Governors Anticipate Friction at Meeting

Governors from both political parties came to the capital this weekend ready to agree on broad principles like making education more accountable, giving states more flexibility and providing some kind of tax cut.

“Cooperation is the watchword,” said Gov. Parris Glendening, the Maryland Democrat who is chairman of the National Governors Assn. But money, as it is so often, may be the catch.

“We have a very, very strong disagreement on tax policy, both on the amount of a tax cut and who pays,” said Glendening, who repeatedly emphasized that governors on both sides agree on many issues concerning education, health care and flexibility for the states.

But the $1.6-trillion tax cut being pushed by President Bush is certain to be a major source of friction at a meeting where consensus is the goal.

“Look at the national economy and some of the softness in the economy,” said Gov. John Engler, vice chairman of the group and a Michigan Republican. “I’m for a bigger, faster and across-the-board tax cut. It’s going to happen, something’s going to get done.”

The governors are meeting through Tuesday. They have a dinner tonight at the White House and a Monday morning meeting with the president.

Bush’s education proposals brought the most agreement from governors, both Democrat and Republican. His tax cut and the introduction of his budget this week are most likely to bring the most disagreement.

“I think the Democrats in Congress are talking about a tax cut that’s too big,” said Gov. Howard Dean, a Vermont Democrat. “It does make sense to have a tax cut . . . , some Republicans have proposed an even bigger tax cut and I’m going to provide the counterweight.

“I think the Democrats in Congress are wrong, we ought to propose a smaller tax cut than $800 billion, so that $800 billion becomes a reasonable compromise rather than the absolute floor,” Dean said.

Other Democrats agreed at their separate news conference Saturday that it’s too early to propose a specific tax cut.

Gov. Gray Davis of California, chairman of the Democratic governors, said he could not name an appropriate figure but added that it is crucial “we don’t lose sight of our two principal goals: paying down the national debt and growing the economy.”