A non-partisan organization, nearly half of the group’s members are Democrats and Independents.

“This is not about the difference between the right and the left, it is about the difference between right and wrong. It’s not just another fight between Democrats and Republicans, it’s more important than that. This is a fight for Maryland’s economic future and it’s a fight worth fighting,” said Hogan.

Change Maryland has produced numerous economic reports showing the impact of 40 consecutive O’Malley-Brown tax increases, which take an additional $3.1 billion out of the pockets of struggling Maryland families and small businesses each year. The group has highlighted that 6,500 businesses are no longer in the state and 31,000 taxpayers have fled the state who have taken with them $1.7 billion out of our economy.

The group has focused on our inability to compete with the other states in our region. Change Maryland hosted a Business Summit on Improving Maryland’s Economic Competitiveness, which included economists, think tanks and 400 of the top business and political leaders in the state. The group has become a leading advocate for private sector job growth, and they have been vocal opponents of the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s economic policy.

Change Maryland founder Hogan is the President and CEO of the Hogan Companies, leaders in economic development who have brought hundreds of companies and thousands of jobs to Maryland, and have done $2 billion in sales. He left his business for public service as a state cabinet secretary from 2003-2007. In 2010, Hogan was the only serious challenger willing to take on O’Malley, and was considered by many to be the presumed Republican nominee for Governor, until his long-time friend, former Governor Bob Ehrlich, decided to enter the race.

“The O’Malley-Brown Administration has a failed record of lost businesses, lost jobs, higher spending, record tax increases and broken promises,” Hogan said. “After a 30% increase in spending and 40 consecutive O’Malley-Brown tax increases, struggling Maryland families and small businesses simply cannot afford another four years of O’Malley- Brown, tax and spend policies.”

The O’Malley-Brown Administration has enacted the largest tax increases in state history. Yesterday Change Maryland released their latest economic impact report which detailed the 40 consecutive O’Malley-Brown tax increases passed since 2007. The analysis in the Change Maryland study showed that these new taxes will cost a staggering cumulative total of $20 billion by the end of the next four-year term in 2018.

Brown plans to announce his candidacy for governor tomorrow. O’Malley is backing Brown as the heir apparent to the state’s top office. The Lt. Governor has stated his desire to continue the record “investments” in state government – code for continued increases in spending and taxes.

“The prospect of another four years of these policies will have a devastating effect on our state economy – increasing taxpayer exodus, and continuing the loss of businesses and jobs fleeing to other states,” said Hogan.

Over the past two years, Change Maryland and their founder and Chairman, Larry Hogan have been frequent critics of the O’Malley-Brown economic record. Often seen as a leading voice of opposition to O’Malley’s policy, they have increasingly been talking about the Lt. Governor as well, since he expressed his desire to continue his boss’s political legacy.

Change Maryland is the largest and fastest growing non-partisan, grassroots movement in the state, with nearly 40,000 members. Their primary mission is to bring fiscal restraint and common sense to Annapolis. The founder and Chairman, Larry Hogan is also the founder, President and CEO of the Hogan Companies, leaders in economic development, who have been responsible for bringing hundreds of businesses and thousands of jobs to Maryland. Hogan is also a former State Cabinet Secretary.

“Nobody expected the total impact to be this staggering, not even me,” said Change Maryland founder and Chairman Larry Hogan. “Struggling Maryland families and small businesses simply cannot afford another four years of an O’Malley-Brown tax and spend binge.”

Governor Martin O’Malley is backing Lt. Governor Anthony Brown as the heir apparent to the state’s top office upon the expiration of his term in 2015. The Lt. Governor has stated a need to continue record “investments” in state government – code word for increasing taxes.

“The prospect of another four years of these policies will have a devastating effect on the productive components of the economy – increasing tax flight, continuing the small business exodus and large corporate headquarters relocating to other states,” added Hogan.

Since 2007, nearly 31,000 Marylander’s fled to other states, the highest in the region, 6500 small businesses have left or shut down, the second-highest in the region, and just three Fortune 500 companies remain in the state. This is a sharp contrast to 24 large corporate headquarters in Virginia and 23 in Pennsylvania.

The cumulative tax impact from 2007 to 2014 – the eight years of the O’Malley Administration – is $9.5 billion. The dramatic spike of the cumulative tax burden, an over two-fold increase in four years, is due to the phasing in of the gasoline tax and related transportation levies. Additionally, the massive sales, corporate income and sales tax increases from 2007 are recurring revenue generators that, combined with subsequent revenue measures, increase the size and scope of government beyond anything ever witnessed in Maryland history.

“This is not just an argument about big government,” said Hogan. “It’s about a government that is on auto-pilot to grow exponentially, beyond anything any of us have ever seen in our lifetimes and that comes directly at the expense of the private sector economy that we desperately need to diversify our employment base.”

Previously, Change Maryland released a report that updated tax and fee increases following the 2013 session, which brought the total to 37 increases that remove $3.1 billion annually over and above the existing tax burden. These latest reports adds new fees for gun purchases, enacted in 2013, and two newly-discovered measures buried in omnibus legislation and not subject to normal legislative procedures.

Change Maryland is the largest and fastest growing citizens organization in the state, made up of nearly 40,000 people. Its tax reports are derived from official government revenue estimates.

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Cumulative 2007-2014

Cumulative 2007-2018

Change Maryland Chairman Larry Hogan released the following statement today upon Gov. Martin O’Malley’s return from overseas travel in his first public appearance to address the Baltimore prison scandal.

“Martin O’Malley calls the corruption in his administration ‘a very positive development.’ This Governor is completely out of touch and his phony positive spin on this disgraceful failure of leadership is completely unacceptable.”

Hogan, a former Appointments Secretary under Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, previously called on the State’s corrections department secretary to step down.

“Unlike this Governor, the previous Governor said to government officials, ‘don’t screw it up.’ “Well. Secretary Maynard screwed up. He needs to go,” Hogan said.

As Appointments Secretary, Hogan was responsible for placing cabinet secretaries and other senior government officials in key positions in state departments and agencies.

Hogan, a former Appointments Secretary under Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, previously called on the State’s corrections department secretary to step down.

“Unlike this Governor, the previous Governor said to government officials, ‘don’t screw it up.’ “Well. Secretary Maynard screwed up. He needs to go,” Hogan said.

As Appointments Secretary, Hogan was responsible for placing cabinet secretaries and other senior government officials in key positions in state departments and agencies.

The indictment details systemic failures in a state run Baltimore jail in which there was no oversight, gross mismanagement and failure of leadership. A gang called Black Guerilla Family (BGF) and one of it’s leaders in the Baltimore facility, were allegedly given control of the facility.

“Martin O’Malley is not running state government. He was smiling in Israel yesterday musing about running for President while his employees were being charged by the U.S. Attorney,” said Hogan. “It is unacceptable for the Governor to go missing in action while inmates are apparently free to threaten the public’s safety from behind bars.”

According to U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein, “Correctional officers were in bed with BGF inmates, in violation of the first principle of prison management. Preventing prison corruption requires intensive screening at prison entrances and punishment for employees who consort with inmates or bring cell phones and drugs into correctional facilities.”

Thirteen corrections officers essentially handed over control of a Baltimore jail to gang leaders, prosecutors said. The officers were charged Tuesday in a federal racketeering indictment.

Hogan, the Appointments Secretary for the previous administration, who had authority and responsibility for hiring and firing all Cabinet Secretaries, called on the Governor to immediately dismiss his Corrections Secretary. “This is a complete lack of oversight, unacceptable mismanagement of the department, an absolute failure of leadership and a gross dereliction of duty,” Hogan said. Secretary Hogan also strongly agreed with Senate President Miller on the need for a sweeping inquiry into the entire prison system that would include active participation from the General Assembly.

“Nobody should find it acceptable for inmates to be running the state prisons, and this is something the Governor and his administration have to immediately address and be held accountable for,” said Hogan. “We have a governor who wants to run the country when he’s not even in charge of the prisons in his own state. In Maryland the inmates are literally running the show.”

Change Maryland is the largest and fastest growing grass roots, citizen organization in the state with more than 37,000 members. Their primary objectives is to hold State leaders accountable and to promote responsibility and common sense in Annapolis.

By STEPHEN MOORE

No politician in America is off to a hotter start in 2013 than
Maryland’s Democratic governor, Martin O’Malley.

In recent days, he won support for his 33rd and 34th tax increase when
the legislature approved his $3 billion funding plan for roads and
transit. The higher fuel taxes and other fees mean that since Mr.
O’Malley took office in 2007, Maryland state government costs
residents an extra $3.1 billion each year.

“No previous Maryland governor even comes close to Martin O’Malley in
terms of the size and the number of tax increases,” Jim Pettit, a
spokesman for Change MD, an anti-tax group, tells me. But this is
Maryland, which in the last several years has taken a sharp turn to
the left politically, so those tax hikes may be no liability at all.

Mr. O’Malley is thought of as a potential presidential or vice
presidential nominee in 2016, and there is little doubt his policies
in Annapolis are helping burnish the liberal credentials he will need
in a party that sees fiscal moderation as a cardinal sin.

But even on social issues, Mr. O’Malley is scoring wins. Maryland
Democrats this week passed a tough gun-control law that should help
Mr. O’Malley with the MSNBC crowd. And in mid-March, the legislature
approved the O’Malley death penalty repeal bill—another victory for
the governor.

In November, he played a lead role in getting voters to approve gay
marriage—a surprise victory for the left. It’s more evidence that he
pushes all the right liberal buttons, though some on the left may be
troubled by his tough-on-crime policies when he was mayor of
Baltimore.

Mr. O’Malley is done as governor when this second term ends next year,
and he has moved the Free State huge leaps to the left, especially in
the last 12 months. That’s exactly what liberals want the next
president to do and why they are giving Mr. O’Malley a very close
look.