Funding

Who let this character Ben Clyburn run around loose in these parts? Clyburn's not just any character, mind you. He's Judge Ben C. Clyburn, chief judge of the District Court of Maryland. That's right: Clyburn is the head honcho of all the district courts in the state. He's held that position for three years. He also spent 10 years as a trial judge in Baltimore District Court, located at the corner of North Avenue and Harford Road. As a judge, Clyburn has some funny notions. Like, for instance, believing that the judiciary is an independent branch of government, equal to that of the executive and legislative branches.

State senators slashed Gov. Martin O'Malley's spending plan for stem-cell research to less than one-fourth of last year's funding level, eliciting an outcry from advocates, who say that such a budget cut would cripple the pioneering work in Maryland. The belt-tightening during an early round of the budget process reflects growing concern in the General Assembly that a slowing economy might undercut the state's finances. The latest revenue projections are not expected until next week, but lawmakers are already considering how to cut $300 million or more from O'Malley's $15.2 billion general fund budget.

WASHINGTON -- Determined to keep up pressure on the White House and congressional Republicans to support a troop withdrawal from Iraq, House Democratic leaders began to coalesce yesterday around a plan that would link continued war funding to progress by the Iraqi government. Under the proposal, which was still being worked out, the bill would guarantee money for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan only through July, according to Democratic sources. Under the plan, lawmakers would vote on another war funding bill after Congress received a report from the Bush administration in July on how much progress the Iraqi government had made on a series of benchmarks, including disarming militias and passing laws to share oil wealth.

Worried that the Maryland General Assembly might decide to cut school funding during this economic downturn, education advocates urged legislators yesterday not to balance the budget by reducing money for education. The governor has not proposed any reductions recently, but advocates held a news conference asking legislators not to make any changes in the money schools receive under the Thornton funding formula passed in 2002. From 2002 to 2008, state aid to education increased by 75 percent, with the state providing $1.3 billion more than it was five years ago. Under the legislation, state aid was to increase because of inflation, but in 2007 the legislature decided to hold education funding increases in the next two years to 1 percent each year.

A statewide health information exchange that would give doctors computerized access to patients' medical histories got a $10 million funding boost Wednesday. The Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission, the state agency that sets rates that hospitals can charge, approved the startup funding to build the system that's been studied for several years. The funding comes from a surcharge of a few pennies on hospital bills, which are mostly footed by insurance companies. "This will give health care providers the right information at the point of care so that they can make the best diagnosis and treatment decision, while in a framework that protects patient privacy," said David Horrocks, president of Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients.

WASHINGTON - Congressional Republicans cut funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds public radio and television stations. After having their fun, they then agreed to restore most of the money and dropped their threat to eventually phase out all taxpayer funding. But they shouldn't back down. In fact, they should finish the job: End all taxpayer funding for government broadcasting stations and let them compete in the marketplace like other broadcasters. In a 500-channel world, why do the taxpayers need to subsidize one more channel?

Howard County Executive Charles I. Ecker has filed with the state election board to use public campaign financing, making him the only gubernatorial candidate to indicate he might take advantage of the funding.Ecker, who is challenging Ellen R. Sauerbrey in the Republican primary, was the only candidate to file his intention by the Monday night deadline. He now has until July 16 to file paperwork proving he qualifies for matching public funds of up to about $770,000 for the primary."We'll see," he said.

A shift in federal funding priorities could delay a $3.5 million upgrade to Carroll County Regional Airport near Westminster. Money would be diverted from airport construction projects across the country to the newly created Transportation Security Agency, federal transportation officials announced last week. Maryland regional airports would lose $16 million in grant money this year if the decision remains final, said Bruce Mundie of the Maryland Aviation Administration. The transfer had to be made because Congress has underfunded the security agency, said Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta.

Mayor Sheila Dixon is requesting an additional $50 million in federal funding for a broad range of programs, ranging from violence to housing. Joined by U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski and Rep. John Sarbanes, Dixon said the money, if approved, would be used for crime initiatives, job growth and health programs. The administration listed 17 specific programs for which it is requesting additional money, including $1.1 million for gun violence reduction and $10.3 million for a neighborhood foreclosure program.

COLLEGE PARK -- Looking back on nearly a decade at the helm of the state's flagship campus, outgoing President William E. "Brit" Kirwan said yesterday that the University of Maryland, College Park remains "in striking distance" of greatness.But he said the 33,000-student institution needs a consistent level of funding and greater influence in the state's university system.In a warm farewell address to the College Park Senate, Kirwan, who leaves June 30 to become president of Ohio State University, said the campus has made remarkable progress despite economic woes in the early 1990s.