The proposal for the National Park Service, the parent agency for the Vicksburg park, is to receive $2.4 billion for FY 2008, a $230 million increase.

President Bush’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2008 trims funds for one of three major federal agencies in Vicksburg and little information on the other two.

Under the president’s proposal, presented to Congress last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division’s allotment for civil works would be $813 million, down from the $847 million recommended for this present fiscal year.

Executive budgets are advisory only and Congress, which makes allocations, rarely adopts a comprehensive spending plan. Instead, federal operations funded by continuing resolutions, including one in effect until the end of February.

The Vicksburg District of the Corps of Engineers and the Vicksburg National Military Park had little information.

The proposal for the National Park Service, the parent agency for the Vicksburg park, is to receive $2.4 billion for FY 2008, a $230 million increase.

When leveraged with private investments, the new money could generate as much as $3 billion to gear up the parks service for its centennial in 2016.

Included in the proposal is money for about 3,000 seasonal employees servicewide.

&#8220What we have seen of the president’s proposed budget is about $145,000 to pay some seasonal employees,” said Park Superintendent Monika Mayr.

She said those employees could be for maintenance and one or two seasonal interpreters to assist visitors.

Mayr said when budgets are tight, as they have been for the park service for the past several funding periods, the first thing cut is seasonal help.

The Vicksburg District is a Corps agency that reports to the division level, also based here.

&#8220We have not gotten anything,” said Frank Worley, acting public affairs officer for the Vicksburg District.

In the budget proposal for FY ‘07, the district was supposed to receive $155 million.

Civil works by the Corps have not been a priority for the Bush administration, but Congress has beefed up recommendations. In the previous fiscal year proposal from the president, the district was supposed to get $149 million but the Congress actually allocated $298 million.

Under the proposal for the Mississippi Valley Division, the civil works budget is broken down into: