Washington unveils "E-Budget"
WASHINGTON (AP) - January 9, 2008 But at least it won't be made from a dead tree.
The White House announced Wednesday that it's going paperless
when it submits the fiscal 2009 budget Feb. 4. It's a move aimed at
saving a few bucks for taxpayers - and the lives of a few trees.
Instead of printing 3,000 free copies of the budget to give out
free to the media, lawmakers, the White House and Cabinet, the
White House will put the 2,200-page tome online at www.budget.gov.
Jim Nussle, the White House budget director announced the move -
appropriately enough - in a statement sent by e-mail to reporters.
"This step will save nearly 20 tons of paper, or roughly 480
trees," Nussle said. "In terms of fiscal savings, we estimate the
E-Budget will save nearly a million dollars over the next five
years."
Nussle took the step after a few months running the Office of
Management and Budget, where hundreds of old budget volumes are
gathering dust on bookshelves or are being put to use as platforms
for computer monitors. He reads the budget on his computer, where
it's searchable.
But Washington is filled with old-school wonks who actually read
the budget and refer to it - and want a copy in their offices. One
Senate Budget Committee staff aide seemed shocked to learn
lawmakers wouldn't get their usual pallet larded with budgets.
On the other hand, even old budget hands are increasingly using
their computers instead of their trusty budget books.
"It took me a while, but I've made the transition to the
electronic version," said Rich Meade, former staff director of the
House Budget Committee, now a lobbyist. "For those who haven't
made the transition, it'll be a tough year."
Old-timers will still be able to buy paper copies of the
four-volume budget from the Government Printing Office. But at more
than $200 per set, there's plenty of incentive to give the
electronic copy a try.
"Since when did the Bush White House get e-fiscal discipline?"
asked Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.
"Let us hope that they send us a budget that is worth the paper it
would have been printed on."