Budget

Gov. Martin O'Malley's budget for next year was approved by the Senate after an unusually brief debate Wednesday in a sign of the state's improved fiscal condition. Senators voted 42-5 to pass the $36.8 billion budget and send it to a conference committee with the House. All 35 Democrats and seven Republicans voted in favor of the budget, which comes close to eliminating what was once a nearly $2 billion long-term revenue shortfall. "I can't remember any time the budget was adopted by a larger margin.

Comparing the House and Senate federal budget proposals should make the decision a no-brainer. Do we want a $7 billion surplus per the Republican budget or a $566 billion deficit per the Democratic budget? This would be simple except that the American government is literally controlled by the "no brain" administration of President Barack Obama, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Peggy Alley, Baltimore Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

Our state elected officials continue to amaze me - and not in as good way. Our legislature had 90 days to do its work, its most important task being the budget. Ninety days was not long enough to take a hard look at programs and expenses and make the difficult choices necessary to cut spending and balance our budget? Now, we the taxpayers will foot the bill for a special session because our elected officials couldn't do their job? Only in government. Let's take the doomsday budget.

The standoff between the House and Senate on Maryland's budget continued into midday Monday with only 12 hours before the General Assembly is scheduled to end its 90-day session. If the budget isn't passed, the legislature will be force into extended session for the first time since 1992. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Millerinsisted the differences are a matter of philosophy, not personality, and are not related to the issue of expanded gambling. He said he nwould be meeting this afternoon with Gov.Martin O'Malley's top aides to urge that the governor intervene to help resolve the budget issue.

The youngest member of Maryland's state senate sent email to constituents Tuesday saying that he was "embarrassed" by the so-called "Doomsday" budget that passed in the General Assembly with his support. Sen. Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat, said that he cast his green vote on "what we believed" was a compromise spending plan that included a "Doomsday" clause. The budget that passed closes a roughly $1 billion revenue shortfall mostly with cuts, firing hundreds of state workers and making deep cuts in education and other Democratic priorities.

Letter writer Raymond Hoff bemoans what he calls UMBC's "doomsday" budget, which is really a "live within your means" budget ("UMBC excellence imperiled by 'doomsday,'" April 23). Mr. Hoff complains that UMBC faculty and staff have not had a cost-of-living increase in three years. But he should be happy to still have a job - a luxury not available to legions of unemployed Marylanders, some of whom have been unemployed for three years. He talks about academics who have moved out of the state and the difficulty of hiring replacements for them.

Legislation to solve a projected $20 million revenue shortfall is coming April 22, the same day Howard County executive Ken Ulman is to present his budget for next fiscal year, according to county officials. County budget director Raymond S. Wacks did not reveal how Ulman intends to eliminate the shortfall by June 30, the end of the fiscal year, telling county council members Monday only that final details haven't yet been determined. He did have another glimmer of good tidings, however.

Gov. Martin O'Malley's budget for next year was approved by the Senate after an unusually brief debate Wednesday in a sign of the state's improved fiscal condition. Senators voted 42-5 to pass the $36.8 billion budget and send it to a conference committee with the House. All 35 Democrats and seven Republicans voted in favor of the budget, which comes close to eliminating what was once a nearly $2 billion long-term revenue shortfall. "I can't remember any time the budget was adopted by a larger margin.

Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is trying to craft a budget that will trim expenses and property taxes to encourage an increase to the population ("First step to a better Baltimore," March 21). Reducing excessive city employees is a good first step. The big payoff would come from reexamining things the city does that are not done by competing, lower-tax suburbs. The mayor should engage an expert like former county executives Jim Smith of Baltimore County or Doug Duncan of Montgomery County to analyze things the city started doing when it was the largest, wealthiest jurisdiction, many of which enhance suburbanites' quality of life, that are no longer essential or affordable, and use the potential savings to help the city approach suburban tax rates.