20070713 News Clips

News Clips

July 13, 2007

STATE NEWS

Dixon calls for more police

Mayor offers plan to spur recruitment

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-md.ci.crime13jul13,0,5503040.story?coll=bal-local-baltimorecity

Just a week after she indicated that police retention is a more pressing problem than recruitment, Mayor Sheila Dixon yesterday announced a series of steps to enhance police recruitment while mentioning no concrete plans for improving retention rates.

Dixon's six-point plan calls for increasing the Police Department's recruitment goal from 240 to 300 new officers a year, providing tutoring and training courses for the required civil service test, expanding the cadet program and establishing a $1 million loan program for college students who commit to becoming police officers. The programs would be funded by city money and federal grants for which the city is applying, Dixon said.

The Interns

Grade-school students learn what it's like to work at Fort Detrick

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=62446

Military officials hope a program will help middle-schoolers think about donning a white laboratory coat.

A class of seventh- and eighth-graders finished Thursday a week of interactive science, math and physics lessons in the post's Young Engineers and Scientists program, or Y.E.S., held at Hood College. Fort Detrick held its first of these programs last year under the name Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science, or G.E.M.S. Program organizers hope stud ents will pursue science and engineering as they continue their education and then return to Frederick to work.

Dems: Ex-Ehrlich aide is OmalleyWatch

http://www.examiner.com/a-826455~Dems__Ex_Ehrlich_aide_is_OmalleyWatch.html

The Maryland Democratic Party is accusing former Gov. Robert Ehrlich's law firm and his ex-press secretary with being the source of OMalleyWatch.com and lying about their involvement in what party spokesman David Paulson called a "smear Web site" attacking Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley.

But Henry Fawell, the former press aide who works with Ehrlich at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, repeated denials he and the former governor made to The Examiner two weeks ago. "I am not OMalleyWatch and have not the slightest clue who it is," Fawell told The Examiner on Thursday. "David Paulson gives me way too much credit."

Getting down to the nitty-gritty

http://www.gazette.net/stories/071307/poliras205744_32355.shtml

The political posturing is out of the way. Now it is time for hard-nosed budget negotiating.

Gov. Martin O'Malley has staked out his claim as a frugal executive by presenting a batch of largely phantom budget cuts (eliminating vacant jobs, delays in filling other open positions, postponing travel and equipment purchases). Yet few cuts will prove long-lasting once new money sources are found. Meanwhile, state legislators unveiled a mythical ''doomsday" scenario for chopping $1.5 billion from the state budget. No one believes these extreme steps will happen.

Too much or not enough?

First step wins cautious praise, concern from those bracing for next round

http://www.gazette.net/stories/071307/polinew221255_32370.shtml

With the dust settled on this week's budget cuts, two camps seem to have emerged: The cuts will bring pain or the cuts didn't go deep enough. ''None of these cuts come without some level of pain," said David S. Bliden, executive director of the Maryland Association of Counties. ''Whenever there are agency cuts, there is some trickle-down to counties that creates backfill. These are services that residents expect, and when the state retreats, that puts pressure on the counties to backfill the service."

A countering argument comes from the Maryland Public Policy Institute: Deeper cuts are possible.

''We think there is more that can be done," said Christopher Summers, president of the Germantown think tank. ''The easiest thing to do is to increase programs; the hardest thing to do is to reduce them because politics pushes aside sound policy."

Coming next: Special session?

With initial cuts in hand, counties are staking their claim to state aid

http://www.gazette.net/stories/071307/polinew221303_32371.shtml

Now that the Board of Public Works has taken the first step in addressing the state's $1.5 billion budget deficit - approving $280.7 million in cuts on Wednesday - state and county officials are looking at what comes next. If the state is to address the deficit before the General Assembly's 2008 session, Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) must negotiate an agreement with Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. and House Speaker Michael E. Busch that could bring legislators back to Annapolis for a special session. ''It depends upon the governor," said Miller (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach. ''He wants to have a consensus ahead of time. You know, he's not going to get complete consensus. No governor's that good."

The sooner the legislature faces the deficit, the better, said House Minority Leader Anthony J. O'Donnell (R-Dist. 29C) of Lusby. ''The administration has been coasting too long," he said.

Sen. J. Lowell Stoltzfus (R-Dist. 38) of Westover agreed. ''There's been too much sitting on fiscal hands," he said.

In the coming weeks, the Republican Caucus plans to propose its budget solution, which O'Donnell insists does not have to include any new taxes if the state restrains its spending.

O'Donnell called the $280.7 million in cuts approved unanimously by the Board of Public Works ''a baby step in the right direction," adding that it is ''woefully inadequate considering the magnitude of the problem we're facing."

Will federal tobacco talk snuff out state tax hike?

Plan to double cigarette tax inten ded to provide health care to uninsured residents

http://www.gazette.net/stories/071307/polinew221305_32372.shtml

A proposal to increase the federal tobacco tax by more than 150 percent to expand children's health insurance could alter efforts to double Maryland's $1-per-pack fee on cigarettes.

Smokers would pay an extra 61 cents per pack of cigarettes if the federal proposal, the chief funding source for the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), passes. The federal tax is now 39 cents per pack.

Some lawmakers who may have supported the tax increase last year won't stomach a state hike on top of a federal one, warned Del. Ronald A. George (R-Dist. 30) of Arnold. ''I think people on the cusp will have a problem with that."

Voting for a statewide tobacco tax would be thorny for some lawmakers if the federal government plans to do the same, said John Bambacus, a former state senator and a political science professor at Frostburg State University.

Lawmakers heading to Boston on public's dime

Legislators defend trip to convention as chance to network, learn and teach

http://www.gazette.net/stories/071307/polinew221307_32373.shtml

About a fifth of the General Assembly is expected to attend next month's National Conference of State Legislatures convention in Boston, at a time when government departments are slashing budgets and laying off employees.

''I think [NCSL] has served legislators from the state of Maryland well. I think they should have that continued option to participate," House Speaker Michael E. Busch said Wednesday.

Del. Steven R. Schuh, a freshman Republican from Anne Arundel Count y, is on tap for the trip. The state stands to benefit, Schuh said, because of the ''knotty" issues facing the legislature, such as the budget, immigration and school improvement.

All 188 lawmakers should go, he said. ''I think it's a very good use of money, and I'm a deficit hawk," Schuh said. ''It is not a junket. I don't consider it to be frivolous. ..

I think I will learn a great deal on emerging policy trends that will help me become a better legislator," said House Minority Whip Christopher B. Shank (R-Dist. 2B) of Hagerstown.

Baltimore archbishop expected to continue fight against death penalty

http://www.gazette.net/stories/071307/polinew221309_32374.shtml

Death penalty opponent William Cardinal Keeler of Baltimore is retiring and being succeeded by a new archbishop as the future of capital punishment in Maryland is being debated. ''[Keeler]'s been a passionate, hard-working ally for Maryland to eliminate the death penalty," said Jane Henderson, executive director of Maryland Citizens Against State Executions. Henderson and others say his successor, Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien, will continue to speak out against the death penalty.

''The bishops from ... Pope Benedict XVI on down are in strong opposition to capital punishment," said Dick Dowling, a lobbyist in Annapolis for the Maryland Catholic Conference. ''I would expect this bishop would be just as articulate in his opposition to capital punishment as Cardinal Keeler and the other bishops are."

Hopkins hospital ranked No. 1 for 17th year

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-md.hs.hospitals13jul13,0,5815726.stor y?coll=bal-home-headlines

For the 17th year in a row, Johns Hopkins Hospital is No. 1 on U.S. News & World Report's list of America's best hospitals. The magazine's annual rankings, released today, put the East Baltimore institution first in four specialties: ear, nose and throat; gynecology; rheumatology and urology.

EDITORIALS

Sales tax rise wrong solution for Md.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.salestax13jul13,0,7578367.story?coll=bal-oped-headlines

After several years of budgetary sleight-of-hand that saw funds transferred from one pot to another to keep the state budget in balance, it is clear that something must be done to deal with an expected $1.5 billion shortfall in next year's spending plan.

Despite Gov. Martin O'Malley's efforts to trim spending, it appears inevitable there must be revenue increases. But any tax increases must be distributed fairly and not fall too heavily on those who can least afford them. That means adjusting the income tax, not the sales tax.

Power structure

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bal-ed.bge13jul13,0,3176749.story?coll=bal-opinion-headlines

Gov. Martin O'Malley's call for public hearings to explore the relationship between Constellation Energy Group and its subsidiary, Baltimore Gas and Electric, may strike some as a purely political exercise. After all, it's not as if the genie of deregulation is headed back into the bottle. It's doubtful any new information can be gleaned that will result in the company's breakup or rebates for customers.

But BGE's sticker-shocked 1.1 million customers deserve to know more about the utility's relationship with its parent and whether there are steps the Maryland Public Service Commission or General Assembly could take, if not to bring down electricity rates, at least to lessen future rate increases. Even Constellation officials say they welcome a fact-finding effort.

State shouldn't overpay for land it wants to preserve

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/07_08-54/OPN

We applaud the state's effort to preserve land by joining local governments in buying property before it can be developed. Since public money was first set aside for this purpose, government has systematically taken control of a considerable amount of property across the state. Future generations - and the environment - will benefit.

But no matter how laudable the program, we fear the state - meaning, ultimately, the taxpayers - is being ripped off by property owners looking to score big profits.

O'Malley must find a way out of state's power dilemma

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/07_12-37/OPN

Now is the summer of Marylanders' discontent, as they contemplate their swollen power bills and wonder if getting relief from the oppressive heat will empty their bank accounts.

Their mood isn't brightened by recalling one of last year's most effective campaign ads.

That's the one about energy bills that intoned, "The special interests already have their governor. We need one of our own . Martin O'Malley - taking on BGE to stop the rate hikes."

The Sopranos Enter Maryland's Budget Battle

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/

The Sopranos have gone into retirement, but the recently ended hit HBO series is still lively fodder for Maryland politics.

This week, Sen. E.J. Pipkin (R-Queen Anne's) accused the executive director of the Maryland Association of Counties of using a lobbying tactic on the state budget deficit that "resembles the type of arm-twisting used by Tony Soprano and his ilk."

NATIONAL NEWS

Mourners Remember Lady Bird Johnson

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/13/AR2007071300207.html

With a military honor guard and a backdrop of the wildflowers she loved, Lady Bird Johnson's body arrived Friday for the first of several ceremonies honoring the former first lady.

Johnson, who died Wednesday, will be buried next to her husband at the couple's Central Texas ranch at her own request. She also wanted to follow the same path he did 34 years ago to the LBJ Library and Museum to lie in repose in the same spot. Both requests will be carried out this weekend.

Lawmakers Block Access to Gun Sales Data

http://www.gopusa.com/news/2007/july/0713_gun_data1.shtml

Pro-gun rights Democrats teamed with House Republicans on Thursday to block local governments and law enforcement agencies from gaining routine access to gun-purchasing data.

The House Appropriations Committee defeated two attempts by gun control advocates to strip four-year-old restrictions on the use of information from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives tracing gun sales. The votes were a victory for the National Rifle Association and came despite the Democratic takeover of Congress in January.

''This handcuffs the cops, not the criminals,'' said Rep. C.A. ''Dutch'' Ruppersberger, D-Md.

More than a dozen Democrats, most from rural districts, joined with all but two committee Republicans to defeat a bid by Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., to ease the data sharing restrictions but ensure that police officers' names would not be compromised.

Lawmakers demand speed, efficiency for port worker IDs

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0707/071207tdpm1.htm

House lawmakers had two specific messages Thursday for Homeland Security Department officials when it comes to issuing new biometric identification cards for port security workers: Get it done, but do it right.

Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said they are frustrated that the Transportation Security Administration has not yet started offering the transportation worker identification credentials to port workers. Under the program, up to 1 million workers with access to sensitive port areas are to undergo background checks and be given special IDs with fingerprint biometric identifiers.

TSA just missed another deadline for the TWIC program, this time to begin enrolling workers at 10 of the nation's busiest ports by July 1.

But lawmakers also are worried about widespread problems when TWIC is deployed.

"If we don't get it right, it's going to be total chaos," said Transportation and Infrastructure Coast Guard Subcommittee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md.