School of politics

Democratic candidate says higher education among top priorities

By Owen Praskievicz

Last Monday, Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley squeezed into a tiny wooden desk in the basement of Tawes Theater.

Grinning, he said it was the first time he remembered sitting in a classroom since his days at the University of Maryland School of Law 18 years ago. It was only fitting that the man vying to be the state’s next governor got to relive a taste of what may be a deciding factor in the November election – higher education.

With only five weeks remaining before O’Malley faces off against Gov. Robert Ehrlich at the polls, higher education has emerged as a key issue at campaign stops throughout the state, not so much because of a public outcry for change, but because O’Malley’s campaign has brought attention to an issue that would be largely ignored by Ehrlich, said an O’Malley spokesman.

O’Malley himself describes his approach to higher education as a “difference in philosophy” from Ehrlich, who has staunchly defended deep cuts to public universities as an unfortunate but necessary casualty in the face of massive state deficits.

To hear O’Malley tell it, however, college tuition should have been a priority, not a casualty, and his 10-point plan he said he would implement if elected, the mayor pegs making college affordable at No. 4.

As one of the first actions of O’Malley’s campaigns this year, he and running mate Del. Anthony Brown stood on the steps of an on-campus building surrounded by students and called for Ehrlich and the state legislature to pass a freeze on tuition.

Critics said it was a short-term fix, but in an interview, O’Malley said it was more than that. Responding to questions over where he would find money to avoid future budget cuts, he said, “There’s this thing called the 27/28 billion dollar budget … [Ehrlich] could have made different decisions. There were other choices.”

Former Student President of the University System of Maryland Nick Arag�n also said Ehrlich had other options. If the governor managed to support a tuition freeze this year, he could have found ways to do it in the past.

“As a system, the ripple effect is there. All schools are hurting,” Aragon said. “I can almost guarantee that [O’Malley] will restore a lot of funding.”

O’Malley said Ehrlich’s current tuition freeze was a political maneuver done to boost his chances at the polls and that he has tried to shift the blame of cuts to the deficit of a previous administration.

“A governor has a lot of responsibility in a small state like ours,” O’Malley said. ”[Ehrlich] tries to take as little responsibility as possible.”

In a separate interview, Ehrlich defended his cuts as unavoidable in his mission to balance the state’s budget and pointed to his continued support for historically black colleges and universities in the state as proof of his commitment to education.

But as much as O’Malley takes digs at Ehrlich’s record, he too has received his fair share of criticism. His opponents have often said he was unable to fix a troubled Baltimore public school system, which carries some of the lowest graduation rates in the nation.

O’Malley bristles at the suggestion he has not made progress in Baltimore, however, noting that when he was elected in 1999, he took over the top leadership post in a city with some of the worst crime in America and said that under his watch, violent crime rate decreased by 40 percent.

He cited his initiation of all-day kindergarten classes and improved test scores across the board as a step in the right direction.

“Think about Ehrlich for mayor,” O’Malley suggested, in defense of his record in Baltimore.

If O’Malley’s not criticizing the governor, he often sticks to the polished words he’s used in countless speeches and interviews. But beyond the rehearsed words, the Maryland native carries the brashness of a young politician determined to win.

One reason for O’Malley’s confidence could be his sizable lead in recent polls. Several statewide surveys, including a Sept. 24 (Baltimore) Sun poll, showed O’Malley with a six-point advantage. The race has gotten some national attention as well, which could bode well for O’Malley, who has expressed some bigger political aspirations, including being president.

But for now, O’Malley remains focused on this state. “Maryland has always played a role that is a lot bigger and a lot more important than our size would make us out to be,” he said. “We’ve always been a state that leads – we’re people that tend to shine.”

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