Len Lazarick, The Examiner
2008-05-08 07:00:00.0
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BALTIMORE -

Gov. Martin O’Malley said in a radio appearance Wednesday a 30 percent decline in Baltimore’s murder rate this year was “in part due to a better partnership with the state,” though he gave the bulk of the credit to Mayor Sheila Dixon, citizens and police.

Responding to a listener’s question on WOLB’s “Larry Young Morning Show” about how he had helped Baltimore since becoming governor, O’Malley also pointed to the $93 million in school construction aid given to the city, compared to $19 million in the first two years former Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich.

It was one of several shots at “his predecessor” O’Malley took in two radio call-in shows Wednesday, criticizing Ehrlich for not curing the structural deficit and short-changing roads and schools. Asked if Erhlich was planning on running against him again, O’Malley said, “I don’t know.”

“I don’t think about 2010 too much,” O’Malley said, responding to a similar question about the plans of Comptroller Peter Franchot. Franchot has repeatedly stated he expects to support O’Malley’s re-election.

On Washington’s WTOP, O’Malley also said it was “not unreasonable” to give dish detergent makers six more months to remove phosphorus from their products, as a bill awaiting his signature would do.

On WTOP, O’Malley also responded to a front-page Washington Post story Tuesday that said his office had pressured state police to reissue the inspection license of a Prince George’s County service station revoked because police believed the station was falsely issuing many more stickers than the inspections it could do. O’Malley’s help was requested by Sen. Nathaniel Exum, a Prince George’s Democrat who held up the confirmation of State Police Secretary Terrence Sheridan until the license was reissued.

“We did ask [Sheridan] to take a look at it, and we did in fact ask him to take a second look at it” when the facts were in dispute, O’Malley said. “The resolution he came up with was fair and reasonable and within the law.”

Asked about the Democratic race for president, O’Malley said he was in no position to offer advice on leaving the contest to Sen. Hillary Clinton, whom he has strongly backed. “We should let the people decide,” O’Malley said. “I think it has made both of these candidates stronger rather than weaker.”

llazarick@baltimoreexaminer.com