Ever since the Blueprint for Maryland’s future was implemented a few years ago, local jurisdictions have been warning the State of Maryland that the education overhaul was too expensive and would break not only the state and county budgets but will also drastically increase already high state and local taxes.
All along, Democrats have denied that this will happen, and members of the Kirwan Commission who developed the plan seemed to think that somehow the money to support this monstrous state overreach would appear as if by magic. Every time necessary tax increases to local jurisdictions are mentioned, Blueprint supporters claim the impact will be minor and that the citizens of Maryland should just suck it up and pay.
That strategy seems to be failing and State officials, including Governor Moore, are now trying to change the message regarding spending of the initiative.
At this month’s Maryland Association of Counties (MACO) conference, Moore delivered a speech that pointed out the dire straits of the State’s financial status. In June, cuts to the Public Works budget totaling $150,000 million were made to address the State’s deficit of nearly one billion dollars. Going forward, legislative budget analysts project a structural budget deficit of $1 billion in the coming fiscal year, rising to $1.3 billion by fiscal 2027, and $3 billion a year later.
Now, after promoting the Blueprint as the answer for all education problems in the state, Moore is singing a slightly different, if not carefully crafted, tune. Clearly, he sees that this kind of deficit during his term will damage his re-election chances as well as any possible national aspirations. Blueprint funding must be addressed:
“But if there’s one thing that legislative history has taught us, it’s this: Laws of enormous potential must always be refined after they are passed,” Moore said. In other words, “we have to make cuts to this behemoth but we don’t want to call them ‘cuts’.”
You mean Gov Stolen Valor
Thanks Larry Hogan!
You really screwed us over by endorsing this turd!
How about not pass a bill if the funding for it isn’t available? It’s not that hard. Our money is OURS! Government needs to be smaller and less involved in our lives.
We’re right back to taxation without representation.
The Annapolis bunch was apparently operating under the impression the Federal Reserve would print money for them as long as there was a supply of chainsaws and trees to make paper.
The Blueprint was another top down exercise to paper over the continuing failure to actually educate students across the state with basic skills. But everyone graduates in spite of actual attainments. Sad!
Maybe they can scrounge around and buy him a medal on eBay.
Worst governor yet!
A wonder what happened to the surplus budget Hogan left Moore? Apparently tax and spend democrats continue to burn through our tax dollars without regard.
How about you re-evaluate those vehicle registration increases. MD is the highest state in registration fees by 50%. Thanks a lot you illiterate brain dead blue voters.