budgets and budgeting

Cut the Pentagon's budget so local communities can flourish

With teachers still seeking a raise, school officials having to absorb millions in pension costs and the ever-increasing cost of "doing business," the issues that forced the Harford County Board of Education to seek a major increase in local funds this year will most likely be present next year.

The Pentagon on Tuesday cut the number of furlough days for 650,000 Defense Department civilians from 11 to six — a welcome surprise for workers who have been saddled with a 20 percent pay-cut since early July.

Sadly, there has been a great deal of confusion regarding how education is funded and administered in the state of Maryland...

In addressing the Harford County Board of Education earlier this week, Andre Rush, of Abingdon, held up his property tax bill and a check for paying it and was quoted in a report in this newspaper as saying: "I just wanted to remind you of where the money comes from."

Adversarial system depends on adequate resources for both sides

Harford residents plead with members of the Board of Education to reverse policies that call for families to pay fees for their children to participate in sports or activities, and consolidated bus routes and stops.

"Deplorable," "appalling" and "alarming" is what Neuman called the academy's facilities, saying they need to be rebuilt

Sen. Ben Cardin's complaints about the sequester ring hollow.

As a result of not securing the funding increase it had sought, the Harford County public school system appears to be taking actions aimed at evoking a response from parents and the public at large.

The only ones complaining about sequestration are spendthrift Democrats.

Eric Cantor is making a mistake in attempting to cut funds for behavioral and social science research.

Mary Theresa Nipwoda, a lab technician at Aberdeen Proving Ground, did what she could to prepare for the 20-percent pay cut she knew was coming this week.

The Prince George's County Board of Education last week approved a $1.687 billion operating budget for fiscal year 2014.

The head of the nation's medical research agency and leaders of Johns Hopkins hospital and medical school warned Monday that progress in fighting diseases could be slowed, jobs lost and scientists driven overseas unless across-the-board federal funding cuts are reversed.

Still there is very meaningful discussion – thought there is plenty of partisan rhetoric -- of finding a better way to manage state finances.

Like a great many of our fellow County residents, the members of the Harford County School Bus Contractors Association (HCSBCA) were dismayed to see the severe budget cuts made by the Harford County School Board

"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right."

The members of the Harford County Public Library's Board of Trustees bid goodbye to two long-serving members and their student representative for the past year Thursday.

The Anne Arundel County school board on Wednesday approved system-wide pay increases in a $1 billion operating budget that also included revenues for the county's first middle school STEM magnet program while trimming funding to such budget items as a textbook allocation program and materials of instruction.

Havre de Grace's City Council approved the proposed $14.8 million budget for 2014 on Monday, with council members calling it a milestone in decreased spending.

Veteran Harford County Public Schools educator Barbara Boksz has spent the past week looking through her options since learning she was one of 46 teachers and other school staffers to lose their jobs, the result of a slew of measures approved by the Board of Education to reconcile its budget for the 2014 fiscal year this month.

The Baltimore Police Department is short almost one-sixth of the officers it should have as it girds for warmer weather and increased violence — prompting top brass to once again exceed its overtime budget and dig deep to fill patrol cars.

The Bel Air town commissioners unanimously voted against a budget amendment Monday that would have put $55,000 in savings toward town employee pension funds in order to review the "overall health" of the pensions, which are short by more than $100,000 for the 2013 fiscal year.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's budget is no break-even proposition for residents; rather, it offers a path toward a strong, growing city that benefits all.

Baltimore residents will pay less in property taxes but more in storm water and taxi fees under a $2.4 billion budget approved by the City Council Monday.

The Annapolis City Council passed a budget for next year with a slight increase in the property tax rate and funding for projects that include a bulkhead replacement at City Dock.

When the board hires a new superintendent, it needs to find someone who is committed to being in touch with the community, and who has a more realistic approach to dealing with financial issues.

Havre de Grace moves forward on 2014 budget without controversy

The University of Maryland Medical Center will send layoffs notices to employees at the end of the month as it looks to cut costs in the wake of federal budget cuts and what the state's hospitals have called inadequate rate increases.

The members of the Harford County Board of Education voted 6-3 in favor of a $424.7 million balanced budget Monday, a budget that was balanced by eliminating about 100 teaching and other staff positions, removing a $7.7 million package of employee salary increases, consolidating some school bus routes, and charging fees to participate in interscholastic sports and extracurricular activities.

Readers should be criticizing Congress for enacting the sequester, not Fort McHenry officials for cutting hours.

At their legislative session Tuesday, Harford County Council members defended their actions on the 2014 budget which leave the county school system with a considerably smaller increase in its county funding allotment than school officials requested – the net impact of which is likely to be no raises for teachers and other school employees.

Strained relations between the Anne Arundel County School System and county government over money matters are well documented, but much of the contention has existed between school officials and former County Executive John Leopold.

Havre de Grace's City Council introduced a $12.8 million proposed budget for fiscal year 2014, which Council President Randy Craig noted is $500,000 less in spending than the last fiscal year.

The 26th annual Columbia Festival of the Arts once again brings an impressive roster of performers to Howard County from June 14- 29. Some of these performers are returning favorites, while others are first-timers. Some will take a bow on their own, while others will collaborate with homegrown talent. All of them are booked by the festival in order to provide memorable artistic experiences for local audiences.

The City Council's rush to approve a local hiring law this week was unfortunate and possibly illegal as well

The Aberdeen City Council voted 4-1 Monday night to approve a final plat for a Chick-fil-A at the corner of Route 22 and Beards Hill Road, where a gas station currently sits. The council also enacted the city's budget for the 2014 fiscal year.

The Anne Arundel County Council approved a budget Tuesday that gives raises to most employees, extends library hours and pays for technology upgrades.

By approving extra money for the school system, the county council may garner the luster of being education – friendly in the eyes of some, but the reality is the school system would do well to be held more accountable for what it spends.

After her two previous mounts pulled out of the Belmont Stakes, jockey Rosie Napravnik will ride trainer Todd Pletcher's filly Unlimited Budget in attempt to make history Saturday.

After years of slashed budgets, Anne Arundel County's libraries could get upgraded computers, expanded hours and a new Annapolis branch under County Executive Laura Neuman's proposed budget.

Anne Arundel County's budget process turned rocky on Friday, as the County Council cut $5 million from the school system -- a move the schools superintendent called a "spiteful and petty power play."

With its financial resources, the county can embark on a school construction program without the state's help.

The Harford County Council has approved a 2014 operating budget of $496.9 million, about $2 million higher than what was proposed by County Executive David Craig.

Ehrlich distorts the facts about Obamacare

The Howard County Board of Education Tuesday, May 28 adopted a $725.5 million budget for fiscal year 2014.

Teachers and others concerned about county funding of the 2014 school budget are expected to stage another protest at Tuesday night's Harford County Council meeting in Bel Air.

Favorable real estate and consumer confidence indicators show U.S. economic recovery has legs — if Congress doesn't cut them off