I love this ad. Its funny and captures my reaction perfectly when I saw Ehrlich on TV saying that "fees aren't taxes." Who's he kidding?

Sorry Bob, I went to college and I know the difference between "fees" and taxes." Stop pretending to be a small government conservative - when you aren't.

I want honesty, not lies.

This is typical Martin O'Malley. When you pass the biggest tax hike in history, you don't want people to know your record. Martin O'Malley increased the sales tax, income tax, and corporate income tax. He will so so again next year if he is re-elected. Those are the facts.

When did calling out the truth become a negative attack?

Ehrlich is trying to fool Maryland voters into putting him back into office and if the media doesn't want to call him out, I'm happy someone else is.

Bob Ehrlich just isn't telling the truth when he says he didn't raise taxes. The ad is completely factual. It's telling that the Ehrlich campaign did not dispute the content of the ad.

You know what I hate. The blatant fear-mongering that Ehrlich supporters want to do when they have not said what they will do.

Remember the Ehrlich ad talked about "honesty" but his math doesn't make sense. How do you cut taxes, raise spending and balance the budget?

Haha, speaking about "credibility," exactly what credibility does Martin O'Malley have to lecture ANYONE on fees and taxes when he passed the largest tax hike in Maryland history?

20% Sales Tax hike
20% Computer Service Sales Tax (he later was pummeled into repealing it)
20% Car Titling Tax
Doubling of Tobacco Tax
18% increase to Corporate Income Tax
20% Tip-Jar tax
120% Motor Vehicle Registration Fee Hike
$1.50 monthly EZ Pass "user fees"
2% Nursing Home Tax
Near-Doubling of Tolls for trucking
Increased (nearly double) Court Filing Fees
Increased for MAIF mandatory minimums

And that's not even all of them!

just curious how you can create more jobs when the current state employees haven't received a pay increase in a couple years and continue to be subject to furloughs and pay reductions?

MOM also created the energy tax and the cell phone tax while mayor of Baltimore-further burdening the overtaxed citizens of Baltimore.

@Former Dem

It's like the pot calling the kettle black!

Bob Ehrlich raised taxes and fees by $3 billion. Property taxes, small business taxes, car taxes, flush tax, and the list goes on and on and on.

Martin O'Malley raised revenue, but he also gave a tax cut to working Maryland families. O'Malley has a pragmatic approach to the budget where he raised revenue, and cut spending.

Stop trying to change the subject Republicans.

This is about Ehrlich trying to LIE to Maryland voters and say that he didn't raises taxes and fees WHICH HE DID. Now he's going around and say that he's going to cut taxes and increase spending. Hogwash.

Tell me once instance when O'Malley has so clearly falsified his record.

Oh I hope you state employees keep complaining about your lack of pay increases and furlough days when Ehrlich gives you a pink slip.

O'Malley is trying to preserve and create jobs, and that's what we've seen for last few months. We are having positive job growth and doing better than most states in the country.

Ehrlich stop lying. Stop trying to run away from your record. Stop making promises you can't keep. Stop pretending to be a moderate, conservative and a liberal at the same time.

I didn't vote for you in 2002 or 2006, and won't be voting for you in 2010.

Oh, can you please stop running for office too?

Give me a break!!!

This is a typical deflection campaign by O'Malley. We've seen it a thousand times. Instead of defending his own record, O'Malley starts pointing the finger at Ehrlich.

It's what scared candidates do.

I would expect nothing less than mudslinging from Martin.
Come November, good riddance.

How is this an attack ad? I would've said tha same thing!

Ehrlich will do anything to win. Do you remember him busing in homeless people in 2006 to pass out false ballots?

If you want to go back, vote for Ehrlich.

@Sessmy - Raised Revenue - Is that what the MOM campaign is calling their TAX INCREASE.

Tax cut to the working families? Do you really believe these talking points?

Cut Spending? He had too after he raised the Budget so high his tax increases couldn't meet his Budget.

TAX+SPEND = MARTIN O'MALLEY

@Anonymous - are you writing this from the state-owned desk you're still at, because you're job has been protected by furloughs in lieu of layoffs? How about getting back to work and saving the rest of us the pain of wasting our tax dollars on state employees that read blogs all day.

Julie, how can you say this is O'Malley first attach ad? Do you not remember the ads he ran during the March to May time period stating that Ehrlich was a lobbist and was responsible for the Gulf Oil because of his present job. It they are not attack ads I do not know what is. Also O'Malley should have learned from the first set of attack ads that his polling numbers went down so that is why he switched to look at what I have done for you type ads. Reporters should not have short memory.

Also there is a big difference between a fee and a tax. According to Websters a
a sum of money demanded by a government for its support or for specific facilities or services, levied upon incomes, property, sales, etc. A tax is also a burdensome charge, obligation, duty, or demand.

A fee is a charge or payment fo services;
or a sum paid or charged for a privilege;
a charge allowed by law for the service to the public.

The big difference is that a fee is normally voluntqry but a tax is mandatory.

*** From JULIE: You're referring to radio spots. This blog entry is about TV ads.

Hey James, it was Erlich that doubled the Car Title registration "fee"(120 %) because he could say he didn't raise a taxes.

I hope all the voters remember OMalley promising that BGE rates will not go up on my watch. What a blatant lie. how many senior citizens are now trying to decide what to do stay warm or take their medications. He has hurt the most vunerable people. vote him out.

These Ehrlich apologists are baffling. Ehrlich lied about raising taxes before and he's doing it again. This ad is about Bob Ehrlich's record of raising taxes and fees by $3 BILLION! Get it? That's billion with a B! To make things worse, he raised them on our homes and our cars!

This is about honesty. O'Malley stands by his record while Bob Ehrlich is running away like a cheetah.

Maybe if Bob Ehrlich wanted to really talk about policy he wouldn't be making campaign promises to every group around the state.

TAX+SPEND = Bob Ehrlich

James , my apologies, I meant the Registration fee. Refernece the following Sun story from 2004.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/bal-md.transportation09apr09,0,4399376.story

LOL...Is Owemally REALLY trying to make this debate about taxes??? Seriously this guy gives us the LARGEST tax increase EVER in the state of MD and he is trying to pin Ehrlich as a the guy doing the taxing?? And by the way there IS a difference in a fee and tax! Horrible add and again Owemally is sinking fast!

The O'Malley Plan:

* Raise the general sales tax rate from 5% to 6%.
* Raise the gas tax each year by the amount of inflation.
* Raise the corporate income tax rate from 7% to 8%.
* Approve video lottery terminals that resemble slot machines at various state locations, intending to bring in $500 million annually.
* Raise the cigarette tax rate from $1 to $2.
* Lower the state-level tax on owner-occupied homes from 0.11% to 0.08%. (This is unrelated to local property taxes, which are generally between 10 and 30 times higher, and which constitute the bulk of homeowners' property tax.)
* Raise and lower the tax on wages. At the very low end of the income range, on most income below $15,000 for singles and $22,500 for couples, he would lower the rate from 4.75% to 4.0%. For a vast stretch of income above that, he would keep the current rate: singles would continue to pay the 4.75% rate on income between $15,000 and $150,000. Couples would continue to pay the current 4.75% rate on income between $22,500 and $200,000. Above those income levels, new higher rates would apply, either 6% or 6.5%.
On net, the tax hikes at the top end will far outweigh the cuts at the low end.

Try re-reading that last sentence.

Wow, a lot of the O'Malley paid supporters are on this site today. How can anyone say that O'Malley stands on his record or that he is honest. He cooked the police crime records, we still don't know where the $65 million in Baltimore City education money that was overspent went; and how about I will lower you BG&E bill when I become governor; or I will not raise taxes in the first year of office when I become governor. All lies!

I'm confused... I thought O'Malley's first ad was a negative attack ad, so how can this new one be a "shift in strategy?"

Secondly, "Rick Abbruzzese, O'Malley's campaign spokesman, said the ad targets Ehrlich for his 'refusal to take responsibility for his record as governor. ... We think the best predictor or [sic] what someone will do in the future is what he has done in the past.'"

I couldn't agree more, but I KNOW O'Malley raised taxes AND fees just as the worst financial crisis was hitting (economists were predicting the crisis well before the special session, so O'Malley can't plead ignorance).

O'Malley told us that the "rich" would pay the bulk of the taxes, but now over a third of the Maryland millionaires have left the state (or gone broke).

And O'Malley promised that the special session and these new taxes would permanently solve the State's fiscal problems, but we received bailout money from Washington once, and O'Malley is begging for more (how embarrassing).

The best predictor of what someone will do in the future is what he has done in the past! Stay away from Martin O'Malley!

*** From JULIE: It's a shift in television ad strategy. This entry is about TV ads.

They don't call him OWE'Malley for nothing! I don't see a lot of positive improvements made by this administration in the last 4 years - nor do I think Maryland is better off. O'Malley clearly subscribes to the Liberal tactics of deflect the issues and blame the Republicans - substituting President Bush with Governor Ehrlich. It's getting a little old. How about rolling up your shirtsleeves and focusing on how to create more jobs in Maryland instead of advancing your own career? He's treating the Governor's office the same way he treated the Mayor's...just another notch in his belt. My guess is he's already written his Senatorial acceptance speech and is counting the days for Mikulski to retire. Hopefully there is enough voters remorse from 2006 to throw a wrench in his plans.

YOU ARE SOOO RIGHT JOE. HE MADE BGE THE BIG FOCUS JUST BEFORE ELECTIONS. AFTER HE WON, YOU HEARD NOTHING MORE ABOUT IT.

O'Malley is a serial tax increaser. Aside from the above, he increased the Baltimore local tax by 20%, doubled the real estate transfer tax and the recordation fees. Promises? here was the promixe to roll back the 79% increase in BGE rates and the promise to not raise college tuition. Actually, NEITHER of they guys proved competent as governor, and neither should be given another chance.

Its funny when you watch the various Governor races taking place around other states and how many of these people are willing to stand up to the Feds in defending their States while O'Malley only shows up with his hand out. His only leverage as not to raise some of the various taxes associated with a person's vehicle is to go after the tobacco users, this has been great for the many bars and restaurants around Maryland, get the real numbers on these stats and you'll see why many people are not spending their discretionary monies throughout the local economy. The same thing is happening with the cells phones and the much forgotten about attempt to go after the internet users.

It is not that surprising to see another attack ad from O'Malley. Since 2006 O'Malley has led Maryland into enormous debt. That wouldn't sound good in an ad.

Since O'Malley has become governor many businesses have had to close. Taxes are too high. Most of my friends have lost their job too.

I'm tired of the dirty politics. O'Malley has been a disaster for Maryland. I am a Democrat and am supporting Bob Ehrlich.

This is not an attack ad because very clearly it just making fun of what Ehrlich said. His statement is obviously an attempt to cover up the fact that he raised taxes and fees while Governor.

O'Malley has been honest about raising revenue as well as cutting spending. He thinks making investments in our future - education, environment and economic development - is important. Bob Ehrlich thinks so too because he's promised to increase spending on these items too.

This about being honest, and Ehrlich is not.

@Sophia

You obviously are just regurgitating Ehrlich talking points and half of them are lies.

Maryland balances its budget and borrows money for its capital budget. We are Constitutionally forced to have a 15 year amortization and hence why it seems we have a higher debt load than other states.

Maryland suffered under the Bush recession and that is the reason why businesses closed and why millionaires weren't millionaires any longer.

Maryland's unemployment is lower than most states and we are adding jobs every month.

Ehrlich was a disaster for Maryland. We kicked him out once and we'll say no thanks again.

Bob Ehrlich is too afraid to say how he's going to fund all his programs. He wouldn't want to upset someone by naming the program he would want to cut. Education? Police? Roads?

All you conservatives out there who want lower taxes - tell me what things you want Maryland not to fund anymore. And no, you can't say "waste, fraud and abuse."

I'm voting Democratic and for O'Malley

Forget what Bob Ehrlich says. Read Steve Lebowitz's Daily Kos posting today and learn who the real Bob Ehrlich is. He's a crook and if you vote for him, you're nuts. He has pledged that he won't raise taxes, fees, blah, blah, blah. But he hasn't pledged not to award no-bid contracts to his friends. He hasn't pledged not to allow David Hamilton to sell access to his office in return for campaign contributions. He hasn't pledged to speak the truth about his disdain for the state programs that benefit small and minority owned businesses in Maryland. PLEASE DO NOT VOTE FOR BOB EHRLICH!!!

This ad is exactly what Marylanders need to see. Bob Ehlich is a LIAR.

Sure, O'Malley raised taxes, but he'll tell you he did. Thats the difference here. O'Malley is hones, and Ehrlich is a whiney liar.

Hey Bellefontegirl 47 please justify the state of Maryland paying $21,000 to $25,000 per slots machine when the norm is $13,000 to $21,000 per machine.
Also , why isn't Maryland leasing these instead of buying them. MOM unleashed several new taxes-energy tax and cellphone tax on Baltimore city during his term as mayor. And what did happen to the 65 million dollars missing from Baltimore city education dept. during MOM's reign?
How about during the special session remember this MOM gem-"83 percent of you will see your taxes go down."
Yet another lie from the boy king. I am still waiting for MOM to lower my BGE rates as he promised 4 years ago. $200.00 doesn't cut it.
Something sure does stink and it is not just Ehrlich in Maryland darling. Millionaires left Maryland due to the millionaire's tax, taking their tax revunue with them. This is what happens when you have the 4th highest taxed state in country.

Please note, Ehrlich did not raise the tax on healthcare plans... in fact... he vetoed that tax and the Democrat General Assembly overrode his veto. He called a special session to address medical malpractice reform and when the bill included a tax on healthcare plans, Ehrlich vetoed it and everybody criticized him.

@bellefontegirl -

Citing Steve Lebowitz as credible, FAIR SOURCE? MPT's Political Roundtable has him listed as "democratic blogger". The Daily Kos/ Justthefacts blogs are one sided views – just like Hannity or Maddow.

It is obvious that Mr. Lebowitz is the bag for MOM.

Ur rhetoric is old (same comments for the past months). Ur comments unoriginal.

So I am asking the readers here - PLEASE DO NOT READ ANY MORE COMMENTS FROM YOU.

So effing tired of listening to Republicans talk about reducing the deficit and lowering taxes...when anyone w/ half a brain knows that actually means "for the rich, wink, wink...you know, the only ones we REALLY give a crap about! Sorry poor and middle class folks, you peons can foot the bill"

How can they talk about tea parties and cutting spending in one breath, then propose a $700 Billion tax cut for the richest 3% of the nation. So please someone riddle me this??? How is Obama's healthcare bill which will reduce the deficit by $143B over the next 9 years bad when viewed through the Republican's so called fiscal responsibility glasses, when wasting $700B by throwing it at the rich is sound fiscal policy? Lead paint chips? Sigh, oh well...thank you Governor O'Malley for not pulling your punches...let him have it!

Fees aren't taxes and it's stupid to pretend they are. O'Malley is pandering to the more ignorant in the Maryland electorate with these ads.