By Len LazarickLen@MarylandReporter.com
In the next few weeks, we expect to learn the answer to the question many began asking Bob Ehrlich nearly two years ago: Is he going to run for governor again?
It is clear that the Ehrlich “family” -- friends, staff and especially his wife Kendel -- is behind a rematch between him and Gov. Martin O’Malley. That was one of the factors he mentioned to me at a dinner in May 2008. But the key questions, he said then, were “Can I win and can I fix it?”
Ehrlich himself is the one holding back on the decision, calculating his chances against an incumbent Democratic governor in a heavily Democratic state. He’s made no secret that he’ll run if he thinks he can win.
But can he “fix” what he sees as the fiscal mess in Annapolis and the left-ward drift of the state? Can he and his backers be more than just the party of “no” and supply a “positive vision for Maryland,” as he advised other Republicans in October?
The next two years facing the governor elected in November will be even more daunting than what both O’Malley and Ehrlich faced in their first terms. Elected state leaders have pushed the most expensive long-term problems until after the election.
Next January, the revenue picture continues to look bleak, and all the easy budget cuts have been long done. The fiscal 2011 budget depends on a series one-time transfers of funds that may not be available again. As one legislative wag said of O’Malley, “He’s broken all the piggy banks.”
For the third year in a row, state employees will have their pay cut in the form of furloughs.
Administrators have asked lawmakers to stop cutting the staff piecemeal and to drop whole programs, rather than leaving them understaffed in many areas.
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5 comments:
Ehrlich tax and spends just like the rest of the crooks. We need someone who is dedicated to reduce spending and cutting taxes big time....no more same ole same ole!
In a word, NO.
If taxes are cut, programs are cut. Who will yell the loudest. He can do it ONLY if the people AND legislature are behind him 100%
I think if Bob holds the TEA Party torch, then actually ACTS on the agenda of cutting entire programs and reducing government, he will be able to fix it and renew our local economies.
Anything short of that, we will need someone with those kahonies to run.
Until someone has the courage to cut funds for Open Space project, sell the land owned by the State for preservation and legislate the restrictions, quit funding non-profits and make these Executives do their own fund raising, eliminate expensive meetings and trips to name a few. No one will reduce the spending in Maryland or the Federal Government. The ones crying will be the lazy moochers who live off the Government and need to be forced into getting a real job so they can experience what a real budget is and what the Tax Payers experience due to their greed and lack of concern for the Tax Payer. As a retired State worker I agree there are about 25% worthless State workers but they are protected by their buddies.
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