The O'Malley Blog

Governor O’Malley announces tax amnesty holiday

From September 1 through October 30, Maryland residents who owe back taxes can pay them back free of penalty and with only half of the accrued interest.

This is the first such tax amnesty holiday since 2001.

Governor O'Malley believes the holiday will help citizens get a clean and assist the state during these difficult economic times:

"This tax amnesty holiday allows individuals, families, and small businesses who may have fallen behind the opportunity to make things right without excessive penalty or interest. Consistent with many of the suggestions we've received from members of the public, we're implementing this holiday as we work to reform our government in these difficult economic times to make it more efficient and effective for the people of Maryland."

For every $10 million raised by the tax amnesty holiday, the state estimates that it will be able to add $7.2 million to the General Fund. The remaining money will go towards local governments and the Transportation Trust Fund.

In 2001, the last tax amnesty holiday collected $39.5 million in revenue.

Budget reductions announced

Governor O'Malley outlined more than $450 million in budget reductions today, his second step to address the projected budget shortfall of $700 million for fiscal year 2010.

Once these adjustments are included in the budget, the O'Malley-Brown Administration will have reduced spending by over $4.3 billion while successfully protecting investments in Maryland public schools.

Governor O'Malley said that decisions about the budget are not easily made. "Just as families, businesses, and individuals across Maryland struggle to find ways to tighten their belts, our state government must do more with less," he said, "Our citizens expect and deserve a government that works and in spite of the most severe recession in a generation we've been working to reform our State government to make more efficient and effective."

The administration will present the budget reductions to the Board of Public Works today.

According to a press release from the governor's office:

"Despite historically challenging economic times, Maryland remains poised to come through this national recession more quickly than other states. Maryland is home to one of America's most highly skilled workforces, holds an unemployment rate consistently 20 percent below the national average, and is one of only seven states to defend a highly coveted Triple A bond rating."

Gov. O’Malley on Maryland Public Television tonight

At 7:30 PM tonight, Governor Martin O'Malley will appear on Maryland Public Television (MPT).

The Governor appears on MPT every month as part of a special series called "Ask the Governor: Special Edition of Direct Connection."

If you would like to ask Gov. O'Malley a question on air, email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call 1-800-926-0629.

Doing more with less

Yesterday, Governor O'Malley sent out an email about Maryland's budget and the difficult economic times:

How do we cut another $400 million from the state budget by Labor Day -- without rolling back the progress we've made these past few years in our schools, businesses, and communities?

That's the challenge we're facing as a state, as we work to restore fiscal responsibility while making sure we continue building a better future for all Marylanders.

But our common challenge is also our common opportunity. It's a chance for us to make our government work better by finding ways to do more with less.

As we make more difficult decisions together these next few months, I want to hear from you. What tough choices are you making in your own home or business? How have you found ways to use resources more effectively?

Share your thoughts and we'll post them on MartinOMalley.com so that others can benefit from your experience and advice:

http://www.martinomalley.com/DoingMore

Doing more with less is never easy. This is the first time in the last three decades that our state budget has come in lower than where it was three years before.

But by rooting out inefficiencies and embracing new technologies, we're finding ways to make government work again. Our state agencies are collaborating in unprecedented ways to serve citizens better; we're putting information to work like never before; and new programs like StateStat are helping us both to set goals and measure how well we meet them.

From talking to Marylanders all over the state, I know it's not just our government that's finding ways to be more resourceful. Marylanders are innovating and adapting too.

How are you doing more with less? Share your ideas here:

http://www.martinomalley.com/DoingMore

Thanks for everything you do to transform challenge into opportunity in our state.

Though we face tough times, the one thing we cannot afford is to use the recession as an excuse for neglecting to move our state forward.

-Gov. Martin O'Malley

If you haven't already, sign up for Governor O'Malley's email list.

Video: Gov. O’Malley talks jobs and biotech

While participating in the 2009 BIO International Convention in Atlanta in May, Governor O'Malley sat for an interview with IamBioTech.org to discuss who important biotech has been to Maryland's economy and job market. The governor is featured for the first two minutes or so of the video.

Your comments on the Purple Line

Governor O’Malley yesterday asked supporters to share their thoughts about his announcement of the new Purple Line light rail route, connecting Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County. The line is expected to reduce traffic congestion while creating an environmentally friendly mass transit option. We wanted to share with you some of the comments we received! 

Here’s what Martha from Prince George’s County had to say:

“As an employee at the University of Maryland College Park, I anticipate the Purple Line helping tremendously with the gridlock that occurs along Route One morning and evening during the school year. Although I have a fairly easy commute, automobile traffic is only getting worse. It would be great to have a convenient and cost effective alternative for people coming from further distances.”

And Twitter user @sfrancisco15:

“Thank u! Bmore needs more public transit. Our state & country needs more public transit. I will knock a 1000 doors for u!”

Nancy from Montgomery County:

“It will not affect my daily commute to work, but I think it is a great idea, and it will affect my other travels around the state and make it easier for me to visit friends, go shopping, and go out to eat in other places. I hope that it happens!”

Raquel posted this comment on our Facebook fan page:

“Transportation projects and development create jobs. YES TO THE PURPLE LINE! Bring it and put AMERICANS back to work!”

Peter from Montgomery County wrote:

“I commute to Washington DC from Bethesda, MD on the Capital Crescent Trail. This is a great way for me to get to DC avoiding the use of metro's Red line unless the weather is too cold or wet for me to ride. This corridor is cool due to the shade from large trees as the railroad corridor has protected trees. I don't want to loose this trail to the Rail and hope that we can share the roadway. Also since there are a lot of trees it makes little sense to have an above wire electrical source you will be better of with a third rail or onboard fuel cell or electric vehicles, Not above ground powered trains. Every storm trees fall down. So unless your going to clear cut trees away, better to make the cars self powered hybrids or electric vehicles.”

Twitter user @cmadaio:

“You made the right decision. Baltimore needs the red line. Opposition to light rail portion will come around.”

Here's what Josh from Montgomery County wrote:

"It will make my commute to and from College Park from Rockville significantly easier, as well as general movement to DC, rather than going all the way in an out each time. Please get it built as soon as possible.”

And Richard from Anne Arundel:

“Oh my good Lord...YES YES YES!

While I don't drive in the DC metro area any longer, that doesn't mean that I will never again. For eight years I drove from Annapolis to Bethesda and I longed for the Purple Line the first time I ever heard of it.

The outer loop section of the DC Beltway that runs between I-95 through 355 is backed up daily (without the need for an accident to cause the delay). This is a 9.25 mile section of the Beltway that during the morning rush hour takes 50-60 minutes to navigate (on a GOOD day). Add an accident to that volume and the delay easily doubles.

This traffic, along with the lack of a decent mass transit option is the solitary reason I do not work in the DC metro area any longer. It was that bad. Anything that gets cars off of the road during the rush hours in that stretch will make significant improvement.”

And finally, Anne from Prince George’s County:

“As a graduate student at College Park, the Purple Line comes up in conversations with my peers on a very regular basis. This line would have a huge positive impact on our lives! Specifically, the ability to get to Silver Spring and Bethesda from College Park, for both work and play, and the ability to get anywhere from the UMD campus itself (as walking to the College Park metro station after dark is not safe). It's too bad that I will (hopefully) have graduated by the time construction is complete.”

If you would like to share your own thoughts on the Purple Line light rail system, please do so here.

Interview with GovTech about Maryland’s innovative use of technology

In an interview with Government Technology magazine published this week, Governor O'Malley discussed the role StateStat is playing in the way he and his cabinet lead Maryland.

To develop StateStat into an effective resource for both state government and state residents, O'Malley is diligent about performance management. Every two to three weeks, O'Malley and his staff meet with participating agencies and crunch the numbers. Are things better than they were two weeks ago? What does the data reveal?

GovTech produced three videos to accompany the article. Check out the first below and let us know what you think! Click here for the second and third videos from the GovTech interview.

Purple Line will connect Montgomery and Prince George’s counties

Governor O'Malley announced this morning that the locally preferred alternative for the Purple Line will consist of a light-rail line operating along a 16-mile east-west corridor from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George's County.

Maryland will seek approval through the FTA's "New Starts" program to begin preliminary engineering and compete for federal funding for the $1.5 billion project.

Said Gov. O'Malley: "The east-west light rail line will connect with Maetro and MARC in a way that will help reduce our dependence on cars by providing a reliable and environmentally friendly transit option to connect people with their places of employment, places of worship, and centers of economic development throughout the region. This is the basis for our Smart, Green, and Growing initiative."

The line will connect major employment and activity centers in Bethesda/Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, University of Maryland College Park, and New Carrollton with residential and commercial areas located in between, including the Takoma Park/Langley Park community.

It will link both branches of the Red Line at Bethesda and Silver Spring, the Green Line at College Park, and the Orange Line at New Carrollton. The project will also connect all three MARC commuter rail lines, Amtrak, and local bus services. Click to view a map of the planned route.

With appropriate approvals and funding, construction could start in 2014 and service on the Purple Line could begin in 2018.