On June 2oth, 2005 Mayor Martin O'Malley held a fundraiser at the Ravens M&T Bank Stadium to thank his followers and friends and to explain how Maryland, one of the most powerful States in the Union can show the way to a recovery .

For five years, the Mayor said, Baltimore has steadily been improving in every area. Crime, education, housing, development, tourism, sports.

Time magazine, the Wall Street Journal, Gentleman's Quarterly, the national press has named Mayor O'Malley one of the five top mayors in the nation, Baltimore city one of the top ten destinations in the world, a new, revitalized city, a destination for biotechnology companies, etc. etc. Accolades from all over the nation have been coming in. The city is recovering its place in the State and becoming again a magnet for suburban dwellers.

Hispanics, the new U.S. immigrants, are flocking to the city and making it a very attractive destination. Spanish Town is no longer the only focus for the community; Hamilton, Brooklyn, the Liberty and Reisterstown corridors, and many other areas are now becoming Hispanic areas as well.

Thousands of people present applauded the Mayor and urged him to run for the governorship. Hispanics present were a good representation of the community. Nico and Tanya Ramos, owners of Arcos restaurant in Spanish Town, Enrique Ribadeneira, owner of the Latin Palace, also in Spanish Town, Jaime Schwartzberg, a Structural Engineer from Pikesville, Anthony and Cristina Mosby, owners of the Plexus Group, from Columbia, Steve De Castro, owner of the Ruth Chris' Steak House and several others restaurants in Baltimore, Doug Schmidt and Jim Lighthizer, partners of the Chesapeake Real Estate Group in Anne Arundel County, Dough McCoach of the Architectural firm RTKL, Maria and Jim Welch, owners of Respira Medical, Gilberto De Jesus, Federal Attorney, Rafael Regales, a new Hispanic Liaison at the Mayor's Office of Hispanic Affairs, Eric Oribio, owner of La Opinión Latina newspaper, and Javier and Josefa Bustamante, owners of Coloquio.com. Richard Colon, owner of Mace Electric was a big donor but was not able to make the event.

The Mayor was very appreciative of this effort by the Hispanic community and said so to those present. This was only the beginning, he was told, by the Hispanic community of the State of Maryland to help him get to Annapolis and get the State back in the right direction.

The evening was extremely successful. Preliminary figures for the night showed net earnings for the Mayor's war chest of over $2 million.

Coloquio.com congratulates Mayor O'Malley and wishes him good luck.