(ELLISON) - THE AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION PROVIDES FARM
AND FOOD RELATED NEWS WRAPS FOR RADIO STATIONS AND NETWORKS.
I'M BOB ELLISON. OUR REPORT RUNS 1:10.
HERE IS A SUGGESTED LEAD: LAWMAKERS AND FARMERS SUPPORT A NEW STUDY
SHOWING THAT DEATH, OR ESTATE TAXES COST ALMOST AS MUCH TO COLLECT AS THEY
RAISE. BOB ELLISON REPORTS.
ACTUALITIES COME FROM ARIZONA SENATOR JON KYL, MISSOURI SENATOR JOHN
ASHCROFT, ILLINOIS REPRESENTATIVE JERRY WELLER AND MICHIGAN FARM BUREAU
PRESIDENT JACK LAURIE.
THERE ARE TWO EXTRA ACTUALITIES FOLLOWING THE STORY. IN THE FIRST EXTRA
ACTUALITY, SENATOR ASHCROFT SAYS THE ESTATE TAX IS NOT WORTH HAVING SINCE
IT COSTS AS MUCH TO COLLECT AS IT BRINGS IN. IN THE SECOND EXTRA
ACTUALITY, LAURIE SAYS HEIRS ARE OFTEN FORCED TO SELL PART OF THE FARM TO
PAY THE ESTATE TAX.
STAND BY, THE STORY COMES FIRST IN 3...2...1...
(ELLISON) - A STUDY BY THE TEXAS-BASED INNOVATIVE POLICY
INSTITUTE SAYS THE DEATH, OR ESTATE, TAX PROVIDES FEW BENEFITS COMPARED TO
THE TOLL IT TAKES. AT A CAPITOL HILL NEWS CONFERENCE, ARIZONA REPUBLICAN
SENATOR JON KYL SAYS REPEALING THE DEATH TAX WOULD CORRECT THIS INJUSTICE.
(KYL) - THE POLICY IS WRONG, THE ECONOMICS ARE WRONG, THERE IS
NO FAIRNESS TO IT, IT NEEDS TO BE REPEALED AND IF WE REPEAL IT, WE'LL MAKE
THE ECONOMY BETTER, WE'LL CREATE MORE JOBS AND WE'LL HAVE A MORE JUST
SOCIETY.
(ELLISON) - FARMERS WORRY THAT THEIR HEIRS WILL BE FORCED OUT OF
FARMING BY HIGH ESTATE TAXES. MICHIGAN FARM BUREAU PRESIDENT JACK LAURIE
SAYS SOMETIMES FAMILY MEMBERS ARE FORCED TO SELL PART OR ALL OF THE FARM
TO PAY ESTATE TAXES.
(LAURIE) - CONSEQUENTLY THE FARM DIES WITH THE FARMER AND THEN
THE HEIRS ARE NO LONGER A PART OF AGRICULTURE AND THE COMMUNITY SUFFERS
BECAUSE THAT FARM IS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS.
(ELLISON) - ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE JERRY WELLER SAYS
ELIMINATING THE DEATH TAX WOULD HELP MAINTAIN FARMLAND.
(WELLER) - YOU HEAR THE TERMS ABOUT SMART GROWTH. WELL THE DEATH
TAX ACTUALLY ENCOURAGES SUBURBAN AND URBANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF PRIME
FARMLAND.
(ELLISON) - BILLS TO ELIMINATE THE DEATH TAX HAVE BEEN
INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE.
BOB ELLISON, WASHINGTON.
STAND BY FOR THE FIRST EXTRA ACTUALITY. THE CUT RUNS 15 SECONDS IN
3...2...1...
(ASHCROFT) - IT'S WITH THAT IN MIND THAT I THINK WE SHOULD SAY
THAT IT'S TIME TO RELIEVE AMERICANS OF THE ONEROUS PROSPECT OF HAVING TO
VISIT THE UNDERTAKER AND THE I-R-S ON THE SAME DAY. IT'S TIME FOR US TO
ABOLISH THE ESTATE TAX.
(ELLISON) - STAND BY FOR THE SECOND EXTRA ACTUALITY. THE CUT
RUNS 18 SECONDS IN 3...2...1...
(LAURIE) - WHEN WE DO THAT, WE FIND THEN THAT THE SIZE, THE
SCALE OF THE OPERATION, THE SCALE OF THAT BUSINESS, IS DECREASED TO A
POINT WHERE IT'S NO LONGER EFFICIENT. AND SO THEN THE REMAINING HEIRS OF
THAT FARM ARE FORCED TO SELL THE REST OF THE FARM BECAUSE IT'S NOT
COMPETITIVE ANY LONGER.
(ELLISON) - THE FARM BUREAU RADIO NEWSLINE IS UPDATED EVERY
MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AT 5 P.M. EASTERN TIME. THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING.