* Griffith B. Dorn Jr., 56, of Ellicott City, retired elementary school teacher:

Worse, because of poor tax policies that've been going on for at least 30 years. . . . We need more money for investment, less government spending and to get rid of the deficit. I don't want a tax cut unless those things are taken care of first. I think the income tax that is progressively higher with income is devastating (because of) the way it's taking money from investments. You can't kill the goose that lays the golden egg and expect to have more golden eggs.