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Moore Unveils $70.8 Billion Maryland Budget to Close $1.4 Billion Gap Without New Taxes

The plan now heads to the General Assembly for line-by-line negotiations before the April 6 deadline.

Overview

  • Budget materials and reporting describe roughly $1.8 billion in cuts and fund transfers, including shifting $322 million from the capital budget and $292 million from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund to support operations.
  • Officials said overall spending would rise 0.8% in FY2027 as the state preserves an 8% Rainy Day Fund and a minimum cash balance of $100 million.
  • Priority investments include about $10.2 billion for K–12 education, $124.1 million for police aid, and $73.7 million for revitalization projects, with continued support for child care scholarships and housing initiatives.
  • The proposal requires local governments to take on a larger share of retirement costs for teachers, librarians, and community college employees and trims growth in the Developmental Disabilities Administration and private college scholarships.
  • Moore attributes the shortfall to federal policy changes and the loss of roughly 25,000 federal jobs, while Republican leaders criticize the approach as accounting maneuvers as legislative review begins.