The details: Sharfstein has been saying for years that cough medicines are unsafe and ineffective for children younger than 6. The FDA and drug companies have compromised, adding a warning label that says children under 4 should not be given cough syrup. It’s a small step, but it’s a step that keeps our kids safe.

Graduation situation

Forget dropping out, Baltimore City students are dropping back in.

The details: Baltimore City Schools officials started a campaign two weeks ago to bring drop-outs back to school — and so far they’ve been successful, convincing about 200 students that getting an education is worth their time. Let’s hope the school system doesn’t stop here.

Let’s get together

Mayor Sheila Dixon is moving in the right direction when it comes to combating Baltimore’s health issues.

The details: Dixon is calling for city health officials to partner with hospitals and research institutions to combat our city’s health problems. If all of these agencies share their research and information, they might just help make Baltimoreans healthier.

To serve and protect

The Howard County Sheriff’s Office got what it needs to keep domestic violence victims safe.

The details: The Sheriff’s Office got a $53,000 grant from the state that’s going to allow them to hire a new deputy. The problem now is that they’ve got two deputies on call 24 hours a day five days a week to serve protective orders and warrants in cases where judges deem domestic violence victims unsafe — and that doesn’t sound safe to anyone.

BRIGHT BULB The board bends. The Board of Education of Baltimore County listened (shocker) to teachers and voted to let them choose their retirement provider. We saw with Legg Mason’s poor management of the city’s police and firefighter’s retirement funds, which lost $6 million under the company’s watch, that too much autonomy (especially where huge sums of money are concerned) is never a good thing. Teachers want choice, and maybe they had to protest to get it, but they got it. Let’s make this a trend for the school board. Keeping ears open to what teachers and parents want will serve them well.

OUTRAGE

Who: Gov. Martin O’Malley (again)

What is it this time? The Office of the Public Defender has run out of money for panel attorneys and is going to have to drop the $4.5 million bill on surrounding counties.

Why is it a bad idea? Ever been to a criminal proceeding? It’s always “The state v. Casey K. Criminal.” It’s never “The county v. Casey K. Criminal.” Doesn’t that sound like the state should foot the bill? It always has before.

Why is he doing it? O’Malley wants to prove that he’s not all about the spending, so he’s sticking counties with the bill. He’s shopping for an answer that will keep his spending stats in check, but he needs to try again — this isn’t the answer.

Where can you vent? Go straight to the source, call the governor’s office at 410-974-3901.

Md., Va., make Business Week list of worst state budget problems

Maryland and Virginia made Business Week’s list of “States With the Worst Budget Shortfalls: Twenty States That Can’t Pay for Themselves.”’

Maryland, with a $1.1 billion deficit, equal to 7.2 percent of its total budget, is ranked the 10th-worst state budget shortfall, and Virginia’s $1.2 billion gap, 7.1 percent of its total budget, is right behind at 11th.

Business Week editors said they used data from a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities study released in September.

According to the magazine, the potential cost for all 31 states facing major and minor shortfalls could be as much as $53.4 billion.

“Well, we certainly have a budget problem,” said Shaun Adamec, spokesman for Gov. Martin O’Malley.

“It is not the first time that this governor has faced a deficit. The difference is … this one is directly related to the national economic downturn. As that list illustrates, we are not alone; every state in some way is experiencing some budget problems.”

Business Week said that Maryland legislators approved a $1.35 billion tax increase, the largest in the state’s history, in late 2007, and made $277 million in cuts as well.

O’Malley plans to unveil at least $250 million more in spending cuts Wednesday. Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine announced 570 layoffs Thursday, cutting 800 vacant positions and taking $400 million from the rainy day fund to deal with the state’s $2.5 billion budget shortfall.

– Kathleen Miller

“I’m a dentist — I’m not a politician. What I do have experience in is balancing a budget and running a business. … When I go to Congress I won’t be a typical politician.”

— Mike Hargadon, the Republican challenger to Rep. Elijah Cummings’ 7th District congressional seat.