Politics

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ/AP) ― From budget cuts to his determination to get rid of Maryland's long-standing schools superintendent, Gov. Martin O'Malley on Wednesday discussed issues expected to come before the General Assembly, which is kicking-off its annual 90-day session.

Pat Warren reports while lawmakers put the difficult slot machine gambling debate into the hands of voters during November's special session, the politically pesky machines popped up again during a wide-ranging morning interview on WYPR's Marc Steiner Show.

"I'm sick of the issue," O'Malley said, adding that he believed most people have already made up their minds on how they will vote in referendum late this year.

He said he's confident a majority of voters will approve slot machines, after they find out about tax breaks that could hang in the balance.

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, who appeared on the show earlier, also was optimistic the measure will be approved by voters, because without slots the state will need more taxes or more budget cuts.

"It'll happen," Miller said. "It's got to happen." House Speaker Michael Busch, who spoke on the show at the same time as Miller, talked about legislation aimed at addressing the rise in mortgage foreclosures.

The governor reiterated his confidence that he'll be able to find about $240 million in budget cuts with a variety of budget reductions and efficiencies that add up to a lot over time, instead of chopping off big items with a swift swing of the budget ax.

Lawmakers are returning to Annapolis less than two months after a momentous special session that resulted in more than $1.3 billion in tax increases, as well as slot machine referendum bills that were approved.

Part of the hangover from the special session includes an extension of the state's sales tax to computer services -- a measure that is meeting stiff resistance from businesses that are clamoring for a repeal of a tax that was approved without a lot of public debate.

O'Malley said he wasn't in favor of repealing the tax, which is estimated to generate about $200 million.

Looking forward, O'Malley didn't mince words when talking about Schools Superintendent Nancy Grasmick, who has been a solid fixture in Maryland education since she got the job in 1991. The Democratic governor called her a "poster child" for President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" law and "a pawn" of the Republican Party.

The state school board voted to retain Grasmick last month by outgoing board members who are holdovers from Republican Gov.

Robert Ehrlich's administration. Under currently law, there's nothing O'Malley can do about it. He said he'll be pushing for legislation to change that.

O'Malley also said he still supports ending capital punishment in Maryland, but he predicted a measure to ban the death penalty won't get any traction this session because the Supreme Court has created a de facto ban nationwide as it considers the constitutionality of lethal injection.

O'Malley said efforts to address global warming can't be summed up in one legislative proposal. And the governor said he supports expanding nuclear power at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power plant, so long as it can be done safely.

"I think it's needed," O'Malley said. The governor also said he supports creating "a more diverse renewable energy portfolio" for Maryland.

Lawmakers are poised to take up legislation addressing energy concerns in wake of deregulation.

Maryland is facing increasing demands for electricity, a limited supply, highly congested transmission capacity and aging infrastructure. If nothing is done, the state could face shortages resulting in rolling blackouts by 2011, according to a report last month by the state's Public Service Commission.

The governor also appeared relieved that New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton made a comeback in New Hampshire's Democratic primary on Tuesday.

O'Malley was one of the first governors to back her presidential bid, and he said he was looking forward to making a strong push for her in Maryland.

"It was great," O'Malley said of the senator's win.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)