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Election fight awaits O'Malley

Governor: State has made headway under his stewardship

By LIAM FARRELL, Staff Writer

Published 07/05/09

Sitting in his State House office, Gov. Martin O'Malley flips open a book and begins reading a poem he feels partially describes the current challenges facing Maryland and the nation.

File photo by Bob Gilbert — For The Capital Gov. Martin O'Malley speaks during the meeting of the 2009 Chesapeake Executive Council at Mount Vernon in Virginia, in May. Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine is in the background along with the shoreline of Maryland across the Potomac River.

The poem, "Trough" by Judy Brown, describes how someone has to remain patient when at the low part of a wave, how keeping composure in the face of fear will eventually allow a safe shore to appear in the distance and show one where to swim.

"These two years have been the most difficult two years of any I have spent in public service," O'Malley, 46, said last week in an interview with The Capital. "One day we will rise and come out of this recessionary trough."

Like governors across the country, O'Malley has been charged with stewarding a state's finances during a historically difficult time.

Although he would not directly answer whether he has ever contemplated serving only one term, the governor acknowledged his fight to get back to the State House in the 2010 election will be a "very tough re-election, as it will for every governor in every state."

"I know that second terms are never, never inevitable," O'Malley said.

The most consistent problem since he took office in 2007 has been the budget. Unlike his critics, O'Malley cleaves a nagging conundrum into two distinct issues: a built-in imbalance between revenues and spending, and the recession.

"There is no governor talented or gifted enough to come up with a 'solution' during a time of national recession," he said. "Structural deficits can be solved. These sorts of cyclical economic downturns are things we must manage."

After a contentious 2007 special legislative session that resulted in a host of budget reductions and tax increases, the governor said he believed Maryland's financial difficulties were largely in the past, outside of lingering transportation funding worries and pension liabilities.

"I thought it was solved for the most part," he said. "Then we got whacked by this unprecedented global recession."

As a consequence, Maryland has resorted to unpopular measures such as employee furloughs and has consistently had to dip into beleaguered state agency budgets as revenue forecasts fall short.

Plenty of O'Malley's and the General Assembly's priorities also have been blunted, if not nullified, by the constant financial straits. From the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund meant to provide dedicated cleanup money to an expansion of health care, new initiatives embraced by the administration have been cut, scuttled or delayed in the face of debilitating budget gaps.

"A lot of the benefits from those unpopular decisions will not come as soon as the legislature hoped and as soon as I had hoped," he said. "I do think we have been able to not only weather these times, but make some progress."

Achievements

A Maryland resident could see many accomplishments in O'Malley's term, including substantial education spending, three consecutive years of frozen in-state tuition and surpassing the $1 billion mark for school construction in three fiscal years.

The administration successfully negotiated a rebate for Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. ratepayers, backed crabbing restrictions that are showing some signs of progress, and strengthened the ability of judges to confiscate guns in domestic violence cases.

O'Malley also points out the state government does more than just legislative work. Closer to Annapolis, the landmark Capital City Safe Streets partnership between federal, state and local governments has contributed to a more than 30 percent drop in serious violent and property crimes.

But the legislature has not always been a halcyon place for O'Malley's policies. In this past session, O'Malley's vocal support of a death penalty repeal only resulted in about five minutes of debate on the Senate floor before it was ditched in favor of new restrictions on when executions can be used, and a House committee nixed an energy re-regulation plan partially because its members were offended they weren't given enough time to study the proposal.

Complex issues

O'Malley said there has been a learning curve because of "the additional number of issues and the heightened complexity of those issues" compared to his days as mayor of Baltimore, but believes there has largely been civil discourse between the executive and legislative branches.

He acknowledges underestimating the intransigence of the slot machine issue, and said he has learned Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., D-Calvert, can be "formidable opposition" when opposed to part of his agenda.

"I far prefer to battle with President Miller," he said.

One flashpoint between those politicians was the death-penalty debate. O'Malley acknowledged his Catholic faith has played a role in his opposition to capital punishment, but said he wanted to appeal to American ideals rather than religion in order to avoid conflict.

"I tried in that debate to focus on common ground rather than the differences," he said. "I was gratified we made as much progress … as we did."

For now, O'Malley is in the interim before another session that will feature significant budget questions, and he remains resistant to the Republican mantra of deep spending cuts. Waiting in the trough, he is steadfast in the stance Maryland has made headway under his stewardship.

"We have not had the benefit of winds at our sails, so we have had to row for quite a few miles," he said. "None of this time has been wasted."

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Tip for Opposition - 2009-07-09 14:33:10

Save yourself a lot of money in campain ads and just take a clip of O'Mally speaking against slots, then another of him pushing slots. Play that over and over again, take a copy of it to any debate and everytime O'Mally opens his mouth play the video. This Govenor is a joke, it's a joke he's in Office, it's a Joke the Capital changed the work "Failure" into "Complex Issues", and yes I'm bitter towards this administration for personal injustices it has caused me...

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George H. - Catonsville, MD - Karma: Neutral

Governing in Recession - 2009-07-09 13:37:47

O'Malley is doing better at reducing state expenses and maintaining essential services than the other governors of states hard hit by the current economic recession. Continuing to reduce taxes on the rich while increasing gov't size was something the GOP leaders did to deceive voters. Democrats at the National and State levels are now tasked with cleaning up after the likes of Ehrlich, Bush and Co. Maryland state services continue, environmental efforts are succeeding and we have not resorted to IOUs like California. O'Malley's cost control system is used by many governments, here and abroad. That's a testimony to his fiscal prowess that anyone can clearly see. I'm not the only Republican glad to have O'Malley guiding this state.

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T. Williams - Virginia Beach, VA - Karma: Neutral

Scott - 2009-07-07 11:09:43

Well said Scott, not to mention with being so close to D.C., most young Republicans eye a career in Washington before they look to Maryland (unfortunately) seeing as the overwhelming majority are registered democrats.

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Johnathan Locke - Edgewater, MD - Karma: Excellent

Ehrlich/steele - 2009-07-07 11:03:52

O'Malley is doing the nest he can, at least we got Ehrlich Steele out of Office. Those two were pathetic./

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Corporal Reinhart - , - Karma: Terrible

Not going anywhere - 2009-07-07 10:46:35

I don't think any governor can keep his state out of an economic downturn when the national economy is in its current condition. However, allowing his PSC to cave to BGE and flip-flopping on slots (which he opposed as mayor) overshadow anything else he has done to date as governor.

That being said, let's not kid ourselves about his reelection chances. He'll win in a landslide. The Maryland Republican Party doesn't have a viable candidate to oppose him. Ehrlich is most likely going to run for Comptroller, as he realizes the dynamics of that race are much more favorable to him (and would give him a better platform from which to run for Governor again after O'Malley is out).

The MRP for years has failed to even contest many local races, and the long term effect of that is that their bench is bare when it comes to finding candidates for state-wide office who have sharp enough campaigning skills (campaigning, like anything in life, requires practice for one to become good at it). They may be able to find someone like Ehrlich every 20 years or so, but without a better long term strategy, they're simply not going to develop the talent they need to compete more often than that. On top of that, the MRP itself is in the midst of a staff shake-up, and the Chairman just fired the Executive Director and is now being pressured to step down himself. During a time when the MRP should be focusing on strategic planning for next year's races, it's wasting its resources on internal restructuring.

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Scott S. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

Marti O'Taxem - 2009-07-07 08:06:42

What a fluff piece by the Capitol. Marti is in campaign mode and the Capitol failed to attempt to challenge any of the views put forth by O'Taxem. Perhaps the Capitol should try to ask a few probing questions rather than just absorb political blather.

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Robin S. - Churchton, MD - Karma: Neutral

WOw - 2009-07-07 07:40:16

Talk about getting drunk on the koolaid, does that sound like a campaign commercial or what?

Yes Owemalley was successful at turning a roughly $4 billion dollar surplus into a $2 billion dollar deficit in about 2 years. Congrats.

Protecting the consumer...how by raising sales tax and taxes on businesses doing business in Maryland translating into higher prices paid by consumers for services and products? If that is the protection he is offering, no thanks.

A 75-80% increase in utility bills is a better deal for consumers? Owemalleys alternative was laughable; he was for the same rate hike but would tier it over three years (while you were still responsible for the full amount), meanwhile the unpaid balance would be put in an escrow account collecting interest for constellation, and the consumer wasn't allowed to pay it off early, they had to leave it there. Some plan.

Education under Owemalley, right, as mayor of baltimore, it took the threat of state intervention for Owemalley to fix the cities education budget, it's no wonder almost every county in Maryland now is facing the same problem.

Nice attempt to piggy back on Annapolis's achievements in public safety as if Owemalley's "leadership" had anything to do with that...would you argue that he is then responsible for the increase in crime in Baltimore City?

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Johnathan Locke - Edgewater, MD - Karma: Excellent

O'Malley should stay. - 2009-07-07 01:58:02

Martin O'Malley understands what it means to govern for all the people. When he was elected the people clearly understood that the Ehrlich administration had failed to do its job. O'Malley cut programs with a scalpel after a solid review of the budget ,and raised the sales tax accordingly. Ehrlich's budget cuts were deep into services, the poor in particular; education, environmental enforcement and public safety. While O'Malley's Public Service Commission is interested in protecting MD consumers, Ehrlich's PSC caved to Constellation Energy's demands, and sat on their duffs for 4 years, during a strategic period of de-regulation. Ehrlich failed to stand up for MD rate payers, O'Malley got a better deal for consumers. While Ehrlich's administration was cited for attempting to sell public lands to political allies, O'Malley has given far more consideration to the right uses for and distribuiton of public lands. The MD Dept of the Environment was a farce during Ehrlich's administration. Law enforcement was negligible and science was denied. Fortunately, O'Malley is leading the state in a Greener more responsible direction. And public safety took a beating under Ehrlich, while O'Malley has been creative and imaginative in building public safety programs that reduce crime and make communities safer. Annapolis is a good example of his direct intervention. I hope O'Malley runs again and wins. The people of MD not only have a seat at the the Governor's table, they have an ally in their Governor.

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Maryellen Brady - Edgewater, MD - Karma: Neutral

Gov can help us - 2009-07-06 16:27:09

Governor OMalley is quick to blame the global recession as if there were nothing he could do to bring jobs back to Maryland and increase the financial well being of middle and lower class citizens. When the taxpayers are the contributors to the tax coffers of our richest US State, does it take the mind of a Buffet to realize that Marylanders need the good paying jobs that were sent to INDIA, etc. After globalization spread Americans wealth around the world, we now see the disastrous results. How long will it take Congress and the Maryland legislature to realize that Americans need to bring back every job sent overseas if they are to return to financial stability? The middle class is continually compelled to pay Billions for other nations catastrophes, under globalization and other giveaways, and also pay Billions for illegals free benefits, when many illegals brag that they will return to Mexico to live like kings, and when taxpayers cant afford the benefits they give to foreigners. Decades ago, when Catholics contributed to the Church, we knew that the moms, pops, children and the elderly in our own community would be helped! WHEN WILL this Catholic GOVERNOR REMEMBER his ROOTS, and that CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME? Also President Obama needs to put the middle and lower class taxpayers first, now that he has given billions to corrupted financial institutions, and badly managed car manufacturers, who refused to retool and make competitive cars. It is past time to get jobs back so Americans can build financial stability, afford homes, food, health care and retirement; and time to stop giving away our wealth to immigrants, legal or illegal, until US citizens can afford what we give away, instead of being fiscally irresponsible, and making our grand children pay for our delusions of grandeur.

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J C - , - Karma: Neutral

Four and out - 2009-07-05 22:11:36

Like a football possession, it's four and out...looks like he needs to punt. This guy is not super bowl material, never mind being able to score a touchdown. Let's see...BGE? We are not stupid. That woeful one-month rebate won't wash away the long term pain we all are feeling. Meanwhile, the O'Malley administration sees it better to raise the state sales tax and other rates on citizens during bad economic times when it makes no sense at all to take extra dollars from peoples pockets. He should be looking for ways to cut budget.

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Jim K. - Severn, MD - Karma: Neutral

perplexed - 2009-07-05 21:48:56

I wonder why his Catholic faith hasn't influenced his stance on abortion? Don't try to play to the masses of Christian faith by selectively playing the "faith card." His own confused mind seems to have also clouded his own views with the Democrat's BGE fiasco in what he said he would do before he was elected versus what he has done since being elected. Just two small, but telling issues that the MD voters should take a closer look at when checking off the boxes next election day.

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G N. - Cumming, GA - Karma: Neutral

Bush is to blame - 2009-07-05 21:34:48

Well, you have to love how O'Malley starts off blaming the nation's recession as the cause for our budget woes, then leads on to blame the global recession. I'm surprised he didn't try to blame Bush. He should be thanking Bush, as he is the reason that Ehrlich wasn't reelected allowing Owemalley to take office.

My favorite...in trumpeting the "good things" O'Malley has done, the author applauds how Omalley "surpassed the $1 billion mark for school construction three years in a row" like this is a good thing during this state-national-global recession.

Another good one is the whole BGE rebate. Now thats funny, jack my rates up 75% and give me a free month...yeah, that helped out a lot. No one brings up that he was one of the individuals who helped spear-head the opposition against Ehrlich's attempts to keep them regulated. Further, you have to love his opposition to slots while campaigning for governor and once he is in office...he is for it. How are the slots solving your budget woes now?

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Johnathan Locke - Edgewater, MD - Karma: Excellent

Lied About Taxes - 2009-07-05 19:30:40

Typical tax and spend lying Democrat. Got into office promising not to raise taxes and raised them massively. A total loser who could not get elected in a more moderate state.

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A. Huske - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

O'Malley Needs to Go - 2009-07-05 10:01:00

Not only does O'Malley need to, but 90% of the State Legislature needs to go. Just has we have term limits for the governor, we need term limits for the House of Delegates and the State Senate, who answer to the lobby groups rather than the taxpayers of the State. The one party system in Maryland has bread power, greed, and corruption. Term limits is the answer and the way to make government better in Maryland.

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David F. - Arnold, MD - Karma: Neutral