“In light of these recent poll numbers, we wanted to cheer you up and let you know you?re at the top of our list everyday,” said the cheeky card that came attached. 

The flowers were sent to O?Malley in care of his press office, which declined delivery, and sent them on to the Senate Republican caucus, which in turn, delivered them to the State House press room. We, newsies, were delighted with the amusing gift, which might have been mere Internet rumor had we not seen them ourselves. To see the flowers, visit examiner.com.

O?Malley was clearly not delighted with his numbers and annoyed he had to answer questions on several occasions about three different polls this month showing approval ratings in the 30s.

He and fellow Democrats expected to take a hit from voters over the tax increases in the special session, but the depth of the hole he must climb out of must has been disheartening.

Not a rosy picture

Clearly everything is not coming up roses this month for the governor as he begins the push for his proposed budget and slimmer legislative agenda. Comptroller Peter Franchot tried to launch a new tradition Friday, delivering his first State of the Treasury speech to businesspeople in Bethesda. It had a more downbeat tone than what we expect to hear from the governor in his State of the State speech to the legislature Wednesday.

Franchot fretted that the state and local economies were “on very shaky ground” and “that things are likely to get much worse before they get better.”

“The sweeping changes to Maryland?s tax laws … have only added to this climate of unpredictability,” the comptroller said. For the first time, he also advocated outright repeal of the new computer services tax his office must start collecting in July. “The last thing we need is another tax increase, especially one that will undermine our knowledge-based economy and damage our long-term economic success.”

Predictably, he continued to rail against the slots referendum in November. O?Malley is banking on that money to finance future spending.

Franchot, a tax-and-spend liberal Democrat as a legislator, now has transformed himself into an anti-tax crusader and friend of business.

If Franchot is correct on the economy and successful in defeating slots, the governor may be faced at the end of the year with declining revenues from a sour economy and the loss of future revenues from increased gambling. Large structural deficits will loom again ? a small gap still exists, fiscal analysts say ? and the legislature will have no stomach for more tax hikes. Doomsaying will turn into doomsday budgets.

Franchot did not play a constructive role in articulating alternative solutions prior to the special session, other than recommending further delay and a blue-ribbon study. On the other hand, he wasn?t asked for his advice, either.

Crunching the numbers

Lawmakers begin serious work this week on the O?Malley budget, which they may only cut. They?ll certainly want to know why after telling the governor to drop 500 positions ? which he did ? he?s now back asking for 898new positions, not just the 282 mentioned in his budget announcement.

Some of these jobs are in agencies over which the governor has no direct control ? 157 for the judiciary and 153 for higher education ? and half of the rest are in the two most understaffed and troubled departments ? 209 in public safety and corrections and 75 in juvenile services.

Yet those agencies already have almost 600 vacancies for hard-to-fill prison jobs.

Transportation gets another 210 positions, probably related to the increased funding from the special session.

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