ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WBFF) — Questions are swirling about whether Maryland Governor Wes Moore can continue to push his progressive policy agenda while a possible White House bid looms in the future.
Tyrone E. Keys, a political analyst at Soldiers of Finance, told FOX45 News during a Friday interview that he believes Gov. Moore is in a potentially paradoxical predicament.
There needs to be somewhat of a rejection of what has been done in the past because that just lost big on Tuesday,” Keys said.
Gov. Moore dedicated significant time throughout 2024 traveling across the country campaigning for the Harris-Walz ticket despite facing criticism for what some saw as a lack of focus on local governance.
During Gov. Moore’s national campaigning, community leaders, neighborhood associations, law enforcement agencies and thousands online demanded he remove his secretary of juvenile services. Criticism has also been directed at the governor for failing to secure federal funding for the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed in March after a commercial cargo ship collided with it.
The governor also faced criticism during his absence due to a lack of direction on energy policy, the future of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education program, a decrease in the state’s credit rating outlook and a looming state budget crisis.
Moore is a member of the Democratic Party. He won the 2022 Maryland gubernatorial election against Republican nominee Dan Cox by a 32% margin,
When Governor Larry Hogan left office, he left his successor with a $5 billion dollar budget surplus. His hope was the state’s $3 billion-dollar rainy day fund and $2.5 billion-dollar structural surplus wouldn’t go to waste.
IN STEPS WES MOORE….
Growing demand for the state’s childcare subsidy program which increased by $270 million in the fiscal 25 budget.
“There’s big things like his environmental agenda which is going to cost a billion dollars a year extra, but then there’s small things like the Department of Service and Civic Innovation. This is tens of millions of dollars a year, but this is going to go on in perpetuity. This is an agency probably going to expand and spend more money.
“Governor Hogan left the state in a really good financial situation and that has been squandered. Part of the problem is the federal government isn’t sending as much money to Maryland. Billions of dollars were sent to Maryland as part of Covid relief, but the state should’ve known that and been prepared for the money to be cut off,” he said. “Governor Moore should’ve recognized this money was no longer coming into the state and been more fiscally responsible when he proposed his budget.”
Maryland Faces $2.7B Budget Shortfall, Possible Tax Increases !!!!!!
A spokesperson for Governor Wes Moore’s office tells FOX45 “The budgetary challenges that Maryland faces are as tough as they’ve ever been, and while the challenges have been years in the making, Governor Moore is committed to continuing to work in collaboration with the dedicated leaders of the state legislature, including Senate President Ferguson and Speaker Jones to fix them.
The state’s own budget analysts projected by the end of next year Maryland will be in a $300 million dollar budget shortfall, which balloons to $2.7 billion in 2026.
The state’s $3 billion-dollar rainy day fund and $2.5 billion-dollar structural surplus wouldn’t go to waste.
Moore is playing to the democrat party, he wants to be president. Moore and the democrat party’s mind set is destructive, at some point the damage they create will not be reversible.
Looks like Maryland is doing a good job of creating a welfare state.
Defeating Moore was doable in 2022, but certain types of candidate aren’t going to get elected in Maryland, no matter how much some of us wish they would. Hogan was called a RINO and not conservative enough, but he really helped with issues like keeping the budget under control.
State Senator Mary Beth Carozza, a Republican representing Wicomico, Worcester and Somerset Counties says Marylanders cannot afford tax increases.
“The concern is that you’ll have those that typically come back and they’ll have proposals to raise taxes. And that’s the last thing we should be doing with our economy right now,” she said.
Bill Chambers with the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce says tax increases would especially hurt the Shore’s business community.
“We have dug ourselves into this $2.7B hole and I know what the Governor has said and the Senate President and other leaders have said, but they’re not going to cut their way out of this deficit,” he said.
“To the detriment of the business community, I think we’re going to be bearing the brunt of a lot of fees and tax increases that the General Assembly is going to be forced to impose,” Chambers continued.
You have to wonder just where the settlement money from the Key Bridge accident went as well?
Uhhhhhhhh, Les Moore’s pocket?
Peter Principal Less Moore doing his best work – “Gov. Moore used his instant national stardom as the finance chairman of the Democratic Governors Association…” He’s so good at spending OPM!
Just like all states ruled by their large cities, Maryland is at the whims of the people of baltimore that are liberal because they get money from the state and feds for free housing, free food, free phones, free health care, etc. – they aren’t that stupid to vote themselves out of their so called “benefits”. Maryland is doomed. Can’t wait to leave, but where to go?
I’m sure our county executive and the Chamber of Commerce will support the governor in his endeavors. The last election showed were these two groups of people plus the DCM loyalties lye. I understand this same group of people are working to overturn or modify the Revenue Cap to get more funds for the executive’s lavish plans. Just remember that Dems and RINOs raise taxes, grow larger governments and lie.
You seen the clown Barry “remove the tax cap” Beauchump stand up at the C.I.P.meeting almost demanding the tax cap be lifted. Another failed businessman turned politician who wants to spend other peoples money.