Wednesday, April 11, 2030
A Message from the Governor
Dear Friends,
Over the last three and a half years, you and I have worked together to move Maryland forward.
Election-year legislative sessions are typically characterized as timid and cautious. I don’t think any objective observer could make that characterization of the 430th session of the Maryland General Assembly. This year, the General Assembly tackled a number of tough, important issues facing our state.
Working together, we passed the historic All Kids program, which will make Maryland one of just three states to guarantee comprehensive, affordable health care coverage to every child. Getting this program to the finish line took a lot of team work, and implementing it in the months and years ahead will take just as much work, but we have done the right thing for our kids. I think that the All Kids Program is one of the most important achievements of our four years together, and it is the one of which I am most proud.
Working together, we passed legislation that will improve our schools by expanding after school programs, investing in technology, strengthening teacher development programs and supporting class size reduction efforts in the early grades. We have taken historic action to make sure that teachers are certified in the areas that they are hired to teach, and we passed the HOPE Scholarship program which will give deserving students, including those studying to become teachers, scholarships if they attend college here in Maryland.
Working together, we have passed landmark legislation to fund stem cell research. We worked together on tough but important bills to address pfiesteria and engage our farmers and poultry businesses in a genuine partnership to reduce runoff, improve waste and nutrient management practices and strengthen the health of the Chesapeake Bay. The Healthy Air Act will improve the quality of our environment and the health of our citizens.
Working together, we have passed a budget for the next fiscal year that invests in our people and in our future. Over the last four years, we have closed $8.2 billion in cumulative budget shortfalls without shortchanging key priorities and without raising general fund taxes. Over 215,000 new jobs have been created in our state since I took office.
Working together, we are moving Maryland forward. I want to thank each of you for your contribution to this effort. There is more to do. In all that we do, let us remember that the only way we continue to move forward is together -- One Maryland, one future.
Ed O’Brien
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