I talked with former Delegate and current candidate for Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker (D) about how he feels about his chances in the race and commented on a picture in the Washington Post from 2008.
Former Governor Parris Glendening (D) said that Governor Martin O’Malley’s state of the state speech was very good. He thought that O’Malley (D) going into the speech had to really show compassion because “people are hurting” and the former chief said that he did just that. “I thought it was a great speech and it was perfect for the times,” he said.
Glendening since leaving office in 2003 has settled in the Annapolis area from Prince George’s County where he served as County Executive from 1982-1994 and on the county council eight years before moving to the executive branch. He is currently President of the Smart Growth Leadership Institute; working on smart growth issues in addition to transportation and sustainability. In fact, he said he just got back from an international conference held in Istanbul, Turkey.
Carroll/Howard Senator Allan Kittleman (R-Dist. 9) delivered the Republican response to Governor Martin O’Malley’s State of the State address.
I had hoped that Governor O’Malley’s State of the State address would offer concrete plans to create jobs and reduce government spending. But his speech leaves me with only one conclusion: Our Governor is out of touch… out of ideas….and out of money.
On the O’Malley Budget Deficit
In 2007, the outgoing Republican governor handed Governor O’Malley a one billion dollar surplus to prepare the state for tough economic times. Sadly, Governor O’Malley ignored warnings of a coming recession and spent that money on a raft of new government programs. The next Governor will have to reconcile over eight billion dollars in deficits caused by Governor O’Malley’s inaction in resolving Maryland’s budget crisis.
On O’Malley’s Budget Management
Governor O’Malley’s four years of budget management are marked by more government spending and more debt which will be saddled on you and future generations of Marylanders.
On Maryland’s Business Climate and Job Creation in Maryland
A $3000 tax credit for new job creation does not reverse the past 3 years of anti-business leadership by Governor O’Malley. Businesses can’t hire new employees when they don’t have work – and Maryland’s business climate has dropped from 24th to 45th in the last 3 years.
On the Rejection of Republican Deficit Reduction Plans
Governor O’Malley and Democrat leaders in Annapolis have rejected commonsense reforms offered by Republicans lawmakers to solve the deficit and encourage job growth. If the Senate Republicans’ plan, known as the “Stoltzfus Amendment,” had passed in 2007, the State’s deficit would be a fraction of what it is today, and you’d be keeping more of your own money to save for your future. Our Republican colleagues in the House of Delegates also offered budget amendments to reduce state spending, but time and time again they were rejected by purely partisan roll call votes by the Democrat majority.
On the Priorities of the 2010 Legislative Session
The 2010 legislative session MUST BE ABOUT REDUCING GOVERNMENT SPENDING. We must approach every policy decision with two questions: (1) Will it strengthen Maryland’s economic security? and (2) Will it lessen the financial burden on our citizens? It is critical that the General Assembly pass long-term mandate reform to stop the automatic increases that spur government spending. New programs initiated over the past three years by Governor O’Malley also need to be curtailed.
On A Plan For Maryland’s Future for Business Expansion and Job Growth
This year’s budget must position the state so that in subsequent years, our state’s leaders can focus on restoring a healthy business climate to boost the growth of private sector businesses and jobs. This Program for the Future of Maryland must include:
• Repealing Governor O’Malley’s 20% increase in the sales tax to relieve consumers and small businesses and spur private sector spending in Maryland.
• Rolling back the additional $1 billion in tax increases on personal incomes and small businesses that are hindering job growth.
• Removing government barriers and new regulations that prevent local businesses from investing in jobs and technology.
State Republican Chair Audrey Scott issued a statement on the Governor’s address:
“Governor O’Malley has mismanaged the state budget for three years, but in his speech today he continues to blame everyone except his own administration for the massive deficits facing Maryland citizens. His policy of raising taxes during a recession and increasing state spending has fueled the current budget crisis. It is time for Maryland’s citizens to say ‘enough – stop spending money we do not have, stop bankrupting our children’s future.”
I had hoped that Governor O’Malley’s State of the State address would offer concrete plans to create jobs and reduce government spending. But his speech leaves me with only one conclusion: Our Governor is out of touch…
out of ideas….and out of money.
On the O’Malley Budget Deficit
In 2007, the outgoing Republican governor handed Governor O’Malley a one billion dollar surplus to prepare the state for tough economic times.
Sadly, Governor O’Malley ignored warnings of a coming recession and spent that money on a raft of new government programs. The next Governor will have to reconcile over eight billion dollars in deficits caused by Governor O’Malley’s inaction in resolving Maryland’s budget crisis.
On O’Malley’s Budget Management
Governor O’Malley’s four years of budget management are marked by more government spending and more debt which will be saddled on you and future generations of Marylanders.
On Maryland’s Business Climate and Job Creation in Maryland
A $3000 tax credit for new job creation does not reverse the past 3 years of anti-business leadership by Governor O’Malley. Businesses can’t hire new employees when they don’t have work – and Maryland’s business climate has dropped from 24th to 45th in the last 3 years.
On the Rejection of Republican Deficit Reduction Plans
Governor O’Malley and Democrat leaders in Annapolis have rejected commonsense reforms offered by Republicans lawmakers to solve the deficit and encourage job growth. If the Senate Republicans’ plan, known as the “Stoltzfus Amendment,” had passed in 2007, the State’s deficit would be a fraction of what it is today, and you’d be keeping more of your own money to save for your future. Our Republican colleagues in the House of Delegates also offered budget amendments to reduce state spending, but time and time again they were rejected by purely partisan roll call votes by the Democrat majority.
On the Priorities of the 2010 Legislative Session
The 2010 legislative session MUST BE ABOUT REDUCING GOVERNMENT SPENDING. We must approach every policy decision with two questions: (1) Will it strengthen Maryland’s economic security? and (2) Will it lessen the financial burden on our citizens? It is critical that the General Assembly pass long-term mandate reform to stop the automatic increases that spur government spending. New programs initiated over the past three years by Governor O’Malley also need to be curtailed.
On A Plan For Maryland’s Future for Business Expansion and Job Growth
This year’s budget must position the state so that in subsequent years, our state’s leaders can focus on restoring a healthy business climate to boost the growth of private sector businesses and jobs. This Program for the Future of Maryland must include:
· Repealing Governor O’Malley’s 20% increase in the sales tax to
relieve consumers and small businesses and spur private sector spending in Maryland.
· Rolling back the additional $1 billion in tax increases on
personal incomes and small businesses that are hindering job growth.
· Removing government barriers and new regulations that prevent
local businesses from investing in jobs and technology.
Jobs, Jobs, Jobs was the focus of Governor Martin O’Malley’s State of the State address. He also gave props to President Obama and the stimulus money for “creating or saving 19,000 jobs” in Maryland and pushed for tax credits to for those who take Marylanders off of the unemployment rolls in his state of the state address which was a little bit more than 25 minutes.
WNAV/WTTR Radio Report for February 2, 2010 [1:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (8) 2010 State of the State Address by Governor Martin O'Malley [27:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (8)
Governor Martin O’Malley in his legislative plan includes a proposal to deal with sex offenders. Cecil County legislators, Senator Nancy Jacobs (R-Dist. 34) and Delegate Michael Smigiel (R-Dist. 36) have been working on this issue for a long time in their respective chambers and they commented on the Governor’s initiative.
Catching up on radio feeds from last week, which you can hear on WNAV (1430AM) and WTTR (1470AM), The House Judiciary hearing room was packed as the committee heard testimony on House Bill 90, which would ban the recognition of same-sex marriages from outside of the State of Maryland.
In less than four hours, the governor will be giving the state of the state address at the state house. Jobs and unemployment will be the focus of the address (source: WJZ-TV Channel 13), although it should be noted that the free state is still faring better in the unemployment category when compared with the rest of the country.
Two pre-address activities of note.
The Governor talked to Channel 13’s Vic Carter in an interview that aired last night. He talks about how the same problems from last year are still around him this year and how he is not angry that he has to face those issues.
Also, Red Maryland (disclaimer: I am a contributor) issued a “pre-buttal” to the Governor’s state of the state address; in video form and delivered by contributing editor Brian Griffiths. The Prebuttal deals with many of the key issues in Maryland politics, including jobs, taxes, and the budget crisis. “We know what the people are talking about,” Griffiths said. “We are much more attuned to what Marylander’s are thinking, as opposed to the out of touch Democratic leadership in Annapolis.”
I will be down there covering the state of the state and will post coverage here. Also do not forget that I am covering the general assembly for WNAV (1430AM) in Annapolis and sister station WTTR (1470AM) in Westminster. Listen for my radio reports daily on those stations during the legislative report.
This afternoon, two bills you will probably hear about at some point will be heard by the judiciary committee this afternoon.
The first bill is HB 164 sponsored by Prince George’s Delegate Marvin Holmes (D-Dist. 29C) which will require people with three or more DUI violations to have distinct yellow tags on their vehicles for five years.
The second bill, which you will probably hear a lot about in the coming days as evidenced by yesterday’s edition of The Marc Steiner Show on WEAA (88.9FM), is HB 90 sponsored by Baltimore County Del. Emmett Burns Jr. (D-Dist. 10) which will keep Maryland from recognizing out of state same sex nuptials (domestic or abroad.)
Legislators on State Circle are starting to weigh in on the Governor’s legislative agenda which was released earlier this week. Bills in the Governor’s agenda will address renewable energy, foreclosure, education, healthcare, sex offenders and job creation.
In a video interview with The Washington Post, Governor Martin O’Malley (D) shares his plans for easing health-care reform costs, Maryland’s concerns, and reversing unemployment trends in the state. The interview took place in their newsroom.
This afternoon at the slots commission meeting, the Western Maryland delegation proposed ways to attract a bidder for the license at Rock Gap. The idea that carried the most weight was that the lodge should be included in the bid.
Continue reading ‘Western MD delegation proposes selling Rocky Gap with slots license’
The Assembly 2010 -Radio report for WNAV (1430AM) and WTTR (1470AM) [1:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (31)
It has been a while since we heard about Prince George’s Senator Ulysses Currie (D-Dist. 25) who is currently under a federal microscope considering between his elected office and his off-session job with Shoppers Food Warehouse, specifically whether he was hired for his influence on some of the company’s projects. Remember, he did not disclose his position with the company on ethics forms. The Baltimore Sun’s blog says that Currie used his campaign account to pay his legal bills from Miles Stockbridge to the tune of nearly $42,000.
If the name Miles Stockbridge sounds familiar, that was the law firm of choice for former Salisbury Mayor Barrie P. Tilghman and soon to be former Salisbury police chief Allan Webster when they took on Salisbury News Publisher and Maryland Politics Today Eastern Shore Correspondent Joe Albero. Webster’s case was settled in 2008 with no money changing hands. Tilghman’s lawsuit against Albero was scoreboard in favor of Albero (read: she lost). Both sued for the non-normal amount of $9,999.00.
As far as Webster goes, the soon to be former part is due to him announcing his retiring effective this June. WMAR-TV (Channe l 2) says that a feud with current Mayor Jim Ireton had nothing to do with his decision. Last month, WBOC-TV (Channel 16) reported that Ireton asked for the chief’s resignation following several armed robberies and shootings in the city. Guess what the chief said. With Webster announcing his retirement, he withdrew his lawsuit against the city following receiving the first reprimands of his career; while at the same time, Ireton withdrew the four repreimands against the chief (hhhhmmmmmm….)
