Governor Martin O’Malley today delivered the 2009 State of the State address to the citizens of Maryland and the Maryland General Assembly. In his address, Governor O’Malley focused on the need to protect our shared priorities and strengthen Maryland’s safety net for families in need during these tough economic times.
The Governor was joined by Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown, Congresswoman Donna Edwards, House Speaker Michael Busch, Senate President Mike Miller, State Treasurer Nancy Kopp, Comptroller Peter Franchot, Attorney General Doug Gansler, members of the General Assembly, members of the Executive Cabinet, honored guests and Maryland citizens for this third State of the State address.
“I would like to talk with you about our hard-won progress, the serious economic challenges at hand, and the choices and actions we must take today in order to stand up for the families of our State in these tough economic times,” said Governor O’Malley. “Finally, I want to talk with you about how, together, we will emerge from this recession with the real hope of a better future for all of Maryland’s children.”
“Thanks to the tough decisions we’ve made together over these last two years, the state of our State is once again strong enough to overcome the very challenging times at hand,” Governor O’Malley continued. “And with the inspired leadership of our new President Barack Obama, we finally have a federal partner who shares our commitment to progress.”
Noting that it is easy to overlook the progress we’ve made as One Maryland in a national recession this severe, Governor O’Malley outlined Maryland’s “measures of progress,” including:
– Maryland’s second largest single-year homicide reduction in 25 years with 66 fewer murders, 34 fewer fire deaths; and 60 fewer lives lost on our roads to traffic accidents last year.
– Expansion of affordable healthcare to 100,000 additional Maryland families;
– Conservation of nearly 21,000 ecologically valuable acres through Program Open Space – quintupling Maryland’s progress by more than 16,000 acres versus the previous administration; and Four straight years of zero percent increase for in-state college tuition, expanding affordable higher education to more Marylanders rather than fewer.
“We measure our progress in education by the number one ranking we received this year from Education Week Magazine. Let’s say it again shall we? Maryland has the best public schools in America,” Governor O’Malley declared. “Thank you Armistead Gardens – last year’s highest scoring elementary math class in Baltimore City – for being here to represent the generation which makes us so proud.”
In the midst of the most serious economic crisis in a generation, Governor O’Malley addressed the challenges that lie ahead for maintaining and expanding upon the progress we’ve made as a State by reading from letters he’s received from citizens struggling to make ends meet, including “Sandra” in Alleghany County:
“I have been blessed in many ways living in Maryland,… [but] I’m at a loss as to how I can keep a warm home and the food in my refrigerator properly cool with the high cost of electricity,” the letter read. “…I know you are working hard, bu