O’Malley/Brown Release "Action Plan for Maryland Families"

Blueprint for Change Stands in Stark Contrast to Ehrlich Attack Ads

BALTIMORE, MD (October 9, 2006) – Overlooking Baltimore with just 30 days to go until the general election, Martin O’Malley and Anthony Brown today unveiled An Action Plan for Maryland Families – a 10-point plan that embodies the goals of an O’Malley/Brown Administration to fight for Maryland hardworking families, and will serve as a blueprint for change to help make Maryland’s state government more efficient.

“As we enter the final month of this campaign, it is becoming clearer that this campaign is not about Republican or Democrat – its about progress and change – its about a positive vision to begin moving our State forward again,� said Martin O’Malley. “Maryland families have a clear choice in this election – the new ideas for change that an O’Malley/Brown administration will bring to the table or the same old, tired attacks that Bob Ehrlich and George Bush offer up.�

In stark contrast to Bob Ehrlich’s negative campaign that has been based on false, negative attack ads, the Action for Maryland Families is a bold and innovative plan based on performance measurement – not patronage politics – to improve Maryland’s mismanaged agencies, including the Department of Juvenile Services, Parole and Probation and Corrections, improve our environment and the health of the Chesapeake Bay, and improve the quality of life for all Maryland families.

Over the last year, Martin O’Malley and Anthony Brown have released a number of detailed plans to address some of the most pressing issues facing our state. O’Malley and Brown have released plans, among others, to make improve the quality, access and affordability of health care, improve our public schools and fund school construction, and improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay through programs like BayStat.

Bob Ehrlich has not released one issue paper or plan to improve the quality of life for Maryland families over the next four years. In fact, there is no policy proposal on any issue posted on his campaign website. Instead, Ehrlich has relied on more of the same tired, attacks ads that newspapers have reported as “not true.�

The O’Malley/Brown Action Plan for Maryland Families includes 10-Principles and measurable goals that will guide an O’Malley/Brown Administration over the next four years. The principles are:

  • We will make government work.

  • We will make government work more effectively.

  • We will make government work more effectively so it is more efficient.

  • We will fight to make college education more affordable for all Marylanders, so we can expand economic opportunity and build a more just society. We will invest in school construction – to get our children out of trailers. And we will invest in K-12 education – including fully funding Thornton to reduce class sizes and improve public schools.

  • We will roll-up our sleeves to find the missing pieces of the health care crisis puzzle in Maryland, so that responsible businesses that choose to cover their employees’ healthcare can afford to do so.

  • We must choose to make Maryland a leader in improving public safety and homeland security at the same time, reforming Maryland’s failed criminal justice system, including the Departments of Juvenile Service, Parole and Probations, and Corrections.

  • We will invest Open Space dollars to purchase available land for conservation and public parks. We will make public decisions with world class scientists, as well as our watermen and farmers, so that we begin to restore the health of the rivers and streams that determine the health of our Bay.

  • We choose to harness the tremendous power of Maryland’s diverse economy, brain-power and talent pool for continued prosperity for all of our citizens, including expanded opportunities for minority and women-owned business.

  • We choose to advance a statewide vision for transportation, including mass transit, so that Maryland’s character determines the future of growth instead of allowing growth to determine Maryland’s future character.

  • We will put the public interest ahead of the special interests, standing up to powerful interests when they seek to make excessive profits at the expense of consumers and the working people of our State.

For more information please visit www.martinomalley.com.

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Friends of Martin O’Malley – 2400 Boston St., Suite 203 – Baltimore, MD 21202 – 410-814-4206 – fax: 410-468-2552
Authority: Friends of Martin O’Malley, Martin F. Cadogan, Treasurer