Read All About It in the Sunday Papers-March 29 Edition

LEAD STORY-NEW YORK TIMES: Governor, Legislature Agree to Tax the Wealthy to Close Budget Gap

This should be must-reading for Gov. Markell and the General Assembly:

The new plan, which would expire after three years, would represent the largest state income tax increase in recent history, significantly larger than the surcharges imposed from 2003 to 2005, when the state last faced a major recession.

The plan would raise $4 billion a year by creating two new tax brackets, the highest one affecting those who earn $500,000 or more. If approved by rank-and-file lawmakers in the Assembly and State Senate, the tax increases would be a major victory for unions and liberal advocacy groups and a signal of the new balance of power in Albany, where Democrats won control of both houses of the Legislature and the governor’s office in last year’s election.

Although the proposed tax has been called a “millionaires’ tax,” it would affect those with incomes starting at $300,000, who would be taxed at a rate of 7.85 percent. The highest bracket would carry a tax rate of 8.97 percent — the same as New Jersey’s current highest rate.

Hmmm, see the similarity? Democrats now control both houses of the Delaware General Assembly. It only stands to reason that a progressive governor would want to restore progressivity to the Personal Income Tax in Delaware.

BOSTON GLOBE:  Boston College Cancels Appearance by William Ayers

Last minute cancellation, here’s the explanation, if you can call it that:

A spokesman for Boston College issued a brief statement yesterday, referring to the cancellation as an “internal matter at a private university.”

“After extensive discussions between student organizers and university administrators, a decision was reached to cancel the event,” BC spokesman Jack Dunn said in a statement. “In light of additional information that was shared with the students on the actions of the Weather Underground, including their alleged involvement in the killing of a Boston Police officer in nearby Allston, and out of concern for the safety and well being of our students, we believe that the appropriate decision was reached.”

One of the event organizers has a different perspective:

“One of his (Ayers’) big ideas is of educating the whole child, which is sneakily similar to the Jesuit idea cura personalis, which is care for the whole person,” said Roberts. “So we saw the obvious similarities here, and that’s why we invited Ayers to speak.”

Ayers is a professor, and recognized urban policy expert, at UIC. BC has uninvited a professor. The organizers, however, will take the event off-campus. Aren’t Jesuits supposed to be fairly enlightened?

BELLINGHAM (WA) HERALD: National Parks Developing Solutions to Reduce Carbon Footprints

Excellent article heralding the wave of the future. Plenty of ideas that might be incorporated locally as well. No word yet on how Rush Limbaugh intends to ‘celebrate’ these steps forward. Maybe you can come up with some ideas. No doubt ‘a price’s’ includes beans and farting, but that wouldn’t be much of a change for Rush.

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE: Secular Pro-Business Mayor Just What Jerusalem Needs?

Nir Barkat seems like the kind of person who might be able to bridge some of the huge religious schisms in Israel. But first, he’s trying to bring Jerusalem into the 21st Century. Or, at least, the 20th.

ASIA TIMES: Disgraced Neo-Cons Don’t Fade Away, They Just Form New Think Tanks

The usual suspects. William Kristol, Robert Kagan, Dan Senor. And, of course, the first keynote speaker: John McCain. Keep an eye on these guys. They’ve proven how dangerous and wrong-headed they can be.