City Offices

WITH 25 individuals who would be mayor and no incumbent for the first time in decades, Baltimore's voters face tough choices in the Sept. 14 primary -- and again in the November general election.In this section, the staff of The Sun's editorial page has pulled together some of what is known about the candidates for mayor and other city offices, including our assessment of who would best serve city citizens.Over the past months on our pages, we have also sought to highlight for our readers the problems facing the city -- as well as to propose solutions.

The Taneytown Police Department will not, after all, move across the street. Neither will city offices.After conceding that the difficulties outweighed the advantages, the City Council decided to scrap plans to buy a building that was once city hall, said Mayor W. Robert Flickinger."

THE SIZZLING residential real estate market in Guilford, Homeland, Roland Park and Mount Washington should tell skeptics something. If high-income people are willing to pay top dollar for homes there, a psychological corner has been turned. Not too long ago ago, properties in those communities languished on the market for months.Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse's controversial $8 million plan to build new homes near Falls Road and Lake Avenue is a response to that demand. Yet most, more modest parts of Baltimore are not sharing in that success.

For many Baltimore voters, the most exciting thing about Tuesday's primary may be the flashy new voting system.Computerized machines -- 962 in all -- will be used for the first time at 254 polling places as voters choose from among 277 candidates vying to run in November for positions ranging from governor to clerk of the courts.But given the shortage of truly competitive statewide primary races, and the fact that the top city offices -- mayor, city comptroller and council -- are not on the ballot until next year, few voters are expected to show up to try the machines out.The city elections chief and officials of the Republican and Democratic parties are predicting that no more than one in three registered voters will bother to come to the polls.

Some of Annapolis Mayor Dean L. Johnson's pet projects could be postponed or eliminated and his $42.5 million spending proposal slashed under amendments being proposed by a faction of the city council.The amendments would cut Johnson's proposal by nearly $1 million, give city employees a 2 percent raise and keep the property tax rate at $1.68 per $100 of assessed value. Johnson had proposed a 4-cent increase in the tax rate. The amendments are to be presented tomorrow, the day the council must, by law, adopt a budget.

A man calling from a Lexington Market pay phone threatened yesterday to blow up three city buildings, including City Hall, forcing police to evacuate hundreds of workers and close several downtown streets.Police said the caller told a 911 emergency dispatcher at 11: 50 a.m. of three bombs, one each hidden in City Hall at 100 N. Holiday St.; the Abel Woman Municipal Building at 200 N. Holiday St.; and One Calvert Plaza at 201 E. Baltimore St. That building contains many city offices.Private security guards and police officers searched each of the buildings for about 20 minutes before determining the call was a fake.

This schedule will be in effect in the Baltimore area tomorrow for Columbus Day holiday:Anne Arundel CountyCounty offices ... openCourts ........... closedLibraries ........ openPublic schools ... openTrash removal regular pickupAnnapolisCity offices ... openCourts ......... closedParking meters must feedPublic schools .. openTrash removal regular pickupBaltimoreCity offices ... closedCourts ......... closedLibraries ...... closedParking meters must feedPublic schools .. openTrash removal no pickupBaltimore CountyCounty offices ... closedCourts .....

This schedule will be in effect in the Baltimore area Monday:&Anne Arundel CountyCounty offices -- closedCourts -- closedLibraries -- openPublic schools -- openTrash removal -- regular pickupAnnapolis City offices -- closedCourts -- closedParking meters -- must feedPublic schools -- openTrash removal -- no pickupBaltimore City offices -- closedCourts -- closedLibraries -- closedParking meters -- must feedPublic schools -- closedTrash removal -- no pickup#Baltimore...

This schedule will be in effect in the Baltimore area today:# ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTYCounty offices -- closedCourts -- closedLibraries -- closedTrash removal -- no pickupANNAPOLIS City offices -- closedCourts -- closedParking meters -- must feedTrash removal -- no pickupBALTIMORE City offices -- closedCourts -- closedLibraries -- closedParking meters -- freeTrash removal -- no pickup#BALTIMORE COUNTYCounty offices -- closedCourts -- closedParking meters --...

Annapolis property owners could see their city property tax rates fall by a nickel -- a penny more than a tax break proposed by the mayor -- under a revised budget plan to be presented to city council members today.Nevertheless, city residents still may end up breaking even or paying higher property taxes next year because of the county budget being proposed today by Executive John G. Gary."We've been very prudent and frugal and we think we can cut taxes even more than what the mayor suggested," said Alderman Carl O. Snowden, who drafted the tax cut as chairman of the Finance Committee.

This schedule will be in effect today. Anne Arundel County offices: closed Courts: closed Libraries: open Public schools: open Trash: regular pickup Annapolis City offices: closed Courts: closed Transit: regular service Parking meters: feed Trash: regular pickup Baltimore City City offices: closed Courts: closed Libraries: closed Parking meters: feed Public schools: open Trash: no pickup; landfills...

This schedule will be in effect Wednesday. Anne Arundel County offices: closed Courts: closed Libraries: open Public schools: open Trash: regular pickup Annapolis City offices: closed Courts: closed Transit: regular service Parking meters: feed Trash: regular pickup Baltimore City City offices: closed Courts: closed Libraries: closed Parking meters: feed Public schools: open Trash: no pickup; landfills...

This schedule will be in effect Friday. Anne Arundel County offices: Closed Courts: Open Libraries: Open Public schools: Closed Trash: Regular pickup Annapolis City offices: Closed Courts: Open Transit: Sunday schedule Parking meters: Feed Trash: No pickup Recycling: Regular pickup Baltimore City City offices: Closed Courts: Open Libraries: Closed Parking meters: Feed Public schools: Closed Trash: No pickup; landfills and transfer stations...

This schedule will be in effect today: Anne Arundel Co. County offices -- closed Courts -- open Libraries -- open Public schools -- closed Senior Centers -- closed Trash -- regular pickup, landfills closed Annapolis City offices -- closed Courts -- open Parking meters -- feed Bus Service: limited service Trash -- residential refuse and recyling will be collected, no yard recycling pickup. Baltimore City City offices -- closed Courts -- open Libraries -- closed Parking meters -- feed Public schools -- closed Trash -- no pickup; landfills and transfer stations closed Baltimore County County offices -- open Courts -- open Libraries -- open Parking meters -- feed Public schools -- closed County Ride -- operating Trash -- pickup; landfill open Carroll County County offices -- closed Courts -- open Libraries -- closed Public schools -- closed Senior centers -- closed Carroll Area Transit -- no service Trash -- ask contractor Landfill -- Northern Landfill and Recycling Center open Frederick County County offices -- closed Courts -- open Libraries -- closed Public schools -- closed TransIT -- regular schedule, except TransIT-plus (demand response)

Brian D. Snyder, the city of Annapolis' purchasing agent, now sees yellow garden roses out his window, an apt symbol for the new digs of six city departments and agencies. The 20,000-square-foot space, with its warm wood floors, exposed brick walls and skylighted ceilings, is a big step up for Snyder and 70 co-workers, who moved from cramped, cluttered city offices spread across downtown. In hopes of improving staff cohesion, communication and public service, the departments of Public Works, Central Services, Planning and Zoning, and Human Resources, as well as the Office of Law and the city clerk are now housed under the same roof, in the former Hopkins Furniture store on Main Street.

This schedule will be in effect in the Baltimore area today: Anne Arundel County offices -- open Courts -- closed Libraries -- open Public schools -- open Trash removal -- Annapolis City offices -- open Parking meters -- feed Trash removal -- regular pickup schedule Baltimore City offices -- closed Courts -- closed Libraries -- closed Parking meters -- feed Public schools -- open Trash removal -- no pickup, stations closed Baltimore County...

This schedule will be in effect in the Baltimore area Monday: ANNE ARUDEL County offices -- open Courts -- closed Libraries -- open Public schools -- open Trash removal -- Annapolis City offices -- open Parking meters -- feed Trash removal -- regular pickup schedule Baltimore City offices -- closed Courts -- closed Libraries -- closed Parking meters -- feed Public schools -- open Trash removal -- no pickup, stations closed Baltimore County...

This schedule will be in effect tomorrow Anne Arundel County offices -- closed Courts -- closed Libraries -- closed Public schools -- closed Senior centers -- closed Trash -- no pickup, landfills closed Annapolis City offices -- closed Courts -- closed Parking meters -- feed Trash -- no pickup, makeup day is Wednesday for refuse and yard trimmings, no makeup for recycling Baltimore City City offices -- closed Courts -- closed Libraries --...

This schedule will be in effect today for the Fourth of July: Anne Arundel County offices -- closed Courts -- closed Libraries -- closed Public schools -- closed Trash -- no pickup, landfills closed Annapolis City offices -- closed Courts -- closed Parking meters -- feed Trash -- no yard or refuse pickup and no recycling pickup Baltimore City City offices -- closed Courts -- closed Libraries -- closed Parking meters -- free Public schools...

This schedule will be in effect Tuesday for the July 4th holiday: Anne Arundel County offices -- closed Courts -- closed Libraries -- closed Public schools -- closed Trash -- no pickup, landfills closed Annapolis City offices -- closed Monday and Tuesday Courts -- closed Parking meters -- feed Trash -- no yard or refuse pickup Monday or Tuesday, no recycling pick-up Tuesday. Monday make-up day July 5 Baltimore City City offices -- closed Courts -- closed Libraries -- closed Parking meters -- free Public schools -- closed Trash -- no pickup; landfills and transfer stations closed Baltimore County County offices -- closed Courts -- closed Libraries -- closed Parking meters -- free Public schools -- closed Trash -- no pickup, landfill closed Carroll County County offices -- closed Courts -- closed Libraries -- closed Public schools -- closed Senior centers -- closed Trash -- ask contractor Landfill -- Northern Landfill and Recycling Center closed Frederick County County offices -- closed Courts -- closed Libraries -- closed Public schools -- closed Trash -- ask contractor Harford County County offices -- closed Monday and Tuesday Courts -- closed Libraries -- closed Public schools -- closed Senior centers -- closed Monday and Tuesday Trash -- check with contractor Howard County County offices -- closed Courts -- closed Meters -- feed Public schools -- closed Libraries -- closed Trash -- no regular and recycle pickup; landfill...