Maryland Spending Continues to Outpace Revenue

This week, The Washington Post published an article discussing the need for fiscal reform in Maryland. Amelia Chasse, a spokeswoman for Governor Larry Hogan, stated: “Over the past year, our state has experienced solid revenue growth of 3.5 percent, but as reported today by the legislature’s own budget analysts, spending growth continues to outpace revenue growth.” With Maryland facing a budget shortfall of hundreds of millions of dollars, Warren G. Deschenaux, Executive Director of the Department of Legislative Services, said that Maryland policymakers need to “get real” and “look at what is driving our spending upwards.” Ms. Chasse also said that Governor Hogan looks forward to working with the General Assembly to address Maryland’s spending problem. In an October 2016 blog, Free State Foundation President Randolph May called for compromises between Governor Hogan and the General Assembly to lessen the burden of Maryland’s tax and fiscal policies.