BOND LASHES OUT AT CLINTON TAX PLAN

SCOTT CITY - U.S. Sen. Christopher Bond said he is viewing narrow approval of President Clinton's tax plan last week as a warning that the measure could become law.

But on the other hand, the Missouri Republican said he is unsure whether there are 50 "kamikaze Democratic senators" who would support the plan.

Bond suggested the plan needed more than minor revisions; that it basically needs to be thrown out and completely redone with strong input from Republicans and conservative Democrats.

"This whole plan needs to be radically changed," said Bond. "I just don't see how senators could support this $290 billion package of tax increases and user-fee increases."

He said: "Last week's narrow passage of the president's tax increase bill by the House is a clear warning that this dangerous legislation could become law. Americans around the country need to send a clear message now to members of the Senate to stop this before it is too late.

"This outrageous package would mean $6 in taxes for every $1 in spending cuts, and in just the first year of the plan there would be $35 billion in new taxes and fees and less than $2 billion of spending cuts, with only the promise of more to come."

Bond said the BTU tax alone would mean a $100 million loss from Missouri farmers' net income. He said the bill would devastate the barge industry by tripling its taxes.

"These taxes are absolutely the worst and will wreak havoc in our rural communities," said Bond, adding that two of Missouri's six Democratic representatives opposed the bill on those grounds.

Bond also said the Clinton package would cost nearly 10,000 jobs in Missouri.

"We need to start over and come up with a new, bipartisan plan that will cut spending first and eliminate tax increases altogether," said Bond. He said more tax increases encourage more spending.

Asked about Clinton's recent efforts to try and reorganize the White House and his hiring of former Reagan aide David Gergen as communications director, Bond said it was too soon to determine Clinton's motives.

"I've seen these good gestures and nice talk before," said Bond. "The question is whether Clinton will move more toward the middle or whether it is just his (Gergen's) job to paint the outhouse a different color. If that's all he is going to do, the stink will still be there."