Cut Spending

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.

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.

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

Last week's tax-cut bidding war by Republicans and Democrats has now been replaced by this week's competition for the blue ribbon in reducing federal spending. The switch in emphasis is welcome even if there are grounds for doubting that politicians will find the will or the way to match spending cuts with tax cuts, dollar for dollar.Perhaps the two great political parties have discovered that the American people know there is no free lunch -- that reductions in government revenue without offsetting slashes in expenditures pile up debts that threaten the nation's future.

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.

The town of Union Bridge is tightening its fiscal belt in the face of declining revenue for the next budget year.An expected $3,000 increase in property tax revenues will not be enough to offset the loss of $18,000 in state and county aid for fiscal 1999, which begins July 1, town officials said.Union Bridge plans to make do with a proposed $476,000 budget, $20,000 less than this year's spending plan.Towns can raise property taxes to generate more income. But in Union Bridge, the mayor and Town Council plan to keep the property tax rate at 75 cents per $100 of assessed value.

WASHINGTON -- After a week of stormy debate, the Republican-led Senate last night joined the House in approving a dramatic blueprint for $1 trillion worth of cuts in federal spending to shrink the government and balance the budget by 2002.The Senate plan was approved on a vote of 57-42, with three Democrats -- Sam Nunn of Georgia, Charles S. Robb of Virginia and Bob Kerrey of Nebraska -- voting with the 54 Republicans.A majority of Congress is now on record as committed to reversing a quarter-century of deficit spending by the federal government.

Faced with a 27 percent drop in the value of its endowment funds and expected cuts in state and local government grants, the Walters Art Museum announced yesterday a restructuring plan that includes laying off seven of its 150 employees, imposing a salary and limited hiring freeze and staff furloughs, and canceling an exhibition that was to have had the museum collaborating with the Musee d'Orsay in Paris and the Getty in Los Angeles. Earlier this year, Hackerman House, where the Walters' Asian art collection is displayed, was closed weekdays in a cost-cutting move.

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