ANNAPOLIS, MD – As the Spending Affordability Committee set out parameters for the FY 2026 State Budget, House and Senate Republicans urge fiscal restraint and a deep look at Maryland’s $3 billion budget deficit.
“Maryland is facing a $3 billion deficit that is largely self-inflicted,” said House Minority Leader Jason Buckel. “In 2020 the Democratic supermajority in the General Assembly passed a $10 billion education bill in the middle of a pandemic. They paid little heed to any concerns about the cost or lack of a viable funding source for the Blueprint. Now, this massive bill is coming due, and the taxpayers are left on the hook.”
“It is not just excessive spending and this major deficit that is concerning, we have to also look at how Maryland’s high tax, anti-job policies have made the problem worse,” said Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready. “Governor Moore is wrong when he says we can’t cut our way to prosperity – we can eliminate barriers to job growth and higher revenues by cutting regulations and ending the surge of mandates and fees placed on employers.”
“Governor Moore has correctly pointed out that the Blueprint is unsustainable as it is,” said House Minority Whip Jesse Pippy. “When we are facing a $3 billion deficit, nothing can be held sacred. We are going to have to make hard decisions instead of going to the taxpayers for more. Just like Maryland’s hardworking families, we have to spend within our means.”
“While a lot of this deficit is driven by the Blueprint, it is not the only factor,” said Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey. “The Democratic majority has repeatedly pushed policies that have increased the costs of government. Prevailing wage requirements increase the costs of government contracts, climate change legislation increases the costs of operating buildings and the state’s fleet, expanding Medicaid eligibility and increasing reimbursements – all of these actions increase spending. It would be easy to stand by and just say ‘we told you so’, but we have a responsibility to come forward with solutions.”