LEADERSHIP THAT WORKS: Creating Better, Higher Paying Jobs for Maryland

Goals and Values for Creating Better, Higher Paying Jobs for Maryland

Maryland must be an economic center based on first-rate education, technology, manufacturing and entrepreneurship. Maryland has many natural strengths and advantages – in workforce, industry and institutions – that we must use to create better, higher paying jobs. Martin O’Malley and Anthony Brown want a state where all families are treated with fairness when it comes to job security, good wages, and real benefits. Their vision is for Maryland to become a state in which those who have been left behind have real access to quality jobs so they can meet their fullest potential, and where those who work hard and play by the rules always have the opportunity to get ahead. They know that in order to keep our economy strong, our government must act responsibly in how it spends taxpayer money and promotes strong educational and other pro-job policies. We need visionary leadership that works to create better, higher paying jobs for Maryland.

Paths to Progress

As Maryland’s next Governor, Martin O’Malley will:

• Create New Economic Opportunities in Homeland Security, Biotechnology and Defense. Martin O’Malley believes that Maryland must be an active part of the global economy to create the new higher-paying jobs of the future. O’Malley will utilize Maryland’s current resources in research, high-tech, and bio-tech industries to make our economy more creative and more productive. With the right leadership, O’Malley believes Maryland can become the world-wide leader in “weapons of mass salvationâ€? to cure diseases, building upon the first-rate facilities and minds that already exist in the state. With Maryland gaining even more military personnel and missions, Martin O’Malley will work with the communities across the State to attract well-paying defense-related jobs with good benefits.
  
• Protect Existing Manufacturing Jobs and Recruit New Industries to Maryland. Martin O’Malley will work to protect our vital manufacturing and industrial base and be responsive to Marylanders who are worried about losing their jobs. O’Malley will protect the existing manufacturing jobs in Maryland while attracting new jobs with good pay and benefits.
  
• Help Small Businesses Pay for Health Care, Reduce Red Tape and Create Jobs. Martin O’Malley believes small businesses are Maryland’s economic engine. These businesses create the most new jobs and are often generated by entrepreneurs who start their own businesses. By reducing the cost of health care and the amount of paper work, Martin O’Malley will help small businesses create jobs and expand our economy.
  
• Expand Minority and Women Owned Businesses. Martin O’Malley will actively encourage more growth in Maryland’s minority and women owned businesses. O’Malley will fulfill commitments in state contract spending and will be an advocate for expanding minority and women owned businesses in Maryland.
  
• Create a Highly Trained Workforce and Expand Educational Opportunity for All Marylanders. Martin O’Malley will fully fund the Thornton Education Plan and will make a college education more affordable so that Maryland children have the tools to succeed in the 21st Century economy. He will work to make Maryland a state where those who have been left behind have access to quality education and jobs so that they can meet their full potential.
  
• Focus on Workforce Development and Partnerships with Community Colleges. Martin O’Malley knows that for Maryland to be competitive in the 21st Century, the state must invest in community colleges and workforce development. By creating new incentives for public-private partnerships with community colleges and by providing focus for our business leaders to promote workforce development, Maryland can take an active role in shaping its future.
  
• Open New Markets for Maryland Businesses. Martin O’Malley will work to expand international markets for Maryland-made goods including agriculture, technology and manufactured items.
  
• Preserve Maryland’s Farming and Fishing Industries. Martin O’Malley will preserve Maryland’s essential farming and fishing economies that are critical to our state’s well-being.
  
• Increase Tourism and Protect the Bay. Martin O’Malley will utilize Maryland’s resources and history to increase the number of tourists visiting Maryland for vacation and eco-tourism. O’Malley will protect the state’s most valuable resource, the Chesapeake Bay, to ensure that it can be enjoyed for generations to come.

A Record of Progress

• Martin O’Malley and the business leaders of Baltimore have aided the Baltimore comeback, attracting $10 billion in new and planned development in the City of Baltimore.
  
• Martin O’Malley cut property taxes to their lowest level in 30 years, spurring jobs and growth.
  
• Martin O’Malley came into office in 1999 and since that time – due to Baltimore’s strong economic climate and reduced violent crime – home values have soared 120%.
  
• Martin O’Malley achieved new development in Baltimore by attracting new National Institutes of Health programs and is creating two new Bio-tech parks to bring 1,200 new homes, 8,000 jobs and $1.1 billion in economic growth. O’Malley also has attracted record amounts of permitted commercial building projects – from $23 million in 2002 to $488 million in 2004 – an increase of over 2000%.
  
• Martin O’Malley helped forge the historic agreement which spurred a $300 million investment in Baltimore as part of the construction of a 750-room Convention Center hotel, bringing in more high-paying construction jobs.
  
• Martin O’Malley has been a strong fiscal manager who improved the city’s credit rating and produced the highest budget-surplus in twenty-five years.

Maryland Can Do Better

• Bob Ehrlich placed the burden of his irresponsible spending on Maryland’s hard working families, while giving his special interest friends a free pass. Ehrlich raised taxes, tolls, and fees on Maryland families and business by more than $3 billion in his first three years in office – more than the combined amount of his two Democratic predecessors.
  
• Bob Ehrlich encouraged Maryland businesses to outsource jobs to foreign countries.
  
• Under Bob Ehrlich’s leadership, Maryland slipped in the national rankings for technology jobs and growth.
  
• Bob Ehrlich raised property taxes, threatening businesses, and did nothing to lower health care costs.

Bob Ehrlich and Economic Development – No Goals. Failed Leadership.
A Stronger Maryland Can Do Better.

Martin O'Malley and Anthony Brown –
Leadership That Works