Cut Spending

Saying Maryland's good times may soon be over, Republican legislative leaders warned yesterday that the state is spending its money too fast and running up too much debt. Key GOP lawmakers, who traditionally seek to limit state spending, stepped up their calls for caution on the eve of the General Assembly session that begins next week. The state enjoys a $375 million budget surplus but also shows signs of a slowing economy. The Republicans held yesterday's news conference to urge Gov. Parris N. Glendening, a Democrat, and the Democratic-controlled legislature to scale back the "feverish pace" of creating costly programs, hiring employees and issuing state bonds.

In the second paragraph of Erin Cox's article, ("South Carolina Democrats see O'Malley 'rising'" Mar. 23), Gov. Martin O'Malley is quoted as saying he has "cut state spending big time. " Since the Maryland budget has risen $9 billion ($28 billion to $37 billion, an increase of 32 percent) since Mr. O'Malley took office, I can't believe you allow such nonsense to continue to be printed, especially on page one above the fold. Come on guys, take up for the taxpayers once in awhile. Lyle Rescott, Marriottsville Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

WASHINGTON -- What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago, President Clinton had only one thing on his mind when he made his first speech to a joint session of Congress -- the ailing economy.Last night it couldn't even make the Big Three in his State of the Union address.Mr. Clinton did claim much of the credit last night for the nation's improving fortunes, noting that the economy is growing and unemployment is shrinking.But the focus of his speech was clearly on his 1994 policy priorities: overhauling the health care system, combating violent crime and reforming welfare.

The U.S. today has both historically low interest rates and large reserves of ready cash for investment by business. The interest rates and ready cash means businesses already have the maximum incentive to invest in new production that our financial system can provide; their cost of borrowing money will never be lower than it is right now. In spite of this, U.S. businesses are still not investing in new production enough to spur hiring. American businesses fail to invest because they know their market is shrinking.

Most of Maryland's counties are planning to make up for budget shortcomings by cutting their spending, according to a new report.The National Association of Counties' "County Government Budget Shortfall Report," just released, claims that three-fourths Maryland's counties fell short of their proposed budgets in fiscal year 1991. The report says that of those counties, exactly half will close the budgetary gap by cutting spending.The association, which studied budget problems in 443 of the nation's largest counties, said that the other half of Maryland's counties experiencing budgetary problems planned to create revenue as well as cut spending to "offset the imbalance."

For the first time in years, the Baltimore City school system said it intends to cut spending drastically in an effort to trim a projected $41 million deficit by more than half. Next year's proposed spending plan will be about $43 million less than the current spending, with the bulk of cost savings coming from the elimination of about 600 currently filled positions, school officials said yesterday. Included are layoffs of about 100 people - and possibly more - by the end of this school year, with the other 500 lost through attrition.

Baltimore County's school superintendent insists that his department's budget must be bolstered by $55 million next year -- just to maintain the status quo. People must realize, Robert Dubel said, that the school system will be forced to accommodate 4,000 more students.This, we are confident, comes as a revelation to no one, least of all County Executive Roger Hayden -- erstwhile school board president. The seeming contradiction of spiraling school enrollment, which has long been projected, coupled with promises to cut spending haunted Hayden's campaign last fall.

Washington--They arrived by the hundreds, on personalized stationery and lined paper, and postcards, faxes, telegrams -- even cartoons.Some were pleading, some were angry.many were angry. And the constituent ire was directed at the budget accord forged by President Bush and the congressional leadership.The general theme of the messages piling up last week at Representative Helen Delich Bentley's office ran something like this: I don't like this budget plan because it affects me (through Medicare premium increases or gasoline tax increases or fill-in-the-blank taxes)

County officials want to know how much government spending taxpayerscan afford.The Spending Affordability Committee, created by charter amendment last year to limit spending, will conduct three public hearings to ask citizens how much they can afford for government services."

WASHINGTON -- Less than two months after a wave of budget-cutting rhetoric in Congress, the Senate voted overwhelmingly yesterday to restore funds for the superconducting supercollider -- a huge science project derided opponents as exactly the kind of pork barrel spending the country can no longer afford.The rescue of the $13 billion supercollider -- the only major project cut from the budget this year by the House of Representatives -- comes at the end of an appropriations process that trimmed spending only slightly from last year.

I cannot understand what passes through the minds of people at The Sun when it comes to taxes and government spending. A recent front page headline declared that "Millions slip away from city as condo values set too low" (April 29). But how can a condo that was never sold owe "full taxes" even though it is not a significant drain on government resources? There is no trash, mail, sewer, education or medical demands from a unit that has never had an owner beyond the builder, and for which basic fire and police service needs are also minimal.

Gov. Martin O'Malleyand the Democrats running Maryland will ruin our state if we don't speak up and stop the runaway spending. Moving the responsibility of paying for teacher pensions to the counties is just wrong. Governor O'Malley needs to show some leadership and balance his budget with serious spending cuts, not by raising taxes and moving costs to the counties. Fergie Grossman, Ellicott City

So now it is time for Maryland to tax apps for your iPhone or computer ("Want an app? Could be a tax for that," Jan. 26). Of course, no thought about cutting unnecessary expenditures or "entitlements" for the "new Americans" from the Democrats. It's all about votes. To heck with the real citizens of Maryland. And there is serious talk about Gov.Martin O'Malleyfor the national scene. He is far worse than what we have now. F Cordell

Why does the government not understand it is running out of other people's money? Politicians think the answer is not to cut spending but to increase taxes. The state of Maryland subscribes to the same cure. It cranks up the tax on cigarettes saying the higher price will deter people from smoking, but if people actually did stop smoking the state would lose that income. Now the state Transportation Trust Fund needs bolstering, so the government is talking about a 15-cent-a-gallon increase in the gas tax. Of course the federal CAFE standards call for vehicles to continue to get better mileage, which means less gas will be consumed and tax revenues will continue to decline, prompting calls for even higher taxes.

The federal government's contortions in reaching an agreement to curb spiraling national debt are a reflection of the deep political divide within the electorate, not just among politicians ("House raises debt ceiling," Aug 2). But one thing is clear to most of us, regardless of political affiliation. If we don't now tackle this challenge head on, our children will feel financial pain in future years. Our leaders must find ways to cut spending while closing tax loopholes for the wealthy.

I keep a household budget. If I spend more that I take in, I'm in trouble. Why can't the federal government figure this out too? If the wheels of our economy are grinding to a halt, then it makes sense to cut expenses. But why is our humongous military outlay never on the table? We're engaged in three wars, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. We have bases all over the world. We have a huge fleet of aircraft carriers and other vessels. In fact, when I shop at Safeway on Boston Street, I can see two large gray military ships docked across the harbor.

A day after voting for a $492 billion deficit reduction plan that would cut spending and raise taxes, Representative Tom McMillen, D-Md.-4th, came home yesterday to face those who would have to live with it.And most of them said they would rather live without it.Ed Ehatt, a county worker from Glen Burnie, approached the congressman at a volunteer fire department fund-raiser in Anne Arundel County. He didn't like the new taxes on liquor, cigarettes and gasoline."I don't agree with your vote on the budget," Mr. Ehatt declared.

WASHINGTON -- The House, which a month ago rejected a compromise bill to reduce spending, reversed course yesterday and approved a $602 billion measure that would cut or freeze funding for an array of health, education and labor programs, but a two-vote margin of passage signified the challenge facing Republican leaders in their drive to lower the federal budget deficit. The bill, which would cut spending on these programs by about $1.4 billion from last year's level, now goes to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain.

While President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans give tax cuts to millionaires and chop federal spending for the working poor and students, most Americans would vigorously reduce defense spending, raise income taxes on their fellow citizens making more than $100,000 a year and double the increase on those making $500,000. Such are the main conclusions of one of the more interesting surveys we've seen on American attitudes. World Public Opinion, a project managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, conducted the survey in October and December.

Bruce Fleming, the astute and outspoken professor of English at the Naval Academy and author most recently of "Bridging the Military-Civilian Divide," says conservatives tend to give the U.S. military blank-check approval while liberals give blanket suspicion. I agree with half of that assertion. While the latter might have once been true — certainly during the Vietnam War and, to a lesser extent, during the run-up to the Persian Gulf War — there's not much recent evidence that the American left is any different than the rest of the country: It's just not paying much attention anymore.