Local Government

Council to consider mayor's proposed pension changes

2013-05-21 17:26:53

With the city retirement system short hundreds of millions of dollars in unfunded liabilities, officials say they are likely to begin requiring municipal employees to contribute to their pensions. "Pretty much everyone is in agreement that it's fair,"...

Good intentions don't create jobs

2013-05-21 09:44:00

Baltimore City Council members confused caring about unemployment with abating it by giving preliminary approval to a local hire law last week. The legislation, which requires a final vote and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's signature to become law,...

Harford government shouldn't be in the loan business [Editorial]

2013-05-21 12:43:00

Once again, the Harford County government, like many county and municipal governments around the state and nation, has perpetuated the practice of running a taxpayer-subsidized business banking system. Most recently, the Harford County Council...

Aberdeen residents decry mayor, council raises

2013-05-21 07:02:00

With Aberdeen's city employees having to, in Mayor Michael Bennett's words, "do more with less" as the city deals with lean budgets and many city residents having to deal with deal with a difficult economy, the idea of a raise for the mayor and the city...

Delegate urges Carroll residents to oppose rain tax, gun control measures

2013-05-17 10:12:00

Carroll County residents can expect to see the county's proposed "rain tax" structure within the next month-and-a-half, but Del. Justin Ready urged residents to support their local officials as they fight the new fee and regulations from the Firearm...

Harford County Council condemns state gun law

2013-05-16 13:41:04

The Harford County Council passed a resolution Tuesday, by a 6-1 vote, criticizing the state's new gun safety bill. The resolution says the Firearms Safety Act, which bans the sale of 45 kinds of rifles and magazines and requires "law-abiding citizens"...

3 percent raises proposed in budget for Bel Air town employees

2013-05-16 18:33:47

Employees of the Bel Air town government are expected to get 3 percent raises next year, if the budget is approved as proposed. The Bel Air town commissioners held their final budget work session Tuesday as town officials finalize the $15.07 million...

Baltimore's noble but flawed hiring bill

2013-05-15 03:00:00

On the face of it, City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young's local hiring bill sounds eminently reasonable. When Baltimore spends its residents' tax dollars, why shouldn't it do so in a way that supports hiring city residents, particularly...

Disaster response expert named city transportation chief

2013-05-10 18:28:16

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake appointed an executive with a disaster response company Friday to lead Baltimore's Transportation Department at a time when the agency continues to struggle with its speed camera program. Her pick, William Johnson, has...

Aberdeen Proving Ground to get new water tank, with Aberdeen's help

2013-05-14 03:15:00

The Army is moving forward with converting an old building on the Aberdeen Proving Ground into a water source to provide 3 million gallons of water daily, Aberdeen city manager Doug Miller said. The post has one, 500,000-gallon water tank, which has...

Fox, Linkey are winners in Perryville election

2013-05-15 12:06:08

Perryville voters returned former Town Commissioner Alan Fox and incumbent Commissioner Michelle Linkey to the town board Tuesday. Fox, who served as commissioner from 2008 to 2012, but did not seek re-election last year, was the top vote-getter with 152...

Online sales tax bill should be improved, and passed

2013-05-15 12:32:00

The U.S. Senate recently passed a bill that would allow states to require Internet retailers to collect sales taxes on behalf of local governments. This bill has flaws, but they could be fixed in the House. It should be passed. I don't like the idea...

Mayor R. Scott Sliftka with his wife Noelle and daughter Betsy at The Mayor's Charity Ball.

2013-05-11 00:00:00

Davie Mayor Judy Paul (left) Miramar Mayor Lori Moseley. Walking between them is Weston Mayor Daniel Stermer

2013-05-10 11:12:00

Plantation Mayor Diane Veltri Bendekovic (left) Parkland Mayor Michael Udine (center) and Commissioner Lisa Aronson of Coconut Creek

2013-05-10 00:00:00