Maryland State Archives running out of space

It also charges fees for the thousands of files it retrieves for residents each year.

State funding for the Archives has been left mostly to subcommittees on the Senate Budget and Taxation and House Appropriations committees.

Lawmakers are quick to say that the archives have tremendous value, but many say the state simply doesn't have the money at a time when it has many infrastructure needs.

"You've got to handle the things that you've got to handle now and just wait and see what happens," said Delegate Gail H. Bates, Howard Republican, who serves on the Appropriations public safety and administration subcommittee, which hears the Archives' testimony each year. "As much as I think that it's important to do something with the archives, it's not really what I would call a basic need right now."

Delegate John F. Wood Jr., who is vice chairman of the subcommittee, said the Archives had a near-miss a couple of years ago when it was in the running to receive an Annapolis building vacated by Maryland State Police barracks. The space went to another agency.

He said lawmakers should look more closely at funding a new facility and doesn't expect the Archives to give up its fight.

"It's something I think that we should be looking at — and not keep putting it off and putting it off," said Mr. Wood, St. Mary's Democrat. "I'm sure they're going to be back every year until they get it."

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Information from: The Washington Times, http://www.washtimes.com