Politics & Government
SPEAK OUT: Is Maryland Manufacturing Month Just 'Lip Service?'
Gov. Martin O'Malley stated that initiatives are in place "to turn the promise of manufacturing today into the reality of manufacturing tomorrow."
By Susan Jenkins
“Manufacturing offers one of our greatest opportunities to strengthen our middle class, grow jobs and create new opportunities here in Maryland,” said Gov. Martin O’Malley in a statement on Friday.
October was officially designated as Maryland Manufacturing Month to celebrate initiatives and highlight companies in the state. But one group doesn't think O'Malley's efforts offer any "real solutions" to help the manufacturing industry.
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"No amount of lip service can undo this Governor's deplorable record on jobs," wrote Larry Hogan, founder of Change Maryland, in a blog post. "120,000 more Marylanders remain unemployed since O'Malley took office, and 26,000 of those are in our manufacturing sector."
Maryland had 3,694 manufacturers employing 108,985 people in 2012, according to a press release from O'Malley's office.
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Yet, Hogan's blog states "preliminary results indicate manufacturing employment has dropped to just 106,800 jobs - a total drop over 20% in the sector since 2007."
O'Malley stated that initiatives are in place "to turn the promise of manufacturing today into the reality of manufacturing tomorrow.”
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