Rainy Day

Maybe it was the crinkly feel of that first multicolored Monopoly wad, but somehow Dominic Crapuchettes always knew that he would make his fortune in board games. For now, though, he deals in clay dough. That's the currency of Cluzzle, the clay-sculpting party game that Crapuchettes invented in 2003, and subsequently sank his life savings into. The 35-year-old Greenbelt resident is one of dozens of area game designers trying to break into the $1 billion board game industry with self-published wares this Christmas.

It's time to make your New Year's financial resolutions for 2005. We can, for example, assume that Martha Stewart has resolved to take far fewer phone calls from her broker once she's released from jail. Insurance company executives likely promised themselves they'll delete all secret kickbacks from company policy to avert future scandals. Corporate accountants are solemnly vowing to live by the letter of the tax law, never booking a sale before it is actually completed. Movie moguls are committed to avoiding the risk of financial disappointment from such films as Alexander by reverently allowing the ancients to remain buried in history.

Rising property and income tax revenue should provide Howard County with a surplus at the end of the fiscal year June 30 that is three times higher than last year's -- but still a relatively small financial cushion, county officials said yesterday. Raymond S. Wacks, the county's budget director, told the county's Spending Affordability Committee that he estimates property taxes will produce $3.7 million more than expected, followed by $1.3 million more from income taxes and $1 million from other levies -- mainly the real estate recordation tax. Investment income, meanwhile, might decline by $200,000, he said.

The city's Board of Estimates is set to hire an executive search firm to find a replacement for retiring finance director Peggy J. Watson, whose impending departure was inadvertently revealed by City Hall yesterday. The board's draft agenda for today's meeting features an item that states that "the department of Finance will soon require the services of a new Director of Finance." The item requests that the board spend $25,000 to hire an executive search firm to hire Watson's replacement.

Sunny, temperate weather helped the Howard County Fair set a one-day attendance record early in its eight-day run, but rain at the end of last week cut into the overall number of visitors. Vaughn Turner, president of the Fair Association, estimated 80,000 to 90,000 people attended the 59th fair from Aug. 7 through Saturday, significantly improving on last year's 60,000 visitors. "Sunday was the largest we ever had for attendance," he said, estimating 20,000 people crowded the fairgrounds Aug. 8. That day featured an antique auto show, pie eating and pretty animal contests, the grand-opening parade, and an "old-time" threshing demonstration.

The Baltimore public school system has repaid most of the $42 million loan city government provided in March and has significantly improved its fiscal outlook for the coming year, city and school officials announced yesterday. Baltimore schools chief Bonnie S. Copeland said her administration had wired $34 million to City Hall yesterday morning and that the loan's remaining $8 million would be repaid, as promised, in two years. "That was an extraordinary gesture of generosity and an extraordinary gesture of hope in our system, and we cannot thank you enough for that," Copeland told Mayor Martin O'Malley and City Council leaders at a North Avenue news conference.

Despite cloudy skies and drizzling rain, more than 600 people attended the ceremonial groundbreaking Sunday of the new Glen Mar United Methodist Church in Ellicott City -- 50 years after its first worship service was held at Ellicott City Junior High School. "Over the years, many things have changed. But some have not," said the Rev. Anders Lunt, senior pastor. "The flame that was ignited by faith, in 1954, is still burning by faith. And a little rain isn't going to put it out." The event, which included a live band and singing from the church's vacation Bible school children, took place at a 22-acre site at Montgomery and New Cut roads.

Last week's question What do you plan to spend your tax refund on? 23.4 percent Travel (11 votes) 23.4 percent Putting it away for a rainy day (11 votes) 23.4 percent Not getting any money back (11 votes) 21.3 percent Furniture (10 votes) 6.4 percent Entertainment (3 votes) 2.1 percent Clothes (1 vote) 0 percent Getting pampered (0 votes) 0 percent Gifts for loved ones (0 votes) 47 total votes This week's question Are you observing TV Turn-Off Week? What's that? Sacrifice TV?

While Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley has faced criticism from Annapolis for his decision to nearly drain the city's rainy day reserve to bail out the school system, financial experts are not alarmed by the decision to use the fund as a temporary salve. "The rainy day fund is there for rainy days," said Richard O'Brien, senior vice president and director of Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Inc., a Washington-based investment house. "I believe they will restore the rainy day fund. I am in the vein it is a temporary, not permanent, problem."

To help the city school system achieve the financial respectability it so badly seeks, Mayor Martin O'Malley is proposing to lend it money from a fund that has helped city government accomplish the same goal. Taking $8 million from the city's so-called rainy day fund to help the system avoid extensive classroom layoffs indicates how seriously O'Malley views the schools' budget crisis. The fund, painstakingly accumulated over the past several years, is typically used for emergencies such as weather-related costs and is crucial in maintaining the city's creditworthiness.