Tax Cuts

HAGERSTOWN -- During a Hagerstown City Council work session Tuesday, Councilman Martin Brubaker introduced proposals that would cut property taxes and reduce the city's cost to extend Eastern Boulevard. Brubaker's first proposal would lower property taxes 2 cents for every $100 of the assessed value of a home. The proposal, for example, would save the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $20 per year, said Alfred Martin, city finance director. Brubaker said after the work session that he decided to pitch the idea to help offset the ever-increasing cost of living and a city proposal that could increase water and sewer rates by as much as 6 percent.

"We want to thank Coach Bill Sterner for caring enough about our kids to bring the real-life Julius Campbell to Hancock High School to talk to the students. The message was great, and the kids really enjoyed it. Thanks again, Coach Sterner, and also, thanks, Mrs. Cohill. You guys really care about our school, and how our kids grow up. " - Hancock "I'd like to give everyone a lesson in this presidential election period, on Economics 101. Got some presidential candidates talking about tax cuts, we got them talking about tax increases, give, give, give, take, take, take.

Municipalities, fire/rescue companies and senior citizens are among the groups that will benefit from spending in Washington County's next budget. Average citizens, on the other hand, probably will have to take action themselves if they want property tax relief. Most of the commissioners who spoke at Tuesday's "State of the County" breakfast seemed to rule out any cuts in the tax rate. The commissioners have an argument to make that cutting the tax rate would be difficult this year, given the uncertainty about how much the state government will cut funds to the counties.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Another challenger has come forward to try to unseat U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller. Phil Cline, general manager of the Pullman Plaza Hotel in Huntington, mailed his candidacy form to the Secretary of State's office on Saturday. The 74-year-old Cline says his campaign will focus on continuing the economic gains the nation has made under President Bush by making his tax cuts permanent. Cline is one of two Republicans who've filed for the Senate seat.

HARRISBURG, Pa. ? Gov. Ed Rendell's budget chief says Pennsylvania is on schedule to cut homeowners' property taxes next year with revenue from slot-machine gambling. Budget secretary Michael Masch says a special state property-tax relief fund had a $506 million balance as of Friday. Masch is required to certify in April whether the fund has reached the $570 million threshold required for the state to distribute the money for tax cuts in the 2008-09 fiscal year. The money also will be used to cut taxes for people who pay Philadelphia's wage tax. Masch discussed the property-tax relief fund during a midyear briefing on the current state budget.

Maryland lawmakers wrapped up a special session early Monday after approving $1.3 billion in new taxes and lawmakers and passing a bill to let voters decide whether to legalize slot machines. In doing so, the Democrat-dominated General Assembly swept aside a Republican proposal for two years of slower budget growth, to give revenues time to catch up with spending. Will all of this close the $1.5 billion budget gap? We doubt it, because in their rush to get through the session, legislative leaders ignored the possible unintended consequences of their actions.

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.