Reckless O’Malley Approves Major Pay Raises

[Guest Maryland Republican Party]

Over the weekend, The Washington Times reported that Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley gave over $600,000 in pay raises to 47 of his top aides at a time when government officials are considering postponing raises for state employees to close a budget shortfall. The Times reports that the pay raises that O’Malley handed out range between $2,167 and $33,265, or between 2.3% and 37.5% of the employee’s salary.

 

Martin O’Malley has a pattern of providing major pay raises, even to himself, during budget shortfalls. The Washington Times reports that in 2000, when he was mayor of Baltimore, O’Malley took a raise in salary from $95,000 to $125,000 that the preceding mayor declined due to the city’s financial woes. He also increased the salary scale for his top aides from a maximum of $108,700 to $140,000. All of this was done while Baltimore City faced a $158 million shortfall.

 

After Martin O’Malley was elected governor in 2006, he gave Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia Jessamy, a frequent critic while he was mayor, an $85,000 raise, an astronomical jump from the $10,000 pay raise Jessamy asked for. Patricia Jessamy requested a pay raise from $140,000 to $150,000, and Martin O’Malley, who was looking for allies while transitioning to Annapolis, instead offered her a raise from $140,000 to $225,000.

 

Dr. Jim Pelura, Chairman of the Maryland Republican Party, released the following statement:

 

“This is more of the same with Martin O’Malley. He treats Marylanders as his personal ATM machine and does not care about the increased burdens being placed on working families, senior citizens, and small businesses.

 

“Martin O’Malley and the Democrats pushed through the largest tax increase in Maryland history, are now anticipating a budget shortfall due to lower tax revenue, and have discussed postponing raises for state employees. Yet O’Malley is up to his old tricks, rewarding his political cronies with major pay raises while Marylanders are asked to take the financial hit. This is wrong, and Governor O’Malley should immediately revoke these pay raises.

 

“O’Malley and his top aides, who are clearly out of touch with the struggles of working families, seniors, and small businesses, should be expected to get by with less, just like everybody else. Maybe then they will think twice about recklessly raising taxes and growing government when the economy cannot take it.”