Holly Hills’ General Manager J.P. Lunn (at right) listened to former Gov. Bob Ehrlich’s plans to recharge Maryland’s business climate at a Frederick Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Ijamsville.
Addressing members of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce at Holly Hills Country Club in Ijamsville, Ehrlich said there is a simple solution to the problems encompassing today’s business owners, one as easy as a change in attitude.
Calling out the current administration for acting as a sheriff to local business owners, Ehrlich said, if elected, he would lower the 6 percent sales tax rate and work to take points off the unemployment rate, which stands at 7.1 percent.
“There are too many small business owners in Maryland being hammered,” he said about the stagnant state of business across Maryland.
He also wants to boost local mass transit, pledging to restore $60,000 to counties in the state to use for the likes of Metro, MARC Train, and other local transportation projects and maintenance.
“This is a very serious time in our state’s history, in our country’s history,” he said.
Ehrlich urged those in attendance to focus on the seriousness of this year’s election season and those candidates wanting to solve the gravity of the transportation problems once in Annapolis. Many local candidates support additional bus lanes and express toll lanes to get traffic flowing more freely on roadways.
“I-270 is a huge issue from Frederick all the way down 270. [Easing gridlock] will help Frederick and Montgomery Counties as well.”
Ehrlich encouraged the creation of more charter schools in the state; currently, there are 44 charter schools in Maryland, serving more than 12,300 students in six counties. “Giving kids an opportunity to succeed in life is the essence of America,” he said.
Because of their residency at charter schools, he believes alternatives to traditional education help poorer kids by giving them the chance to flourish outside their neighborhoods.
Critical of health care reform legislation, Ehrlich said it can’t work if a patient’s age is taken into account before treatment plans are decided upon.
Dismayed over the state’s lack of slots, he lamented the loss of billions of dollars in tax revenues and the near loss of Preakness. “We look silly and negligent,” he said.
The absence of slot machines in Maryland, according to the former governor, has been West Virginia’s gain.
“In fact, I’m going there tonight to campaign, because I want to meet Marylanders,” he joked.