsletter&source=BI-CS-Politics

..."In March, the White House proposedeliminating the Community Development Block Grant, which is the primary funding source for Baltimore’s public housing rat-elimination program among several other housing programs across the city and country.

....

The Community Development Block Grant program, which funded $22 million worth of improvements in Baltimore last year, is incredibly popular across the country. The Nixon administration initiated the federal grant program in the early 1970s as a way to give local control over federal housing funds. Its main goal is to ensure “decent affordable housing,” but it also provides after-school programs to low-income children and assistance on closing costs to purchase homes.

....
Currently, every congressional district receives or has access to the program’s funds, according to a letter written by a bipartisan coalition of Congressional members April 4 this year in reaction to the president’s budget proposal.

...
Cummings, who was the subject of ridicule in Trump’s tweet storm about Baltimore, signed the letter that urged Congress to retain funding for the grant program. In the end, Cummings and Congress won. The grant fund was was reinstated in full this summer when Congress passed the appropriations bill."....(more)