Landfill caps. Alley and bridge repairs. New roads, recreation centers and tot lots.
Those are just some of the goodies on Baltimore County's shopping list, scattered among numerous other items that would be funded by 10 bond issues on the Nov. 3 county ballot.
Previous Sun editorials addressed borrowing ordinance Questions A, C, F and J (which we endorsed) and charter amendment Question K (which we opposed). Now we will examine the six remaining bond questions.
Question B provides $11 million for refuse disposal facilities. This includes nearly $10 million to build new cells at the Eastern Sanitary Landfill and to cap the Hernwood and Parkton landfills. Some Parkton residents, claiming the landfill has contaminated local water tables, say a cap would not solve the problem of toxins leaking from beneath the trash pile into the ground water. County and state officials downplay the charges. We back Question B, but with the caveat that government officials make certain any such contamination has been halted before the landfill is capped.
Question D, the biggest of the 10 bond issues, authorizes the use of $47.4 million for public works projects, largely routine capital maintenance of the county's 2,400 miles of roadways and 700 miles of storm drains. The largest expenses would be for road work in the county's designated growth centers -- the new Campbell Boulevard in White Marsh ($7.6 million) and an extension to Red Run Boulevard in Owings Mills ($5.2 million).
Question E is a $3 million loan for the acquisition of land for the construction of parks, greenways and recreation centers.
Question G allows $660,000 to be used to purchase development easements under the state's Agricultural Land Preservation Program. The bonds would be supplemented with money from the state and the county's general fund.
Question H provides $1.7 million to spruce up commercial districts and town centers with new walkways and bus stop shelters, parking-lot landscaping and street-sign embellishments.
Question I provides $3.2 million for erosion control, dredging and wetlands restoration along the county's 1,000 miles of streams, creeks and rivers and 170 miles of Chesapeake Bay shoreline.
Because these funds would bring much-needed improvements to Baltimore County's quality of life, we urge county residents to vote FOR all 10 bond issues, Questions A through J, on Nov. 3.