SPRINGDALE — Freshman U.S. Rep. Steve Womack fielded questions from both ends of the political spectrum about last weekend’s House vote to slash $60 billion in spending during a “town hall” meeting Thursday night with about 80 constituents from his 3rd Congressional District.

Residents’ exchanges with Womack, R-Ark., ranged from the sharply critical to the congratulatory, with thecongressman reiterating his goal of reining in the national deficit while not raising taxes on those who create jobs.

“The first order of business is Get your fiscal house in order,” he said.

On Saturday when the House voted to approve the $60 billion in budget cuts, Womack voted with rest of the Arkansas GOP delegation in favoring them.

The Democratic-controlled Senate has signaled itwouldn’t consider cuts of the same large scale. If consensus isn’t reached on a stopgap financing measure for the current year’s fiscal 2011 budget by March 4, the federal government could shut down.

The sides have differed on whether the budget should be balanced on the backs of lowand middle-income Americans or on those in the upperincome brackets.

It was at times difficult to hear all of Thursday night’s exchanges, as microphones weren’t on hand either for Womack or his questioners.

More than one person asked Womack, during and right after the public meeting at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale, why members of Congress couldn’t trim their own salary and health benefits as part of the many other domestic programs facing cuts.

Womack responded that, while mayor of Rogers, his city health-care plan was a far better value than the one he has in Congress.

“My income is $174,000 a year,” Womack said. “I do make a sizable amount, more than many people in this room, but I am not a wealthy person.”

Much of a congressman’s income must go toward traveling back and forth between one’s district and maintaining two households, he said.

“I’m not one of the guys who wants to live on my couch - I don’t think it’s healthy,” Womack told the audience.

Afterward, the congressman said that cutting members’ salary and benefits would mean people of modest means couldn’t afford to serve: “We’d just give Congress over to the rich and famous.” One audience member, Bonnie Cook of Fayetteville, asked Womack how he could vote to extend former President George W. Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

“It’s philosophical with me - I don’t think you get anywhere by raising taxes,” Womack responded.

“I’m for limited government,” he said. “It’s my belief that it’s the big job creators that you’re asking me to tax.”

Responding to a question from a woman regarding whether he’d ever vote to bring American troops home, Womack responded he would never support cutting the budget for their essentials.

“I’m asking about bringing them home - not cutting the funds on them while they’re there,” she said.

Womack answered that he is not privy to the intelligence and would leave that call up to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other top commanders, but also that he believes major terrorist threats still exist against the United States and Israel.

Mary Charlton of Fayetteville asked Womack why American companies couldn’t sacrifice some profits by making the decision to invest in American jobs at home rather than sending jobs overseas.

“Sounds good, but I’m not quite sure that it’s going to play out that way,” Womack told her, adding that companies create jobs in the first place to make money.

Afterward, Charlton said: “It’s a businessman’s answer, I guess. He didn’t seem to think businesses should risk anything, while the rest of us sacrifice something.”

But the congressman wasn’t on the hot seat the whole time.

One woman stood up to tell him, without elaboration, that everything she was hearing Thursday night absolutely convinced her that her vote to put Womack in office had been the right one.

And Womack seemed visibly pleased when his own question to the audience elicited many “yes” responses: “If you had it better than your parents or grandparents, raise your hand.”

When he asked if they thought their grandchildren would have it better than they did, only a few people raised their hands.

Womack said their lack of optimism would be warranted if Congress can’t avert predictions by some that the nationwill reach its “debt ceiling” by April or May.

If not, “We’re just kicking the can down the road,” he said, and future generations will have to pay.

Among the approved budget cuts in the House measure was $1.3 billion in cuts to community health clinics nationwide created out of 2009 stimulus funding to help serve the low-income and uninsured. Health advocates have said three Arkansas clinics - in Siloam Springs, Blytheville and England - would close if the cuts stand.

Womack said afterward that he would have to review his voting record before determining how he had voted on the clinic cuts.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 7 on 02/25/2011