The Stimulus package created by Congress and signed into law by on February 17, 2009 appropriated more than $800 Billion of taxpayer money in an attempt to resuscitate a failing economy. Maryland is slated to receive $3.75 Billion over the next 18 months from the Stimulus fund. Taxpayers are led to believe that this infusion of federal cash is a one time “shot in the arm,” but that’s far from the truth.

The dirty little secret that Gov. O’Malley and the big-government leaders in Annapolis don’t want to discuss: the STRINGS attached to accepting the stimulus funding. The federal government is demanding that Maryland permanently expand social programs and government spending as a prerequisite to accepting this money. Unfortunately for us, the state cannot pay for these mandates once the federal money runs out next year.

The irony of this situation is this: in an attempt to fix this fiscal mess, Gov. O’Malley is creating a new fiscal mess. Just like people who bought homes that they could not afford during the height of the housing boom, Gov. O’Malley is accepting money knowing that he can never pay for the federally mandated programs when the stimulus fund runs dry.

Take a moment to look at the details of the plan, and sign the petition to demand that Gov. O’Malley DOES NOT take any federal stimulus money that has strings attached.