Tuesday, June 26 - Governor Tours Coastal Bays, Plans Trimper's Visit

OCEAN CITY- Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley arrived in Ocean City today for the first of several events connected to the annual Maryland Municipal League (MML) Convention in what will be a two-day stay in the resort area.

Although certainly no stranger to Ocean City and the resort area, O'Malley's two-day stop in Ocean City is the first in an official capacity since taking office in January. This morning, O'Malley boarded a boat at the Talbot Street Pier for a tour of the coastal bays, during which he will be briefed by state and local officials on issues relevant to the estuaries.

Later today, O'Malley will take a tour of the booths at the MML convention at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center. This evening, the governor will host a reception for municipal leaders from around the state at the convention center in Ocean City.

Perhaps one of the most significant stops on O'Malley's two-day tour in Ocean City will happen tomorrow morning when the governor tours historic Trimper's Rides at the foot of the Boardwalk. The Trimper family has said this summer could be the last for the 120-year-old amusement park, at least in its current configuration, if it doesn't get some sort of relief from soaring tax assessments on the historic property, which increased by 163 percent in the last three years resulting in a tax increase on the property of over a half a million dollars.

Following the Trimper's tour tomorrow morning, O'Malley will deliver the keynote address at the close of the MML convention.

See Friday's edition of The Dispatch for all of the details of the governor's trip to Ocean City,