Investment

A minority of lawmakers convinced the House of Delegates Wednesday to delay voting on a landmark plan to invest about $1 billion in building and replacing Baltimore schools. About 40 delegates, mostly Republicans, asked for another day to examine the proposal that was unveiled Tuesday and relies on spending $20 million a year in state lottery cash to help the city and its schools borrow up to $1.1 billion. It's fundamentally different from the solution pushed by schools officials to create a block grant system.

As we struggle through the fifth year of recession, facing budget cuts, austerity and now the sequester, it may be a good time to re-evaluate our national priorities. Last year, the Reach Out and Read program that distributes books to low-income children from 6 months to 5 years lost its federal grant and this year the Head Start program is being cut back. These cuts will be borne by our most vulnerable citizens. These cuts come at a time when there is a growing mountain of evidence that the seeds for our health are sown in the first years of life.

There is a sharp disconnect between the image and reality of the O'Malley administration's fiscal policies. The image features pension reforms, reduced structural deficits, a rainy day fund, and protection of programs. The reality includes deferred maintenance, transfer of costs to local governments, "Medicaid cuts" that shift costs to hospitals and the privately insured, revenue bond financing for core functions, failure to curb pensions and health benefits, raids on open space and Injured Workers' Insurance Fund revenues, over-reliance on gambling (both literally and within the state's pension funds)

When I was a Ph.D. student at Yale, I dreamed of working as a university professor, directing a research laboratory, and training students of my own. I have been a professor for a little over four years now. Of the lessons I have learned in this time, the one I have taken most to heart is that scientists at American universities spend far more time dreaming of research than actually carrying it out. By "dreaming," I mean that university scientists design...

Kudos to The Sun for supporting the Race to the Tots legislation in Annapolis and universal, high-quality pre-kindergarten ("Challenging young minds," Feb. 25). Race to the Tots, sponsored by Sen. Bill Ferguson and Del. Sandy Rosenberg, would provide funding for expanded access to preschool, professional development for child care providers, and innovative partnership among services for young children and their families. Hearings on the legislation will be held on Wednesday, March 6, and we urge readers to contact their representatives in Annapolis, calling on them to support this bill.

As one of Maryland's manufacturing companies, we enthusiastically support The Sun's position on the offshore wind legislation now before the state Senate ("Wind picks up steam," Feb. 25). The Sun's position provides a realistic description of the balance between commercial investment uncertainties and the very large potential to create jobs, new manufacturing and renewable sources of energy. The state's role in offshore wind energy is as a catalyst for commercial investment. There is no assurance that such investment will occur in Maryland, but without the state's forward-looking strategy, the manufacturing jobs associated with offshore wind are likely to be captured by other states.

Scientists have long known that the human mind develops most rapidly during the first five years of life, a point President Barack Obama underscored in his State of the Union address when he urged states to provide universal access to high-quality pre-kindergarten programs. Investment in early childhood education is an investment in the nation's future, and Maryland is well-positioned to heed the president's call. Children who attend high-quality, public pre-K arrive at school better equipped with the cognitive and social skills needed for learning, and there is a large body of evidence suggesting that they retain that advantage throughout their school careers and beyond.

As Darren O'Day spoke to the media on Monday about his new two-year deal, Orioles pitching coach Rick Adair and bullpen coach Bill Castro beamed from the back row. Coaches aren't ones to sit in on news conferences often, but it showed how coveted the Orioles' sidearm reliever has become. The Orioles are making a $5.8 million investment in O'Day. He was the team's most consistent relief pitcher last season, able to work his way out of a jam, as well as hold a lead. He could come in for one batter or pitch two innings.

In his recent State of the Union address, President Barack Obama said "we can't just cut our way to prosperity" ("Obama outlines ambitious agenda for second term," Feb. 13). I could not agree more. More than 12.5 percent of households in Maryland and 50 million families across America - seniors, children, individuals with disabilities, and the working poor - face hunger. They skip meals, decide whether to pay for heating costs or food and try to make limited dollars stretch at the grocery store.

After more than four months without a permanent leader, Legg Mason Inc.'s search for a new CEO might finally be near the end. It probably can't come soon enough for employees and investors who have lived through months of uncertainty. "The longer it takes to find a successor, the more trying it is to everyone's patience," said James Hardesty, chairman of Hardesty Capital Management in Baltimore. Rumors have circulated about potential outside candidates, although as time passed, interim CEO Joseph A. Sullivan is believed by some analysts to have the inside track.