Maryland families would love a problem like the state' 'doomsday' budget

We have heard for the past few days that the budget impasse in the state legislature will cause a "doomsday" budget to go into effect July 1 ("Schools, localities face the unknown," April 12).

Examination of the state budgets shows that the so called "doomsday" budget totals $35.3 billion, down from a proposed budget for next year of $35.8 billion. So "doomsday" means the government will have to reduce its proposed budget by 1.4 percent or the roof will cave in. And take note of the fact that the expected spending level for the state this year is $34.8 billion! So the dire budget predictions hinge on the state having to live with more money in the upcoming fiscal year than they had available this year!

This is a high class problem. Whoopee, we would all love to have that problem, especially those without jobs, those living on a fixed income, and those hanging on to their jobs with the same pay as last year.

And the proposed solution I have heard is to raise taxes on the "rich," however that is defined.

I have another idea. Why not wait until the economy recovers and tax revenues rise naturally to pay for the $512 million proposed increase above the "doomsday" budget? Or maybe we could call upon our media mavens to stop using incendiary language to describe a relative drop in the bucket!

Sam Davis, Towson