It?s been one year since Gov. Martin O?Malley took office. And, as with all newly elected officials, public scrutiny has been magnified during the former Baltimore mayor?s first 12 months in Annapolis, especially when it comes to campaign promises kept and campaign promises ignored. So how is O?Malley doing? Here?s a breakdown of some of the hot topics and how the governor ? at the end of Year 1 ? has performed on them:
» Making government work: O?Malley began StateStat, a program of detailed, frequent accountability measures, rather than current annual review. The program started at the three most troubled agencies ? Public Safety and Corrections, Juvenile Services, and Human Resources. The program is modeled after CitiStat in Baltimore, and the 2006 campaign promised to post the measurements on the Internet. Those postings were just put up on a new Web site Friday ? statestat.maryland.gov.
» Education: Thirty-seven percent of the state budget goes here (22 percent kindergarten to 12th grade; 15 percent for higher education). As promised, O?Malley dramatically increased funding for school construction ($400 million) and made college “more affordable” by freezing college tuition and dedicating part of the corporate income tax to higher education. He increased funding for community colleges by 18 percent and, as mandated, increased teacher pensions.
» Health care: It is 25 percent of the state budget. The work of the special session took care of several promises to “make health care affordable,” to expand health insurance coverage and to give very small businesses incentives to offer health insurance. O?Malley also signed the “Healthy Air Act,” a smoking ban at all Maryland bars and restaurants that will take effect Feb. 1.
» Environment: O?Malley personally testified for and signed the Maryland Clean Cars Act to establish stronger emission standards, but federal environmental officials in December refused to grant a waiver allowing its enforcement. The governor also signed bills for better stormwater management, oyster restoration and creating a green building council. He fulfilled promises to use Program Open Space funds only for open space ? instead of helping balance the budget. Environmentalists are generally happy with O?Malley but still object to his continued support for the Intercounty Connector toll highway and for expansion of nuclear power to generate
electricity.
» Energy: Due to several resignations of Ehrlich appointees, O?Malley was able to replace most of the Public Service Commission, including naming as chairman former insurance commissioner Steven Larsen, a consumer advocate with no background in utility regulation. But the commission found it could not prevent massive rate increases and has drafted a new plan to solve Maryland?s long-term electricity shortage.
» Crime: O?Malley ended parole for child sex offenders by signing Jessica?s Law. He spent $2 million on increased monitoring for released child sex offenders.He sponsored and signed anti-gang legislation watered down by legislators. He reduced the backlog of testing of DNA samples from inmates.
