Gov. Moore proposes 'ambitious' $63B budget, calls for education and transportation boost

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WBFF) — Maryland’s Gov. Wes Moore capped off his first few days in office by proposing his first state budget, outlining how he wants to spend $63.1 billion during the next budget year.

Starting with a less-than-optimistic economic forecast, Gov. Moore said he recognizes the need to be “bold without being reckless.” Helene Grady, budget secretary, said the state has been stagnant in terms of economic growth, especially compared to surrounding states.

“This is the most ambitious budget for a first-year administration in recent history,” Moore said.

The spending plan does not include tax or fee increases, Moore said, but he does plan to dip into the $5 billion state surplus. The governor said he wants to use $500 million from the surplus to give the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future – or Kirwan education plan – a boost and another $500 million for transportation.

In order for Maryland to move ahead, we need to prepare our children for that,” he said. “Too many of our students are trapped in a system that fails them.

The Kirwan plan was vetoed by former Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, but Democrats in the General Assembly voted to override that veto. The plan already calls for millions of dollars in new spending for students in the classroom. Maryland tried a similar effort some 20 years ago with the Thornton Plan, but those efforts failed to see real improvement with students.

According to the forecast from the Moore administration, future funding for the Kirwan plan may not be there, which is why Gov. Moore said he wants to make the $500 million investment now.

“Part of the reason that we wanted to make this down payment is to show the fact that we believe in the basis of the Blueprint, we’re not retreating from that,” Moore said.

We also know that the conversations that we are going to have with all of our partners with MDE and the legislature, that is not a conversation that we are going to start years from now, that’s a conversation that we are going to start today.

The $500 million for transportation comes as Moore spent much of the campaign talking about the need to improve access to reliable public transportation. Currently, Moore’s administration does not have a transportation secretary, though he said he was “close” to naming one.

Without specific plans for the half a billion dollars for transportation, Moore said he wanted to give room for whomever comes in as the leader of the transportation department to assess the real needs. However, he reiterated his vision for public transit in Baltimore’s east-west corridor.

As for public safety, Moore is calling for $122 million to be dedicated to local law enforcement agencies, with $17.5 million going toward Baltimore City specifically.

With the self-proclaimed “ambitious budget,” Gov. Moore said he understood the importance of accountability as the money is spent. When asked to define what accountability means for him and his administration, the governor leaned heavily into his prior experience as leading a large non-profit.

“I remember before I ran for governor, I ran one the largest poverty projects in the country. The thing that we really prided ourselves on is not just the size, but it was the accountability,” Moore said. “I like the details. As a leader, I’m data-driven and heart-lead and we are going to make sure that when we are making these investments, that they aren’t blind investments.”

Partnership also means accountability, Moore said, “and that’s something that you’ll see with all of the investments we’re making ... Accountability for the capital dollars of taxpayers is going to be a hallmark for all of our endeavors.

The governor must work with the General Assembly to pass his budget; Democrats were quick to praise the effort thus far. Senate President Bill Ferguson, D-Baltimore City, said a legislative breakfast meeting Friday morning was “very productive” and a “thoughtful conversation.”

House Speaker Adrienne Jones said on Twitter that the budget proposal from Gov. More “demonstrates that the legislative and executive branches of government can work together to make critical investments while being fiscally responsible.”

Republicans however were quick to criticize the plan, with House Minority Leader Jason Buckel issuing a statement that said the billions in surplus should be moved to the state’s savings accounts “or devoted to a reasonable middle-class tax cut for Maryland’s hard-working families allowing both to prepare for a possible economic downturn.

Included in Gov. Moore’s plan was a push to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour, something he called for on the campaign trial. Del. Buckel took issue with the proposal as well, noting the governor talked about “linking the minimum wage increase to the CPI at the same time he talks about stalled economic growth in our state.”

“I hope he realizes that wages won’t matter when there are no employers to pay them,” he added. “We must find a path that works for employees and employers.”

This year, lawmakers have more of a role in the budgeting process, for the first time. Under the new law, lawmakers can cut and shift money around within the budget.

However, Sen. Guy Guzzone, D-Howard County, chairman of the Budget and Taxation Committee, said during a news conference Friday morning he the General Assembly may not use their new powers. Sen. Guzzone said the General Assembly will likely work with Gov. Moore during negotiations to agree on a budget.