Local Governments

It's a terrible time for the Anne Arundel County Council to be engaged in a protracted standoff over the replacement of one of its members. The body's prestige was harmed enough by the circumstances that led to the removal of Democrat Daryl Jones, who is currently serving time in federal prison for failing to file income tax returns for several years. It has not been helped by the use of a racial slur by one of the council members during deliberation over Mr. Jones' replacement, and it has further been damaged by the seeming indifference of some members of the Republican majority about whether residents of the 1st District have any representation.

Maryland's constitution mandates that every student have access to an adequate (indeed, "thorough" is how it's described) education. Court cases have backed this up, and the state legislature's response was the Bridge to Excellence in Education Act, more commonly known as the "Thornton" funding that ensured even the state's poorest jurisdictions had enough money for K-12 schools. Crucial to this transfer of tax dollars from the state to local school systems was the assurance that Baltimore and the 23 counties would maintain their share of that financial responsibility, too. Otherwise, the $1.3 billion in Thornton assistance would not provide a boost to schools but merely give local governments an opportunity to slack.

If Gov. Martin O'Malley's plan to shift some teacher pension costs to the counties is approved by the legislature, no jurisdiction will take so large a hit in the first year as Baltimore County. Poorer jurisdictions are due to get an influx of direct state aid under the governor's proposal, and richer ones benefit more from Mr. O'Malley's idea to limit income tax exemptions and deductions for the top fifth of earners. The result is that Baltimore County would see a hit of nearly $3 million in the fiscal year that begins in July, with the effects magnified in the years after that.

City finances have long been under pressure, but the Great Recession and steady attacks on federal and state spending have compounded local financial difficulties. The National League of Cities' annual research brief, City Fiscal Conditions, documents rapid deterioration. Reported revenue declines of 2.5 percent in 2009 and 3.2 percent in 2010 were unprecedented in severity in the 25-year history of the survey. In 2010, 79 percent of cities reported cutting personnel, 44 percent cut services, 25 percent cut public safety spending, and 17 percent cut current employees' health benefits.

Baltimore and Harford counties are conducting their annual surveys of the homeless population this week, gathering information about how many people lack a permanent place to stay and why. The one-day census is also intended to help service agencies learn where there are gaps in assistance programs. The federal government requires a count, known as a point-in-time census, during the last 10 days of January from all local governments at least every other year. Most conduct the survey annually.

Gov. Martin O'Malley today submitted what is likely to be among the most controversial budget proposals in his two terms in office. Faced with a $1 billion gap between projected spending and revenues, and committed to a goal of finding real solutions to Maryland's persistent budget woes, Mr. O'Malley is now reaching for the hard-to-do ideas, many of which have been kicking around Annapolis for years but have gone nowhere because they were politically unpalatable....

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller wants it. Gov. Martin O'Malley says he's considering it. And local elected leaders are strongly opposed - to the point where they've been willing to give up millions of dollars in state aid to prevent it. The "it" in question is a plan to require Baltimore and the 23 counties to at least share in (if not ultimately assume) the cost of teacher pensions. The appeal - and opposition - is rooted mostly in how the move would potentially transfer the cost from the state to local government.

There's a popular saying in the halls of the State House in Annapolis: "Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. " It's used most often to describe government's classic conundrum - as laudable as a goal might be, people would rather not sacrifice to attain it. That could well describe the flotilla of local government leaders who continue to protest bitterly over the projected cost of a Chesapeake Bay cleanup and Gov. Martin O'Malley's...

It certainly is a fact that cities and counties always seem to know how to raise taxes but never how to lower them. It's time to take action. Maybe if homeowners simply refuse to pay increased property taxes when they should have been reduced, local governments will be stuck and forced to find a way to make do with less. Frank F. Braunstein, Pikesville

As a local business owner, I was happy for the opportunity to participate in the recent public meeting to discuss the proposed Baltimore Washington Rail Facility. While I agree that it is incredibly important to continue this discussion openly, I hope residents of our community will not lose sight of how important this facility can be to our local economy. In addition to driving economic growth, providing additional tax income to our local governments, and creating jobs, as a business owner, I see an even more important benefit.