Unemployment Doubles Under O'Malley

Unemployment Doubles Under O'Malley

For Immediate Release

July 22, 2013

Contact: Steve Crim

(410) 353-3116

(410) 266-5100

 

Governor Martin O'Malley issued another self congratulatory and blatantly false statement n a press released issued Friday saying: "As a state we've now recovered more than 99% of the jobs lost in the national economic downturn - a significant step forward in our job creation and recovery effort." 

As he travels around  the country, he continually touts his success at job growth and "driving down unemployment."There's just one problem, it's just not true. The irrefutable facts show the actual situation to be completely the opposite of his false claims.

When Martin O'Malley became Governor in January 2007 the unemployment rate was 3.6%, on the very day of O'Malley's latest outrageous claim, unemployment rose to 7%. So rather than driving unemployment down, as he claims, unemployment has, in fact, nearly doubled under the O'Malley Administration.

When O'Malley took the reins of state government in January 2007 there were 108,096 people unemployed in Maryland, today after nearly seven years of his leadership, there are now 218,741 people unemployed. That is an increase of 110,645 additional people unemployed and represents an increase in unemployment of more than 100%.

"This is a tragedy, these aren't just terrible numbers, these are real people, fathers and mothers struggling to make ends meet, to keep a roof over their head, put clothes on their kids back and food on the table," said Change Maryland Chairman Larry Hogan. 

Hogan, a successful businessman, who has brought hundreds of companies and thousands of jobs to Maryland said, "Sometimes politicians think that if they repeat something enough times people will eventually believe it. Governor O'Malley is pretty good at weaving magical tales with no basis in reality. But, no amount false spin can change the cold hard fact that no other Governor in Maryland history has ever lost as many jobs as Martin O'Malley has."

Change Maryland hosted an Summit on Improving Maryland's Economic Competitiveness looking for solutions to the State's serious economic problems, and has produced numerous economic studies and reports showing that the 40 consecutive O'Malley tax hikes have caused us to lose more than 6,500 businesses including 10 of our 13 Fortune 500 companies, and have caused a mass exodus of taxpayers fleeing the state in record numbers.

"The time for results is long overdue. There are no more excuses left for the O'Malley Administration? After nearly seven years of failed economic policy, there is no one to blame but themselves. We need Democrats, Republicans and Independents to put aside partisanship and work together on the shared goal of increasing employment is Maryland. The need for a real change in direction for Maryland has never been more clear," said Hogan, a former State Cabinet Secretary.

Change Maryland is the largest independent citizen activist group in Maryland, and advocates for pro-jobs policy in the state. The movement is made up of of more than 50,000 people from every jurisdiction in the state, and was founded by Hogan, who is also a Director of the Maryland Public Policy Institute, a respected economic think tank and policy group.