O’Malley Repeats Budget Cuts Fiction

Speaking to reporters yesterday Governor O’Malley repeated the lie that he has cut the state budget.

O’Malley told the Annapolis press corps, “Ever since this recession hit we’ve been relying almost exclusively, with some exceptions, but almost exclusively on the cuts. That’s why we’ve racked up $6.8 billion in cuts.”

Except that under O’Malley the state budget has ballooned.

Here’s how much O’Malley spent in his five budgets since he took office in 2007.

2008: 29.4 billion

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2009: 30.7 billion

2010: 32.2 billion

2011. 32.0 billion

2012: 34.2 billion

That’s a 16.3 percent increase between fiscal years 2008 and 2012. Furthermore, O’Malley increased general fund spending from $13.2 billion in 2011 to to $14.6 billion in 2012 an increase of 11 percent—one of the largest in the nation.

Did any reporter in the room bother to correct the governor on his patently untrue claim?

O’Malley talks about a “balanced approach” ostensibly meaning cuts and tax increases. However, his record has been heavy on the taxes (and fees) and no cuts.

It’s time the state house reporters call him out.



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