Last week, Governor O’Malley proposed a balanced budget that takes a balanced approach to ensure that our government operates within its means but still makes the investments to prepare Maryland for the future.
The Governor’s proposal makes the difficult decisions to address our deficits, but maintains critical investments that will put Maryland in a position to out-build, out-innovate and out-compete other states and nations.
Here are 5 things you should know about the Governor’s budget:
1. Jobs
This budget places a priority on jobs. 52,000 of them to be specific. In addition, $4 billion is specifically directed towards programs that will spur job creation.
2. Education
Education is a critical investment and the Governor is committed to taking the necessary action to guarantee every child gets the skills they need. Funding for our #1 ranked public schools has increased 22% under Governor O’Malley to $5 billion.
3. Healthcare
Governor O’Malley has worked to ensure every Marylander has access to affordable and quality healthcare. This is particularly true for vulnerable citizens and children. This year we’re protecting healthcare coverage for more than 1 million people, included 400,000 previously uninsured.
4. Public Safety
Violent crime has gone down every year during the O’Malley-Brown Administration and this budget will continue that trend by improving law enforcement communications systems, targeting substance abuse and gun trafficking, and funding 2 new trooper classes.
5. Fiscal Responsibility
The budget uses a balanced approach which not only protects our AAA bond rating and stays within spending affordability guidelines, but also makes significant progress in closing Maryland’s structural deficit. The budget contains $800 million in total funds reductions, and shrinks the size of government per Marylander to the lowest level since 1973.
Budgets are about priorities and values, and Governor O’Malley’s budget makes the right choices to grow our economy, create jobs and strengthen our competitiveness.
Today on CNBC, Governor Martin O’Malley disagreed with the approach of Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker and other Republicans who are “choosing to use this crisis to sharpen their ideological axe.”
In Maryland, Governor O’Malley intends to balance the budget and make the investments in the future by asking “everybody to sacrifice” and “bringing people together around the truth and the math and the imperative of moving forward out of these difficult times.”
Light for All:
This morning’s Baltimore Sun article had a number of factual errors. We wanted to set the record straight and keep them honest.
If the General Assembly wants to reduce spending and protect the priorities of Maryland’s families, they should vote for Governor O’Malley’s proposed budget.
According to the Baltimore Sun, “the governor’s $13 billion operating budget avoids major spending cuts to state services, instead relying on one-time accounting maneuvers and hundreds of millions in federal stimulus dollars to balance revenue shortfalls.
This is just plain wrong…
Fact: The Governor’s proposed FY11 budget reflects more than $2 Billion in actions to control spending since the General Assembly passed last year’s budget, and
Fact: The Governor’s proposed FY11budget includes $1.014 Billion in budget reductions; and
Fact: Prior to submitting the budget this year, Governor O’Malley brought over $1 Billion to in cuts to the Board of Public Works that are reflected in the FY11 budget for the General Assembly to vote on, and
Fact: Governor O’Malley and the General Assembly have cut state spending by $4.7 billion; the Governor’s FY11 proposal will bring our four year totals to $5.6 billion in spending reductions. With the proposed FY11 budget the size of state government has been reduced by a four year total of 3,500 positions.
Fact: Today in Maryland General Fund spending IS LOWER than it was four years ago.
Fact: Today, Maryland is one of only seven states in America to earn a Triple A bond rating – a seal of fiscal responsibility certified by all three major bond rating agencies.
Light for All.
