As Bob Ehrlich circles the state making empty promises to business owners and shooting "man on the street" videos with GOP ringers not disclosing their ties to his campaign, the truth is never far behind....
Bob Ehrlich can't hide from his own dismal business record
When he was governor, a constant flow of businesses shed jobs, failed, left Maryland, or chose to locate in other states. Lately he can't finish a sentence without blaming others for the spike in unemployment tax stinging Maryland businesses, but that spike was caused by a law Mr. Ehrlich enacted in 2005 (which Gov. O'Malley mitigated last session, bringing together business and labor while winning praise from Maryland Business for Responsive Government).
Bob Ehrlich's record contradicts his anti-tax rhetoric
Two months after he was sworn in, Bob Ehrlich raised property taxes 57 percent through the Board of Public Works (not the Democratic legislature). The next year he raised taxes $2 billion, according to the otherwise GOP-friendly Maryland Taxpayers Association. In 2006 he proposed the largest annual spending increase in Maryland history, which the Democratic legislature had to scale back. By the end of his term, Mr. Ehrlich had raised taxes by $3 billion, according to the nonpartisan Department of Legislative Services (see table on page 32).
(NOTE: One small HMO tax was enacted over Mr. Ehrlich's veto. The rest of the $3 billion in tax increases, including the 57 percent property tax hike and two personal income tax increases, were enacted by then-Gov. Bob Ehrlich.)
Worst of all,
Bob Ehrlich showed he is an enemy of fair and honest business every time he took a contract or concession away from a legitimate competitor to reward a crony, political supporter, or client of his operator in chief, David Hamilton.
Bob Ehrlich's record: Bad for business, bad for ethics, bad for Maryland.
- Steve Lebowitz, Annapolis
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