Budget Surplus

tarar@herald-mail.com Washington County is expected to close out fiscal year 2002 with a $2.1 million surplus, most of which will go toward the costs of closing the Resh Sanitary Landfill, County Director of Budget and Finance Debra Bastian said this week. Bastian said that the county will put a little more than $1 million toward closing the landfill to reduce the amount of borrowing for the project over the next two years. The landfill's closure will cost about $10 million, as a result of steps that must be performed to meet state and federal regulations.

Washington County government had a general fund surplus of more than $2.5 million for fiscal year 1999, according to preliminary results presented to the Washington County Commissioners Tuesday. About $1 million had previously been allocated and the County Commissioners decided Tuesday what to do with the rest of the money. The fiscal 1998 general fund surplus was about $4.5 million. Budget and Finance Director Debra Bastian said she had expected the surplus to be between $2.5 million to $3 million.

Fight brewing over budget surplus By GUY FLETCHER Staff Writer Maryland lawmakers will be faced with an intriguing luxury when they begin their annual legislative session in Annapolis next month - a budget surplus of hundreds of millions of dollars. What to do with that windfall, which it's estimated will reach $850 million when the state's fiscal year ends next June 30, likely will fuel a General Assembly battle over proposed tax cuts, school construction spending and maintaining the state's financial health.

scottb@herald-mail.com After making one minor change, the Washington County Board of Commissioners adopted its $133.7 million annual general fund budget Tuesday but made plans to consider next week adding $448,000 to the Washington County Board of Education budget if a county budget surplus is projected. At the May 21 meeting, Budget and Finance Director Debra Bastian will tell the commissioners if she expects an annual budget surplus and what size she thinks it might be, Commissioner Bert L. Iseminger said.

ANNAPOLIS tammyb@herald-mail.com The black covers on the three volumes of Gov. Robert Ehrlich's operating budget proposal might have been symbolic. In announcing his proposed fiscal year 2007 budget Tuesday, Ehrlich reminisced a little, harking back to transition meetings between his election in November 2002 and his inauguration in 2003. "Those first few meetings of the budget group were some of the most painful moments I have spent in public life," Ehrlich said, recalling that Comptroller William Donald Schaefer had remarked that Ehrlich faced "the worst fiscal situation any Maryland governor ever inherited.

Rockefeller to hold meeting in Martinsburg MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., will hold a town meeting Monday at the Berkeley Senior Center, 217 N. High St., Martinsburg. Rockefeller will discuss federal tax cuts and budget priorities, which he identified as major issues facing the nation, he announced in a press release. "Given our budget surplus, we have an unprecedented opportunity to secure Social Security and Medicare, pay down the national debt and provide meaningful tax cuts to all West Virginia families," he said.

Residents took advantage of free dumping About 2,500 Washington County residents got rid of unwanted items for free during a Residential Bulk Trash program in November, said county Solid Waste Director Bob Davenport. People dropped off 140 tons of furniture and carpet, more than 700 appliances, lawn mowers and water heaters, more than 220 car batteries, 2,500 tires and 1,100 gallons of used oil, Davenport said. Normally, residents would have to pay extra to dispose of these types of items.

scottb@herald-mail.com After learning there probably will be little, if any, county budget surplus this fiscal year, members of the Washington County Board of Commissioners said Tuesday they can't give the Board of Education an additional $448,000. When the commissioners adopted the county's annual budget on May 14, some said they would consider giving an additional $448,000 to the School Board, contingent on the county finishing the fiscal year with a budget surplus. At Tuesday's meeting, Budget and Finance Director Debra Bastian said it appeared the county would barely break even for the fiscal year.

By GUY FLETCHER Staff Writer Local representatives in the Maryland General Assembly will face a variety of potentially contentious issues when the legislature convenes next month - including school funding, Pfiesteria and new minor league baseball stadium for the Hagerstown Suns. The stadium effort received a boost Friday when House of Delegates Speaker Casper R. Taylor, D-Allegany, told members of the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce he supports state funding for a new stadium.

The Franklin County (Pa.) Commissioners Tuesday passed a 2012 budget that does not include a tax increase. County Administrator John Hart led efforts to whittle down an anticipated deficit by $4 million, Commissioner Bob Ziobrowski said. A remaining deficit of $2.1 million will be covered by a budget surplus from this year, he said. The budget, which totals $122 million for all operations and services, includes 3 percent pay increases for county employees. Spending from the general fund for operations is expected to be $42.8 million.

Put blame for deficit where it belongs To the editor: If you are watching the kabuki dance going on in the Senate and House about the debt ceiling, you might think this is the first time Congress has been asked to raise the debt ceiling,   Congress voted 19 times to raise the debt ceiling during the presidency of George W. Bush without any quid-pro quo. With a Democratic president in the White House and elections on...

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Anne Barth, the Democratic nominee for the Second Congressional District, will host a roundtable discussion on the economy and infrastructure with U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., this morning at the Shenandoah Hotel in Martinsburg. Elected officials, Democrats and Republicans, have been invited to participate in the event and discuss infrastructure needs facing the Eastern Panhandle. "It is an honor to have the House majority leader in West Virginia, and I look forward to a discussion with officials about the needs we have in our communities and what we can all do to work together to improve our economy and infrastructure and meet those needs," said Barth, who worked on infrastructure projects with local municipalities for 21 years as Sen. Robert C. Byrd's state director.

As graduates of local high schools and colleges march across the stage to pick up their diplomas, they will hear a variety of inspirational speeches. They will be told that they are the hope of the future and that they have - or soon will have - the responsibility of leading the nation in the right direction. We hope they take these words seriously, because, as unfair as it is, there are plenty of messes others have left behind for them to clean up. In part that is because of the attitude that too many Americans hold, the gist of which is "I want what I want today and we'll worry about tomorrow later.

The Community Free Clinic is getting more help to chip away at its $130,000 deficit. The Hagerstown City Council on Tuesday agreed by consensus to increase its annual contribution from $40,000 to $50,000. The contribution is paid for with Community Development Block Grant funds. The Washington County Commissioners last week approved a $50,000 one-time contribution to the free health-care facility. The clinic stopped taking new patients July 1 because of financial constraints.

ANNAPOLIS tammyb@herald-mail.com The black covers on the three volumes of Gov. Robert Ehrlich's operating budget proposal might have been symbolic. In announcing his proposed fiscal year 2007 budget Tuesday, Ehrlich reminisced a little, harking back to transition meetings between his election in November 2002 and his inauguration in 2003. "Those first few meetings of the budget group were some of the most painful moments I have spent in public life," Ehrlich said, recalling that Comptroller William Donald Schaefer had remarked that Ehrlich faced "the worst fiscal situation any Maryland governor ever inherited.

Jan. 1 - Seeking to end skyrocketing malpractice rates, Maryland physicians march on Annapolis, offering to provide delegates with free brain surgery. Fresh from their new operations, Maryland lawmakers pass a tax on flushing the toilet. Jan. 3 - Williamsport Councilman James McCleaf announces he will run for mayor under the platform of "Let's see if we can get through one meeting without gunfire. " Scandal breaks out in Annapolis when a female lawmaker is accused of trading her vote for malpractice reform in exchange for a new set of breasts.

shappell@herald-mail.com SMITHSBURG - The Town of Smithsburg's expenditures and revenues each exceeded $1 million for the first time in its latest proposed fiscal budget, discussed Tuesday during a budget hearing at Town Hall. The Smithsburg Town Council held the hearing for the 2005-06 general fund budget before an audience of two residents, neither of whom spoke. The general fund budget lists both revenues and expenditures at nearly $1.09 million for the 2005-06 fiscal year.

shappell@herald-mail.com Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley addressed a group of hundreds at the United Labor Dinner in Hagerstown Wednesday with a message for labor families - oust President Bush from office next month. O'Malley, attending a dinner honoring longtime area labor leaders Charles W. "Woody" McNemar and Connie A. Jones, used his time Wednesday to rally support for the presidential campaign of Sen. John Kerry and the campaigns of other democrats on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.