ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WBFF) — Now that lawmakers got the budget to Gov. Wes Moore’s desk before the end of session, with time to spare, conversations have shifted to what will need to be done next year to close projected billion-dollar budget deficits – again.
As the ink dried on the $70.8 billion budget, that closed a billion-dollar budget hole this year without raising taxes and fees, not everyone is convinced the same will be possible next year. The Department of Legislative Services projects the budget shortfall to grow to $2.3 billion starting in July 2027, $3 billion the following year, and nearly $4 billion by fiscal year 2030 – if nothing changes.
“While it’s great that we were able to put that budget together this year and pay for Maryland’s obligations this year without new taxes and fees, it doesn’t solve the long-term problems,” House Minority Leader Jason Buckel said Wednesday. “You’re going to have to reform the Blueprint.”
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is the state’s multi-year, multi-billion-dollar education spending plan. The plan calls for several different facets, including pouring more money into classrooms, providing more time for teachers to prep – often called collaborative time – pre-K for three-year-olds in Maryland, and teacher salary increases. The goal is to increase student outcomes, but lawmakers – largely Republicans – have argued the state can’t afford the plan.
“What we predicted would happen has happened,” Del. April Rose, R-Carroll and Frederick Counties said. “We cannot afford it.”
Former Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed the legislation when he was in office, but Democrats in the majority voted to overturn the veto. Buckel noted money for the Blueprint had been there for the first few years, but he said that won’t be the case next year.
“Where’s that money going to come from? It can only come from taxes, fees, growing your economy or cutting other things in the budget,” Buckel said. “I would say that I think it is time for the real conversation. I think Democrats have begun to understand that.”
Buckel said he believes cutting Pre-K for three-year-olds would be an opportunity to save money, arguing it’s not a necessity in his opinion to mandate it across the state.
It’s not clear if there will be an appetite to curb or trim the Blueprint next year, but finding ways to foot the bill for the state’s programs will likely be a challenge. Growing the economy has been a hallmark of Gov. Wes Moore’s time in office, and as he signed this year’s budget into law, he talked about the importance once again.
Diversifying the state’s economy and moving away from relying on the federal government remains a priority, he said. The budget includes $100 million in “targeted and tested business tax cuts and strengthening Maryland’s capacity to drive private investment.”
The budget supports turning away from Maryland’s long term economic reliance on the “eds, feds, and meds” including more than $100 million in targeted and tested business tax cuts and strengthening Maryland’s capacity to drive private investment.
“This budget protects our people, makes life a little more affordable for our people, and strengthens Maryland’s economic competitiveness,” he said. “Together with our partners in the General Assembly, we said what we were going to do, and we achieved it.”
When asked if next year’s budget will be able to be balanced without raising taxes and fees – like the one he just signed – Gov. Moore noted the current budget did more than that.
“We actually took a real chunk out of the structural deficit,” he said. “And that is going to be the focus that we’re going to have to have going forward.”
Moore’s budget director, Jake Weissmann, added that decisions can’t be made today about what the next budget year will look like.
“We’re months and months away,” Weissmann said.
Follow Political Reporter Mikenzie Frost on X and Facebook. Send tips to mbfrost@sbgtv.com.
Local Story
