Negotiations

Can politics ever be subordinated for the public good? Anyone watching Democrats and Republicans bicker today might believe that impossible. Certainly, Washington has had plenty of opportunities in the past two years on matters of budget and taxes and federal debt to rise to the occasion and has consistently failed to do so. But it doesn't have to work that way. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan and Congressional leaders, Democrats and Republicans, worked...

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller says he wants a "modification" to a budget deal that General Assembly conferees signed hours before the legislative session ended in confusion last week. In a letter to Gov. Martin O'Malley and House Speaker Michael E. Busch, Miller says he believes the General Assembly should increase income taxes on people with adjusted gross incomes of more than $75,000. House and Senate budget conferees had agreed to a plan to raise taxes on individuals with incomes of more than $100,000.

After a yearlong round of escalating international economic sanctions and rhetoric, the regime in Iran has finally come around to raising expectations that it will take some constructive steps in reining in its nuclear weapons ambitions. But this cycle of threat and accommodation has played out before, and its outcome should have been predictable. According to the information provided by Iranian dissidents obtained from their sources inside the regime, as well as the U.N.'s atomic watchdog agency, the nuclear genie is out of the bottle in Iran, and the regime's genius for delay and subterfuge will only give it the time to complete the dash to a workable weapon.

General Assembly negotiators broke a prolonged standoff over the state budget late Thursday as the Senate agreed to spare Marylanders making under $100,000 any income tax increase. The Senate proposal did not resolve the budget issues still facing the legislature with only four days remaining before the scheduled end of its 90-day session, but it represented visible progress for the first time since face-to-face negotiations opened Monday. House Majority Leader Kumar Barve, one of the conferees on the income tax bill, praised the Senate offer and said the House team would meet to discuss it. "It's a very good-faith offer to come to the middle," said Barve, a Montgomery County Democrat.

The creditors and the publisher of the Baltimore Jewish Times met behind closed doors Friday with a bankruptcy judge in an attempt to iron out a new ownership plan, and emerged after more than three hours with a commitment to return Monday for more negotiations. Alter Communications Inc., the publisher of the Times and Style magazine, has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since April 2010, after losing a legal battle with its former publisher, H.G. Roebuck & Son Inc. of White Marsh.

A union that represents hundreds of public workers in Baltimore County is threatening to file an unfair labor practices complaint against the county, saying a pension bill introduced by County Executive Kevin Kamenetz attempts to sidestep ongoing contract negotiations. The bill, pending before the County Council, would end the practice of using overtime wages to calculate pension benefits for members of AFSCME, whose members include laborers in the Department of Public Works and other agencies.

Giant Food and Safeway, the Baltimore region's two largest supermarket chains, are recruiting temporary workers as contract negotiations continue with the union that represents 23,000 employees. The current agreement expires March 31. The companies said hiring additional staffing was standard during contract talks. Safeway said in a newspaper advertisement that it was seeking applications for temporary workers "due to a possible labor dispute. " "In the event of a work stoppage, we'll be able to keep our stores up and running and serve our customers," Giant spokesman Jamie Miller said Tuesday, noting that both grocers sought temporary workers during the last contract talks, in 2008.

In a move that had become little more than a formality, the Ravens announced today that they will use the franchise tag on Ray Rice, a decision that both sides hope will be the precursor to a long-term extension for the Pro Bowl running back. But the team also announced that it had cut veterans Chris Carr and Lee Evans. It placed running back Ricky Williams on the reserve/retired list, meaning the Ravens will retain his rights if he decides not come out of retirement. Carr, a reserve at cornerback who was hampered by injuries all season, was schedule to make $2.5 million ($3.45 million against the cap.)

The football world's focus returns to Indianapolis this week, where more than 300 NFL hopefuls will participate in the annual scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Starting Wednesday and running through next Tuesday, the event, which comes two weeks after the city played host to the Super Bowl, is the biggest showcase for prospects before late April's NFL Draft. It also represents one of the first opportunities for teams to start shaping their game plans for the offseason. The Ravens' top decision makers and scouts will be on hand, studying the draft class with a particular eye on finding help for the offensive line, passing game and pass rush.

It's official now. The Ravens are on the clock to either sign running back Ray Rice to a contract extension or designate him the franchise player by March 5th. Otherwise, they'd have to allow him to become an unrestricted free agent. But there is no need to panic. Rice will remain in Baltimore, one way or the other. The Ravens are expected to meet with the agent for Joe Flacco this week to eventually sign their franchise quarterback, who has one year remaining on his current deal, to a long term deal.