Bush Names Laxalt, Ashley To Panel on Budget Deficit: Bush Names Laxalt, Ashley To Commis
President-elect George Bush announced yesterday that he would appoint former senator Paul Laxalt of Nevada and former representative Thomas L. (Lud) Ashley of Ohio to the high-level commission on reducing the budget deficit, a move that was seen as enhancing the panelÛªs stature.</br></br>Laxalt is a conservative Republican who is personally close to President Reagan, and Ashley is a Demo- crat who has been a friend of BushÛªs since their days at Yale University, where they were both members of the secret society Skull and Bones. They join six Republicans and six Democrats on the National Economic Commission, which Congress created last December to find ways to reduce the $150 billion federal deficit.</br></br>The appointments eased concerns within the commission that Bush would ignore its findings because of See COMMISSION. G2. Col. 4</br></br>his belief that panel members would recommend a tax increase. Indeed, Bush, who vowed to oppose higher taxes during his campaign for the presidency, praised the commission yesterday. "There are some very good people on there, Democrats and Republicans, and theyÛªre serious, serious people,Û he told a group of business leaders.</br></br>But Bush also reiterated his opposition to a tax increase, vowing to ÛÏhold the line on taxes.Û And budget experts predicted that his appointees to the commission would help keep the panel from proposing a tax hike, relenting only if Bush indicated his willingness to accept one.