May 10, 2003

House votes 222-203, almost entirely along party lines, to cut taxes by $550 billion over ten years, strongly endorsing Pres Bush's call to stimulate economy through lower taxes while differing on shape of package; plan is $176 billion smaller than Bush's version and rejects his priority of ending all taxation of corporate dividends, reducing top tax rate on dividends and capital gains to 15 percent; intense talks expected with counterparts in Senate, where moderates have refused to accept cuts of more than $350 billion; table; House Democrats rage at substance of plan and Republican refusal to consider alternative proposal without big cuts in dividend and capital gains taxes (M)

Delta Air Lines and US Airways have scaled back hourly weekday shuttle flights between Boston, New York and Washington in face of falling demand; travelers must now wait up to two hours for flight; airlines say they intend to return to hourly schedules next month; graphs of passengers and seats filled; photos (M)

Group of 34 former inmates, cleared of their crimes by DNA testing and released back into society, gathers in New York City to receive help reentering world; many who were imprisoned lost their homes, savings and families, and because they were later exonerated, were ineligible for many antirecidivism programs available to convicted felons who serve time; photos (M)

New York City's hunt for violators of new indoor smoking has so far netted Hotel Pierre on Fifth Avenue and Senor Swanky's, Columbus Avenue burrito joint; photos (S)

New York City Mayor Michael R Bloomberg administration plans to close Brooklyn House of Detention, if only temporarily, to transfer inmates to Rikers Island in effort to both save money and managerially consolidate prison system; says closing is result of falling crime rates; photos (M)