Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich took time Wednesday morning to tout his administration?s record on small business at the start of what has already been a contentious election year.
The governor was on hand to honor the Maryland recipients of the U.S. Small Business Association?s 2006 Small Business Week Awards.
“In the past, Maryland didn?t have enough bona fides for a governor to go into a board room and close a deal,” Ehrlich said.
He said his administration had established a solid infrastructure to make Maryland competitive at home and abroad for business. He called his hand-picked cabinet secretaries and business regulators “dangerous” for their experience in the private sector, and scoffed at the legislature?s failed attempt this session to eliminate his power to appoint cabinet positions.
“It?s not perfect,” Ehrlich said. “I should not have to worry about killing $7.5 million in tax cuts or fighting vetoes ? or all this other silly stuff. We will make changes, I promiseyou that, come November.”
Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan, also a candidate for governor in September?s Democratic primary, said Ehrlich has failed to make Maryland a better place for business.
“Bob Ehrlich?s small-business agenda has consisted of slots, slots, slots,” said Duncan?s press secretary Jody Couser. “By placing slots as his No. 1 priority, Maryland has lost four years of opportunity to create good jobs and grow our economy.”
Mayor Martin O?Malley?s campaign spokesman Rick Abbruzzese, “I am not sure about hard-working business owners because of Ehrlich?s inability to get things done, small-business owners are facing record energy costs, record taxes and fees and sky-rocketing health care costs.”
