Salaries

The fact the Orioles reportedly have signed outfielder Nate McLouth to a one-year deal worth just $2 million plus incentives doesn't mean that it's not a very important move in the greater scheme of things. McLouth was a very important part of the club's late-season success and he will be back for a full season, most likely as the everyday left fielder. The Orioles are hoping that Nolan Reimold bounces back from neck surgery to finally establish himself as a solid run-producer, but - more often than not - Buck Showalter is going to be most comfortable with three Gold Glove winners arrayed across the outfield.

A former member of the Baltimore Fire Department wrongly collected a salary and benefits from the city for more than seven years — to the tune of nearly a half-million dollars — under a military leave policy that he did not qualify for, according to a report by the city's Office of Inspector General. The employee, who was not identified, has worked full time for the Maryland National Guard since 2004. He continued to collect his city salary and benefits under a military leave policy intended to provide financial security for city employees who are involuntarily deployed for temporary military assignments, according to Inspector General David N. McClintock's report, which was scheduled to be released publicly Tuesday.

Being outraged that the salary for the position of Harford County Council Administrator went from about $72,687 a year before to the retirement of the last person to hold the job to $116,000 in less than a year since the current council administrator took office is a natural. Plenty of people in county government jobs make $46,000 a year or less, and awarding a raise totaling that amount to a person who has been on the job for less than a year is something every taxpayer in Harford County should be concerned about.

With the loss of Ed Dickson (sprained right shoulder) and Dennis Pitta (broken right hand) for the remainder of the preseason, the thought was that the Ravens would scour the free-agent market to fortify the tight end position. But that's not necessarily the case, according to coach John Harbaugh. “I don't know. We'll just have to see,” he said after Saturday's practice at the team's training facility in Owings Mills. “It's not just needing a guy, it's also guys being available that you think can play, and if they can stay healthy.

  Baltimore City posted new pay data for city workers on its Open Baltimore website Wednesday, and the numbers once again illustrate how overtime can help lift incomes far above annual salary levels. The figures show that 328 municipal employees - 172 at the Police Department - received gross pay at least 50 percent above their salary. The data covers fiscal 2012, which ended June 30. Police Lt. Stephen C. Nalewajko Jr. made more money than MayorStephanie Rawlings-Blake, earning $166,200 compared to the mayor's gross pay of $161,800.

The Ravens created some breathing room under the NFL salary cap limit when they signed Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice to a five-year, $40 million maximum value deal that included a $15 million signing bonus. Instead of carrying a $7.742 million franchise tender for Rice, he now counts for just $5 million against the salary cap for this fiscal year. Including the accounting for the Rice deal, the Ravens have $3.123 million in cap space available. Yes, that's enough to fit in a deal for quarterback Joe Flacco, which is actively being haggled over between agent Joe Linta and Ravens vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty, with no deal imminent at this time.

As a small business owner, I take great umbrage at the idea that government helps small business ("Government helps small business? Absolutely," July 20). Yes, government does everything your letter writer says, but we taxpayers are the ones who pay the bill. Small businesses are the engine that drives the economy, not government. Government does not create, it only takes. I do not know where the letter writer gets his information, but it sounds like it's straight from the Democratic Party talking points.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will request Wednesday that the city Board of Estimates extend the contract of Fire Chief James S. Clack and provide for incremental increases to his salary each year through 2018, according to the board's agenda posted online Monday. The vote of confidence from the mayor, who is also a powerful member of the board, comes at a politically charged time for Clack, who is embroiled in controversy surrounding his implementation and support of Rawlings-Blake's decision to close three fire companies for budgetary reasons.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti acknowledged Friday there is still a “gap” in contract talks between the team and Ray Rice, but he remains optimistic the team will reach a long-term agreement with its star running back and quarterback Joe Flacco. Rice, who would play the season under the $7.7-million franchise tag if a long-term extension isn't reached before July 16, is not expected to be at the team's mandatory veteran mini-camp which starts Tuesday and is a threat to hold out from next month's training camp.

Baltimore is a good place for recent college graduates to settle down, according to a report released Thursday by major job- and apartment-hunting websites. Charm City has the right combination of entry-level job inventory, average entry-level salary and average monthly rent to rank 10th on a list of the best cities for new grads. The list was put together by the classified websites Careerbuilder.com and Apartments.com, which used their employment and rental listings to calculate the rankings.