Charles Benton

The Baltimore Sun reports that Charles L. Benton, Jr., once a top aide of former Gov. William Donald Schaefer, died of pneumonia yesterday at the age of 91.

Mr. Benton oversaw Baltimore's finances for 30 years - first as budget director and then as head of the city finance department - but his influence at City Hall, and later at the State House, extended far beyond balancing the books.

Mr. Schaefer, who was on a first-name basis with all of his chief deputies, regularly referred to his budget adviser as "Mr. Benton" - a mark of their mutual respect.