Challenger: Employees stifled

An underdog challenger for Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith?s seat says the county?s hiring and firing policies ? and the oversight of an allegedly retaliatory budget director ? are to blame formuch of the county?s problems.

In today?s Democratic primary, Smith faces Ronald Harvey, a county personnel analyst who says fellow employees risk their jobs when they question their superiors? decisions. Under the guidance of the county?s longtime budget director, Fred Homan, the protections of merit system employees aren?t being enforced, he said.