Governor O'Malley Delivers Keynote Address at Maryland Association of Counties 2009 Winter Conference
Focuses on Strengthening Partnerships to Get Maryland Families through These Tough Fiscal Times
CAMBRIDGE, MD (January 8, 2009) – Governor Martin O’Malley today delivered the keynote address at the Maryland Association of Counties (MACO) 2009 Winter Conference. The Governor’s remarks focused on strengthening partnerships between State and local governments to help Maryland families get through these tough economic times.
“Here in Maryland, we have some difficult choices ahead of us as we navigate through the turbulent waters of this national recession,” said Governor O’Malley. “I want to spend our time together this evening talking about a few of these choices, and about what we can do – and are doing – to help Maryland families through these tough times. This is the most serious economic crisis our country has gone through in my lifetime, but I firmly believe that we are going to get through it, just as we always have: by working together.”
Governor O’Malley outlined what the State is doing to offer relief to Maryland’s struggling families on a number of fronts, including: the passage of sweeping foreclosure legislation that extends the foreclosure process to keep Maryland families in their homes; the expansion of healthcare to 100,000 more Marylanders, including assistance to small businesses so they can provide coverage to their employees, while also closing the Medicaid donut hole so that our seniors can get the prescriptions that rely upon; the extension of hours at our call centers so those who have lost their jobs have quicker access to Unemployment Insurance, and access to new jobs and training opportunities; and the enactment of the nation’s first Living Wage law so that our workers get paid fairly for their work.
Governor O’Malley stressed the need to affirm partnerships to advance the common good of the State, and outlined examples of how working together, Maryland has made progress.
“As we have faced some difficult challenges, it has been our partnerships which have swung open the door of progress – partnerships that have helped us achieve a No. 1 ranking from Education Week, which now says we have the best public school system in America, partnerships that have allowed us to hold the line on college tuition for three years in a row, partnerships that helped us restore fiscal responsibility to the State, partnerships that have made our streets safer, and partnerships that have allowed us to find ways to grow smarter,” he said.
Governor O’Malley announced a commitment to work closely with local government as he works to find ways to combat a $2 billion deficit for FY 2010.
“We have worked very hard these past two years to shield local aid and protect these valuable funds, even as we have had to enact oftentimes painful spending cuts throughout the rest of our State budget. As we face a new wave of difficult fiscal decisions flowing from the national recession, I would like to tell you that we can continue moving forward without making cuts in local aid, but it is simply not within our means as we face a $2 billion deficit for FY2010 – and we will have to reduce some spending on local aid. We intend to work with you very closely on this – and to do everything within our power to ensure that these cuts are as temporary and painless as possible given the circumstances.”
Governor O’Malley, however, outlined reasons why Maryland is in a better position to climb out this national recession than most of our counterparts in other states.
“Over the course of the past year, when our nation as a whole lost nearly 2 million jobs – and most states shed more jobs than they gained – we in Maryland actually created jobs – 12,700 new jobs to be exact, which is more than all but two other states,” Governor O’Malley said. “When viewing these gains as a percentage of our total workforce, our rate of job growth increased .5 percent in a declining economy – only nine other states posted a better rate of job growth last year. And as we stand here today, our rate of unemployment – while still higher than we would like it to be – remains more than 20% lower than that of the nation as a whole.”
Governor O’Malley also highlighted other reasons to be optimistic: Maryland exports out of the Port of Baltimore increased 34 percent last year, more than twice the national average; six foreign-owned companies have set up shop in Maryland over the past six months while 60 more are considering doing the same; and Maryland’s business development representatives are working with more than 140 business prospects that are looking to expand or relocate in Maryland.
“I do not say these things to sugarcoat the challenges that are ahead of us. We won’t climb out of this recession overnight. But there are some very valid and encouraging reasons to be optimistic that we, in our One Maryland, are going to bounce back more quickly than other states.”
Governor O’Malley concluded: “There is an African proverb which reminds us that ‘smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.’ Indeed, the best days in life are not always the easiest days – but from our challenges I continue to believe that we will create opportunities – and from our adversity, once again we will rise up together as One Maryland. As we do the value of our partnerships is greater than ever. These tough times won’t last because we in Maryland are committed to fighting for a better tomorrow the way we have fought for so many generations: by working together. Thank you for standing up and defending our State’s greatest asset: the strong and resilient people of Maryland.”
The Maryland Association of Counties (MACO) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that includes representatives from Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City meets holds its annual summer conference in Ocean City, Maryland. During the conference, attendees from every Maryland jurisdiction have an opportunity to attend workshops, policy presentations, and gather with other elected officials to form partnerships and learn about innovations in governance.
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