A debate on the House floor yesterday that was otherwise very serious drew a number of snickers when Del. Michael D. Smigiel, Sr. made this pronouncement repeatedly:

"We don't want STDs in Cecil County," he said, prompting hearty laughter in the chamber. "We don't like STDs. We are against them."

The STDs he was referring to, of course, are not sexually transmitted diseases but "special taxing districts." The debate was over whether this bill, which would allow a tax increase in Cecil County, should be passed when local officials were divided over it (Smigiel's claim). Supporters said there was sufficient support from locals (namely, the sponsor of the bill, Del. David B. Rudolph).