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USPS seeks increase in cost of stamps, to 49 cents
WASHINGTON — It soon could cost 49 cents to mail a letter. The postal Board of Governors said Wednesday it wants to raise the price of a first-class stamp by 3 cents, citing the agency’s “precarious financial condition” and the uncertain prospects for postal overhaul legislation in Congress. “Of the options currently available to the […]
U.S. consumer prices rise just 0.1 pct. in May
WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer prices rose slightly last month, as higher energy costs partly offset cheaper food. The small increase is further evidence that consumers are benefiting from mild inflation. The consumer price index ticked up a seasonally adjusted 0.1 percent in May from April, the Labor Department said Tuesday. Over the past 12 months, […]
Panel recommends monthly ‘tracker’ charge
Marylanders could be asked to fork over extra money to utility companies to accelerate improvements to the electrical distribution system, according to a report released Wednesday.
Know your numbers
Understanding your numbers is the only way to keep the cash moving in the right direction.
DHS: Deportation proposal could cost $585 million
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration’s new plan to grant temporary work permits to many young, illegal immigrants who otherwise could be deported may cost more than $585 million and require hiring hundreds of new federal employees to process more than 1 million anticipated requests, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press. The Homeland […]
Bills in D.C. seek underground power lines
WASHINGTON — Pepco would be required to bury more power lines in the District of Columbia under legislation proposed by members of the D.C. Council. Advocates say putting the lines underground would remove them from the path of severe weather and could therefore help reduce power outages. Pepco has said it’s willing to discuss the […]
Price of natural gas drops 2.4% as supplies swell
NEW YORK — America’s vast supply of natural gas is getting even bigger. And prices are falling even lower. Natural gas futures on Thursday gave up 5.2 cents, or 2.4 percent, to finish at $2.089 per 1,000 cubic feet in New York. That’s the lowest price in more than a decade. The price has tumbled […]
C. Fraser Smith: The political cost of raising taxes
Yes, of course, but political reality is a little more complicated. Before some legislators do any voting on difficult issues, they will look into their hearts and make an assessment of the political costs. We are talking, of course, about votes on tax increases. The Maryland General Assembly will be asked to vote on a […]
Bay pollution diet plans costly for Anne Arundel
ANNAPOLIS — To comply with the new Chesapeake Bay “pollution diet,” Anne Arundel County will spend millions of dollars upgrading sewage plants, connecting septic systems to public sewers and fixing outdated stormwater controls, county public works officials said. Though those officials are reluctant to disclose a final price tag, they sent their pollution diet “to-do […]
Montgomery Co. pays far less than Baltimore in police misconduct settlements
Granted, Montgomery County and Baltimore City are very different places. The Washington, D.C., suburb is richer and more educated than Baltimore. Its population, on the rise, is more than one and a half times that of Baltimore, which has seen its numbers decline census after census over the past half-century. And Montgomery County’s crime statistics […]
Report: Red tape cost Maryland $19.5 billion
Red tape and not-in-my-backyard activism were called out Thursday as major impediments to six stalled and troubled energy projects in Maryland that could have had a $19.5 billion economic impact on the state if they had moved forward. The findings were part of a report released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce called “Project Denied” […]
Manufacturing expanding, but raw materials are rising
WASHINGTON — U.S. manufacturers expanded at the fastest pace in nearly seven years last month, but a sudden rise in the price of raw materials could threaten their profits. The Institute for Supply Management said Tuesday that its index of manufacturing activity rose to 61.4 in February, up from 60.8 the previous month. That’s the […]
