O'Malley polls dip as budget flap intensifies

The Washington Times ^ | 10-24-07 | Tom LoBianco

[JZelle]

ANNAPOLIS — Public support for Gov. Martin O'Malley has dropped sharply since he took office in January, according to a statewide poll released yesterday.

Mr. O'Malley's approval rating dropped six points, to 46 percent, and his disapproval rating increased 10 points, to 31 percent, since the last statewide poll conducted in March by Gonzales Research and Marketing.

The poll results were released on the same day Mr. O'Malley outlined his "doomsday budget" proposal, which includes $1.7 billion in cuts to education, health care and other state programs.

Mr. O'Malley said he would be forced to introduce the budget, which he also calls his "cost-of-delay" budget proposal, if lawmakers do not pass the tax increases and gambling initiative he wants during the special General Assembly session that starts Monday.

"This is what happens if we fail to reach consensus," he said yesterday. "I don't have an expectation of failure, but I do have a responsibility to lay out the options [in the most] forthright way as I possibly can."

A spokesman for Mr. O'Malley, a Democrat, said the governor was not worried about his six-point drop in the polls.

"Most of those numbers break along party lines," said spokesman Rick Abbruzzese, noting an increase in Republicans who disapprove of Mr. O'Malley's leadership but steady support from Democrats. "Leaders lead even when they have to make difficult decisions."

Public support for legalizing slot machines reached 59 percent, its highest point in five years. And 84 percent of voters think the measure should be decided by referendum next year, according to the poll.

[JZelle]

"Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., a Republican, faced frequent shortfalls during his term, from 2003 to 2007, but fixed them with transfers from other state funds and increases in fees."

Apparently, Maryland voters opted for tax increases.

[Kenny Bunk]

THis O’Malley is definitely winner of the Baldacci Award.
In fact, shave his head and give him a goodwill suit, and he could probably replace Baldacci.

[Slapshot68]

“”Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., a Republican, faced frequent shortfalls during his term, from 2003 to 2007, but fixed them with transfers from other state funds and increases in fees.”

Apparently, Maryland voters opted for tax increases.”

I’m in Maryland and it’s a shame because Ehrlich was doing a great job. But in a state registered 2 out 3 Democrat, it came down to partisan BS. O’Malley doesn’t want to make the harder cuts so he’s a proposing a tax increase.

Unfortunately, Maryland voters wanted a Democrat back running the show...how sorry they will be now. Ehrlich was STILL fixing things the previous Democratic Governor (Parris Glendening) screwed up when he lost to O’Malley.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Buyers’ remose setting in as O’Malley sends Maryland taxes back through the roof...

[Sgt_Schultze]

The poll results were released on the same day Mr. O'Malley outlined his "doomsday budget" proposal, which includes $1.7 billion in cuts to education, health care and other state programs.

Typical low brow fear mongering. Shut down fire stations. Shut down libraries and parks. Curtail police patrols. Cut education. Cut payments to locals.

But we will not cut our bloated workforce or give away programs Just send more money and STFU.

[CGTRWK]

They don't need to cut a penny out of our bloated state workforce and giveaway programs to balance the budget. All they need to do is stop recklessly increasing them.

State General Fund budget against general fund income:

                 spending       revenues
FY04             10.3 billion   10.1 billion
FY05             11.2 billion   11.3 billion
FY06             12.0 billion   12.3 billion
FY07             13.2 billion   13.0 billion
FY08 (proposed)  14.2 billion

Fattening the government at 7% a year isn't good enough for them. They want 10%, and settling for less is a "cut".

[BMIC]

I voted for Ehrlich, and then threw up in my mouth just a little. I am sure some others with a little more personal integrity sat home and refused to vote for him. The man tried to force slots on us and then campaigned boasting about how friendly and tolerant he was towards gays and how progressive he was for supporting public funding of human embryonic stem cell research / baby murder. Had I just a little more backbone, and not been quite so worried about his opponent, he would have received one fewer vote. Heaven knows, I voted for him as the lesser of two completely unacceptable evil alternatives.

[Little Bill]

A friend who knew Baldacci’s mother told me one time,”I can not believe such a nice woman could such an @##$^*^ for a son!”

[RJL]

How unusual, a Democrat working to tax citizens into prosperity and O'Malley is even going the extra mile in highlighting how miserable everyone will be without a massive tax increase.

/S

[ANGGAPO]

We have no Republicans. But we have gross Democrats in Maryland. And Democrats do what they do best, tax everything. If O’Mally would just advocate NO NEW TAXES and stick to it, the problem would reduce its self and could be managed. There are some department that would be cut and a degree of belt tightening required, but the poor folks in Maryland would not be priced out of their homes.

[Kenny Bunk]

Well, the governor was OK when he was washing dishes in her restaurant and in general doing everything she said ... as soon as she said it.

How he got from here to there is a mystery.

[Norman Bates]

Ping

[sitetest]

Dear Norman Bates,

Thanks for the ping.

I voted for Pigboy Ehrlich. I think I even managed to get my wife to vote for the baby killer.

I think I may have been less-successful with my other conservative friends.

Oh well.

sitetest

[Norman Bates]

I was not happy about Ehrlich’s pro-abortion but he did support the PBA-ban and parental notification which O’Malley doesn’t, so in my book it was worth the try. O’Malley has increased Ehrlich’s stem cell funding, too.

[Freee-dame]

Maryland has a totally Dem exective and legislative (veto-proof)legislature. They can win elections without the vote of any middle class private-sector, not connected-to-government-contract workers. Every time they take more from the "rich" and give to the poor (and middle class) the Dems have more people dependent on them and more votes. Maryland is so flush with Federal Govt. money that private sector is of little consequence to Dems.

The entire legislature is elected every four years, along with the Gov so there is no voter anger to deal with for three more years. It is scary.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Maryland “Freak State” PING!

[mason-dixon]

Maryland Home of HIGH TAXES!!!

Gov. Martin O’Malley has already scared even Dem Libs in the so called (SIC) Free State of Maryland with his if it moves tax it plans! Word on the street is O’Malley has national aspirations & that if a cabinet position or better in a Clinton Admin. was offered he would jump ship here AFTER his tax damage is already done!!!

Mason Dixon

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The only good things I can see in O’Malley’s plan are a property tax cut (from $0.113/$100 to $0.083/$100), a modest tax cut for lower income people, and indexing the gas tax to construction costs (it would be even better if the entire tax were spent on roads). The indexing would be a tax increase, but I think it’s more acceptable than not being able to swing a dead cat without hitting a toll booth.