Gov. Robert Ehrlich and Balimore Mayor Martin O?Malley tangled over electricity rates and the Public Service Commission at a debate before a crowd of senior citizens in Timonium Thursday. They coincidentally revived arguments from the spring about that smoldering political issue on the same day Maryland?s highest count made a ruling that bolstered Ehrlich?s position.
O?Malley said the governor and the PSC members he appointed failed to act and hold hearings as theyshould have to hold down BGE rates. “The governor should have stepped up and done something,” O?Malley said.
Ehrlich said he and legislative leaders had negotiated the best deal possible with Constellation Energy officials, a settlement that passed the House by a large margin, but failed to get through the Senate.
O?Malley said the PSC acted more like “utility profit commission,” protecting corporate interests. In retaliation, the General Assembly?s special session in June passed legislation, despite the governor?s veto, that fired the PSC members. The Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that this part of the legislation was unconstitutional.
Ehrlich and O?Malley both talked about initiatives on long-term care, drug coverage and other ways to keep seniors living at home. O?Malley said the governor needed to be more aggressive in getting waivers for federal Medicaid rules to help with these health issues, even after Ehrlich listed a series of important waivers they had obtained on use of federal funds.
After John Miller of Timonium had asked the candidates to “put away the attack cards,” Ehrlich responded, “Elections are about contrasts? We don?t agree on anything,” and “have profound philosophical differences.”
O?Malley listed a series of goals Ehrlich said he could agree with, the governor said, “This is about different approaches? It?s about how you get there.” The mayor stressed that he believes government works and said his performance in Baltimore proved that.
Miller said he was “not entirely” satisfied with how the candidates responded to his request to lay off the negative.
