MARYLAND (WBFF) — From street corners in northwest Baltimore to busy downtown blocks, Marylanders had plenty to say about what they believe is the state of the state after Gov. Wes Moore delivered his State of the State address Wednesday in Annapolis.
Some residents called Moore’s address an important event and an opportunity to get an update on issues that matter most to them. Others offered blunt assessments when asked how things are going in Maryland.
At a stop light in northwest Baltimore, one woman summed up her view in two words: “No good!”
Another resident called it “fifty-fifty.” When pressed, he replied, “Yep.”
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Across the city, concerns about taxes, fees and high energy costs came up repeatedly. One woman said, “We have increased estate taxes now.”
Another added, “I feel like we’re in trouble.”
A man who described the state as “terrible” blamed rising taxes.
“Because taxes have gone up and gone up and gone up,” he said.
Others were more positive. One man said, “Uh, it’s pretty good. It’s pretty good. You know, the governor is doing his job. Pretty much, I have no complaints, really.”
Affordability was a common theme. One woman said, “Financially, everything is high. Housing is high, rent is high, food is high. It’s [There’s] nowhere to live. Even when you’re making a good amount of money, it’s still no way to make it through.”
Moore delivered his State of the State address before a joint session of the Maryland General Assembly. While he did not explicitly state his view on the current state of the state, he addressed financial hardship facing some Marylanders and said it is not something he can control, pointing to federal tariff policies.
“But, we will work together to contain prices where we can…to grow our economy because we must and build new pathways to work and wages and wealth,” Moore said on Feb. 11.
After the speech, residents continued to point to cost of living and affordability as top concerns. One man said, “The state of Maryland right now, I think cost of living, affordability.”
Another added, “If it’s happening here, it’s kind of happening everywhere in the country right now.”
Even among those frustrated by rising costs, some expressed resignation.
“Yeah, taxes are rising,” one woman said, before adding, “But, I mean, that’s life. We live in an expensive economy and it sucks.”
Wednesday’s speech was Moore’s fourth State of the State address as he nears the end of his first term.
You can watch Gov. Moore’s full State of the State address below:
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