Is President Donald Trump’s proposed budget crippling, frustrating and unacceptable, or does it show great progress and necessary reductions?

That depends on who is asked.

Some local leaders took the news hard Thursday about possible cuts to or elimination of programs like Essential Air Service, Community Development Block Grants and Meals on Wheels.

“Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the CDBG program has been targeted for elimination,” said Sara Andrews, executive director of the Bradford Office of Economic and Community Development. “In the past, our elected representatives and others in Congress have fought to keep the program in place, as they actually have seen the benefits that the CDBG program has provided to small rural communities, such as Bradford, for the past 40 years.

“We can only hope that the same will happen here, although I am not sure how much more they can cut before the program loses its effectiveness,” Andrews lamented.

She said throwing out the program would have devastating consequences in Bradford, a community that is working hard to gain ground in the fight against blight.

“The elimination of the CDBG program would severely cripple our continuing efforts to improve the city’s aging housing stock and infrastructure,” Andrews said, “and address other community development needs as it the program not only provides local flexibility to address these needs but it also helps to leverage other funding sources to undertake impactful community improvement projects.”

CDBG is a $3 billion federal program.

Essential Air Service, the federal subsidy to support commercial air service to rural areas, is a $175 million program that is also tapped for elimination, a move that wasn’t surprising to Alicia Dankesreiter, manager of the Bradford Regional Airport.

“It is frustrating to have to repeatedly justify the intense need for such a basic commodity,” she said. “Having access to the nation’s air transportation system isn’t a luxury to rural America. A commercial airport is another tool our communities use to stay relevant in business, education, healthcare and even leisure travel.”

This is still just a proposal, she said, finding some hope in the fact that many federal legislators have fought for the program in the past.

“The continued support for the Essential Air Service Program from our political representatives not only in Pennsylvania but from those who represent EAS airports around the county will be crucial to maintaining funding,” Dankesreiter said.

Another critical program in rural areas is Meals on Wheels, which appears to be slated for funding cuts in Trump’s budget proposal. However, the program is safe in Bradford, assured Dennis McCarthy, spokesman for Bradford Regional Medical Center.

“Meals on Wheels is funded privately at BRMC through the United Way, Blaisdell Foundation and the Bradford Hospital Foundation,” McCarthy said. “A benevolent fund has also been established to help support the Meals on Wheels program.”

Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is asking the Commonwealth’s congressional delegation to carefully review the devastating cuts in this proposal and help stop them.

“Thousands of Pennsylvanians rely on programs that are being eliminated or dramatically cut in President Trump’s budget proposal,” Wolf said. “Seniors receive food from Meals on Wheels efforts. Families across Pennsylvania get help paying for their heating bills through heating assistance. Workers rely on job training programs to help them get back on their feet. Students across Pennsylvania with disabilities get access to the education they need to succeed through federal funding.”

He added, “All of these programs are facing elimination or massive cuts. It’s unacceptable.”

Democratic Sen. Bob Casey was critical of the proposal as well.

“President Trump’s budget is a series of broken promises to the people of Pennsylvania,” Casey said, adding the president “promised to pursue a substantial investment in our infrastructure — not only has he failed to put forth a plan but this budget cuts infrastructure programs that have created jobs in Western Pennsylvania by repairing aging locks and dams.”

He mentioned the elimination of the block grant program, as well as the air service subsidy as well. “How does that make it easier for (rural) communities to create jobs? President Trump should keep his promise to stand up for and create jobs for middle class families.”

Pennsylvania’s Republican legislators are more hopeful with the spending plan.

“As with any administration, the budget request is simply an outline of the executive’s prerogatives,” said U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa. “The Constitution provides Congress the sole power of the purse and it’s important to understand that the budget request is the beginning of a process.”

Trump ran on a platform of reducing the size and scope of the federal government, Thompson reminded constituents, adding that it is a goal he shares with the president.

“But I do not believe it can be achieved by only reducing discretionary spending,” Thompson continued. “We must also provide an environment for economic growth and tackle the true drivers of the debt and deficit. We have made great progress in this direction, as discretionary spending is at the lowest level as a portion of the economy in 20 years.

“As the process gets underway for 2018, I will continue to advocate for those programs that benefit our community the most, while using common sense to eliminate unnecessary spending, waste, and redundancy in the federal government,” he concluded.

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said he is encouraged by what Trump’s budget shows.

“President Trump’s budget blueprint proposes a significant increase in spending to strengthen national security, rebuild our neglected military and honor our commitment to veterans with additional resources for the VA,” Toomey said.

“To pay for these changes, it proposes reductions to non-defense programs,” he added. “After years of overspending, I am encouraged that the president has proposed actual spending cuts and has committed to maintaining the overall cap on discretionary spending. I look forward to carefully examining each of the proposed reductions in this budget proposal.”