Copyright Baltimore Sun
As Maryland heads into the fourth year of Gov. Wes Moore’s administration, the state is headed in the wrong direction. The governor is preparing his budget for next year while rushing to a microphone to blame President Donald Trump for all of Maryland’s woes. But the reality for Maryland families and taxpayers is very different. A recent University of Maryland, Baltimore County, poll found that 53% of Marylanders are considering moving out of the state in the next few years, and the reasons are clear: higher taxes, higher fees and higher costs driven by Gov. Moore’s misguided policies and priorities. Moore was sworn in on Jan. 18, 2023. Just two days later, in his budget letter, Moore stated, “We are in a fortunate financial position to craft this budget with significant positive General Fund cash balances … $5 billion in combined General Fund cash reserves.” In less than three years, Moore turned that $5 billion surplus into a $3 billion deficit while raising more taxes and fees than any politician in Maryland history. The numbers tell the story: The state’s spending has grown from $38.8 billion in 2015 to $66.6 billion in 2025, a 72% increase in 10 years! Budget talk can seem abstract, but Marylanders feel it in their daily lives. Since Moore took office, more than $2 billion in new taxes and fees have been imposed, including vehicle registration fees so high that the Motor Vehicle Administration now offers payment plans. When I’m shopping at my local grocery store, retirees and friends often stop to tell me they plan to move away, not because they want to, but because they can’t afford to stay. Maryland has the highest taxes in the region, and the draw of lower-cost neighboring states, along with states like Florida which have zero income tax, is increasingly attractive. Energy costs are another painful example of failed leadership. Under Moore, electricity and gas bills have skyrocketed. Instead of tackling the radical environmental mandates that forced the closure of eight power plants, the governor doubled down by supporting the Ocean City offshore wind project, one of the most expensive forms of power generation. Moore talks about long-term nuclear energy investments, but those solutions are decades away. When given the chance to eliminate the EmPOWER surcharge that appears on every monthly utility bill, Moore instead offered only a one-month credit. That is a temporary patch on a permanent problem. Meanwhile, the results of all this spending are underwhelming. Much of Maryland’s budget growth has gone to public education, yet student achievement has declined. On the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Maryland scores have fallen across all four tested grade and subject areas over the last decade, including a double-digit drop in eighth-grade math. Spending more and achieving less has become the hallmark of Moore’s government. In 2015, Annapolis taxes were $6,190 per person, about $25,000 for a family of four. Ten years later, that same family is paying $42,584 in state taxes. No wonder so many Marylanders feel like they are being taxed out of their homes. This explosion of taxes is simply unaffordable. Maryland’s crushing taxes, skyrocketing electric bills, unaffordable car registration fees and an ignored juvenile crime crisis are creating yet another statewide emergency. The state is losing residents at an alarming rate. Between 2022 and 2024, Maryland ranked among the top 10 states in the nation for the largest net loss of population to other states. This leaves fewer of us to pay the bills from Annapolis. Gov. Wes Moore must finally put the brakes on unaffordable government spending. As a member of the Maryland Freedom Caucus, I urge him to roll back his tax hikes, rein in the runaway budget and adopt our four-point energy plan to deliver real, immediate relief on gas and electric bills. The steady exodus of taxpayers will only accelerate unless Maryland changes course. Blaming President Trump, in office for 10 months, is laughable and desperate. The time for excuses is over. It is time for Gov. Moore to lead with fiscal responsibility, common sense and a renewed commitment to the hardworking taxpayers, families, small businesses and retirees who can no longer afford to live in Maryland.
