Attempting to transform campaign themes into state policy, Gov.-elect Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. said yesterday that he would seek charter schools, a tougher gun-crime program and more social services funding for religious institutions when the General Assembly convenes next month.
In announcing the top three legislative priorities of his rookie year, Ehrlich turned to programs that he often spoke of during the fall election - initiatives that appeal to conservative elements within the Republican Party.
None appears to carry a significant immediate price tag, a crucial characteristic at a time when Maryland faces a $1.8 billion budget gap over the next two years.
"It reflects the very difficult fiscal situation we're in," said Ehrlich spokesman Paul E. Schurick. "It reflects the back-to-basics governance that we've promised."
To help enact his agenda, Ehrlich appointed three Annapolis veterans to his executive staff yesterday, picks that reflect his willingness to reach out across party lines as well as reward loyalty.
Schurick, a top campaign aide who also worked as chief of staff for former Gov. William Donald Schaefer, will serve as the administration's director of communications and strategic planning. Former Del. Kenneth H. Masters of Catonsville, a Democrat and past House majority leader, will be head of legislative affairs, and Del. Joseph M. Getty of Carroll County was named policy director after serving as the Ehrlich campaign's political director.
Top Democrats in the General Assembly - who have previously pledged to work closely with Ehrlich - shrugged at his legislative priorities yesterday, calling them a rehashing of old ideas that bear little relevance to problems facing the state.
"It's a modest agenda," said incoming House Speaker Michael E. Busch, an Anne Arundel County Democrat. "It's going to get lost in the shuffle when you get into the budget and slots. It will be like three leaves blowing in the wind. They're not new initiatives."
Busch said he expected Ehrlich to push low-profile legislation during his first Assembly session, with more ambitious ideas next session.
"There comes a time when you have to stop campaigning and start governing," said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller. "The issues that the governor and the lieutenant governor have to focus on are the budget, the budget and the budget."
As a candidate, Ehrlich supported faith-based initiatives, charter schools, and Project Exile - a gun-crime sentencing program considered successful in Richmond, Va.
Ehrlich said yesterday that he planned to create a Governor's Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives, similar to a federal office set up by President Bush. The office would review health and human service funding provided by the state, and develop ways for religious institutions to receive more funding and play a larger role in delivering services.
The Rev. Gregory Perkins, president of the Baltimore-based Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, said he wanted to hear more about the idea. Religious groups, he said, could become more involved helping relieve social woes such as a lack of drug treatment centers and homeless shelters.
"I would extend a hand of cooperation to the new governor on behalf of the faith community so we can see how it will benefit the city," Perkins said.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, seven states have offices for faith-based initiatives or an appointed liaison to the faith community, a trend that disturbs some critics.
Schurick said the administration's legislation would contain "safeguards," ensuring separation of church and state.
Two of Ehrlich's proposals - for charter schools and a gun-sentencing program - have been studied by the General Assembly for years.
The Senate and House of Delegates have each approved bills in recent years authorizing charter schools - public schools that are operated by private corporations or interest groups - but the two chambers have been unable to resolve differences in their measures.
Charter schools already operate in 37 other states, Ehrlich said, and are eligible for federal funds only if their states have laws permitting them to exist.
Patricia A. Foerster, president of the Maryland State Teachers Association, said the union would work with Ehrlich on the legislation, but said that the employees should be allowed to unionize, and the schools should follow state standards and fall under local school board control.
Those demands are unacceptable, said Joni Gardner, founder of the Maryland Charter School Network.
"A strong law gives autonomy to charter schools, gives them control over their budget and does not tie them to union contracts or teacher certification," Gardner said.
Ehrlich acknowledges that Maryland already has tough gun-sentencing laws, including a 2000 provision mandating five-year minimum sentences for felons who use guns in crimes. Ehrlich's law would prohibit a three-judge panel from reviewing and overturning gun-crime convictions and would encourage private companies to spend money to publicize the state's laws.
Ehrlich has clashed with his longtime friend, U.S. Attorney Thomas M. DiBiagio, over the need for a greater federal role in the prosecution of gun crimes. Ehrlich has pledged to implement a state-level program similar to the federally run Project Exile in Richmond if DiBiagio's office is unwilling to take more gun cases.
Sun staff writer Tim Craig contributed to this article.