LEADERSHIP THAT WORKS: Fighting for Hard-Working Maryland Families

Goals and Values for Creating Opportunity for Hard-Working Maryland Families

Martin O’Malley and Anthony Brown know that our state’s hard-working families are the backbone of the Maryland economy. Our state must step forward and stand up for our families, rather than being a rubber stamp for big businesses and special interests. A fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. We have an obligation to provide our workers with affordable health care. We need leadership that works for Maryland’s hard-working families.

Paths to Progress

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

• Expand Quality and Affordable Heath Care Coverage. Martin O’Malley will make quality health care coverage more affordable for more Marylanders. O’Malley will expand Medicaid coverage to more children, lower the cost of health care for families through small businesses insurance pools, fully fund community health centers and work to lower the cost of prescription drugs.
  
• Extend Family and Medical Leave for State Employees. Martin O’Malley believes that the state should lead the way in its family leave policies. As Governor, he will extend family leave for state employees to 20 weeks, so that our state employees can care for their children and parents when they need them the most.
  
• Create New Economic Opportunities While Protect Existing Manufacturing Jobs. Martin O’Malley will work to bring new jobs and economic growth to Maryland while protecting our important manufacturing and industrial base. O’Malley also believes the State of Maryland should be doing more to protect existing manufacturing jobs in Maryland and he will fight to keep these jobs in our state.
  
• Support Living Wages for Maryland Families. Martin O’Malley supports Living Wage legislation for all companies doing business with the State. Companies that want Maryland’s business must support Maryland’s values, and that includes a fair wage for a fair day’s work.
  
• Improve Workers’ Collective Bargaining Rights. Martin O’Malley will work to strengthen the statewide collective bargaining law, ensuring good faith negotiations and prevent obstacles to collective bargaining in affected industries.
  
• Put Maryland Workers First. Martin O’Malley believes it is irresponsible for the state to ship our jobs to off-shore contractors with lower safety, environmental and discrimination standards. As Governor, O’Malley will work to ensure these jobs are not out-sourced to foreign countries.

A Record of Progress

• Martin O’Malley, along with the assistance of hard working men and women across the state, helped lead the charge to override Bob Ehrlich’s veto of a $1 minimum wage increase by starting a grassroots online campaign to support a higher minimum wage.
  
• Martin O’Malley was a supporter of the first Living Wage law in the nation, and has supported a Living Wage in Baltimore and for Maryland state contracts.
  
• Martin O’Malley saved the Baltimore City Public School System from the brink of bankruptcy with a $42 million emergency relief package to meet salary commitments to union employees, prevent layoffs and save teacher contracts.
  
• Martin O’Malley fought for the Fair Share Health Care Act to force large corporations to pay their fair share of employee health care costs rather than steering their lower paid employees toward taxpayer-financed Medicaid rolls.
  
• Martin O’Malley worked with union leaders to implement substance abuse treatment, professional development programs, time off for cancer screenings, and a return to work policy for city employees.
  
• Martin O’Malley helped spur new economic growth in Baltimore resulting in $10 billion in investment and new, high paying jobs including the construction and development of the Biotech Park and Convention Center hotel.

Maryland Can Do Better

• Bob Ehrlich placed $3 billion in taxes, tolls and fees on the backs of everyday Maryland families.
  
• Bob Ehrlich vetoed critical bills that would support Maryland’s working families, such as a $1 increase in the minimum wage.
  
• In over 3 years as Bob Ehrlich has done little or nothing to reduce the cost of health care in Maryland.
  
• In the past four years, the cost of higher education has risen over 40% statewide, straining middle-class Maryland families and pricing many children out of a college degree.
  
• Bob Ehrlich supports flawed international trade agreements which will outsource jobs and provide unfair competition for Maryland’s working families.
  
• Bob Ehrlich has repeatedly sided with big business over the average Marylander and works hand-in-hand with President Bush to advance a partisan political agenda.

Bob Ehrlich and Working Families – No Goals. Failed Leadership.
A Stronger Maryland Can Do Better.

Martin O'Malley and Anthony Brown –
Leadership That Works