Tax Money

Letter writer William Smith is right to point out that Republicans are to blame for the flaws in the nation's health reform law ("Ehrlich denies GOP fault in flawed health care system," Jan. 3). I hope all your readers took note. It's the military's massive waste that is bleeding our economy. It has tanks it doesn't need, planes it doesn't fly and ships it doesn't use. Aircraft carriers and submarines are about all we really need. The Republicans like wars because they can build all these weapons and their rich supporters can make more money.

DO WE still have a two-party system in Maryland? We have a GOP. But where are the grand old Democrats? Helping to print fund-raising tickets for this year's campaign? Pouting over redistricting? Standing proudly behind tax cuts? Booking reservations for the ACC basketball tournament? Forgetting to be the party of the cities, the workers and the have-nots? Seems like. You can see this odd rush to one-party politics in Annapolis where the General Assembly moves into the zone of tough budget decisions.

Taxation habits need to be changed The commissioners feel they must take more and more of the taxpayers' earnings to run the county. This is called Tax and Spend. The taxpayers are taxed and the commissioners spend. Granted much of this spending is necessary and desirable. However, the commissioners spend a bigger and bigger portion (percentage) of the taxpayers' earnings. Property values rise and the property tax assessments rise. Assessments rose about 30 percent in the past year reassessment cycle.

Few supporters for a real war on teen smoking I followed with interest Michael Dresser's coverage of the current radio ad campaign funded by the Maryland Children's Initiative ("Butting heads over an ad," May 11). But I think he missed an important point. Instead of the phony roll call vote used in the ad, I urge your readers to visit the Maryland General Assembly home page on the Internet, and check out the real roll call votes on the three amendments I offered which would have spent every penny of the $105 million proposed cigarette tax increase to fund programs to fight teen smoking.

In real and palpable ways, nearly a quarter of a million Marylanders are now being held hostage. To describe the deep budget cuts Governor Schaefer unveiled Monday as devastating, as so many officials have, is to sorely underestimate their impact.Tens of thousands of Marylanders, those receiving General Public Assistance, are literally going to be out on the streets. So, too, many of the men and women at the state's halfway houses, which are slated to be shut down Nov. 1. Thousands of families who receive Aid to Dependent Children, many of whom now get by only with the help of local soup kitchens, will find that the safety net has been ripped out from under them.

IT HAS BEEN a sore point with state legislators for years. While they get blamed for imposing a heavy income-tax burden on Maryland citizens, their counterparts in local government never take any heat for their role in boosting the size of the tax bite.As it stands, Maryland is viewed as a "high-tax" state because of its top 8 percent income-tax rate. But 3 percent of that levy is due to the local "piggyback" tax. If Maryland's 5 percent state rate is viewed on its own, it compares most favorably with other nearby states: It's second-lowest in the New York-Georgia region.

The Howard County Parks and Recreation brochure needs to get to Howard County residents. A few years ago, Howard County residents got the brochure delivered to their home. Now, that is not the case. There were so many wonderful programs and trips, and I used to brag to my friends in other counties about this. Now, many of the trips, and I'm not sure about the programs, are canceled for lack of participation. A friend of mine in another county gets the brochure, so I do know about the activities.

After devoting long minutes to careful analysis of Tuesday night's election returns, I now know what Americans want: We want roads and bridges that are always in good condition but do not require tax money for upkeep. We want world class schools with teachers who are so dedicated that they will work for minimum wage. (Note: the best one should be in my neighborhood) We want 60-inch plasma TVs that cost $200 and are produced by workers in Ohio making at least $30 per hour.

County Executive Robert R. Neall has quietly decided on a bookkeeping trick that would pour millions of dollars into Anne Arundel cofferswithout raising taxes.The administration wants to keep all real estate transfer taxes for the general fund and stop sharing the revenue with the Department of Utilities.The 30 percent share of the money given to utilities was slightlyless than $4.8 million last year and $5.1 million in fiscal year 1989. But the revenue could grow substantially once the county recovers from the recession and real estate activity increases.

AUSTIN, Texas - the "physician, heal thyself" department, please note the response of White House press spokesman Ari Fleischer to a bulletin from North Korea that said: "The intention to build up a nuclear deterrent is not aimed to threaten and blackmail others, but to reduce conventional weapons. North Korea hopes to channel manpower resources and funds into economic construction and the betterment of people's living." Mr. Fleischer piously replied: "Perhaps from this glimpse of North Korea acknowledging that its own people suffer as a result of North Korea's policies, it will help North Korea to now make the right decisions.