Statement on Spending Affordability Committee Recommendations

This evening, the Maryland General Assembly Spending Affordability Committee issued its recommendations on spending limits for the next fiscal year. The committee recommended that the governor fully fund the baseline budget, which essentially maintains state services at current levels.

Maryland Center on Economic Policy Executive Director Benjamin Orr issued the following statement:

“The positive news is that Maryland doesn’t need to be in cost-cutting mode this year, for the first time in years. We have enough revenue to maintain current levels of state services – although, we also must keep in mind that this doesn’t mean all the public’s needs are met.

What we haven’t been doing as well is taking a hard look at how we will meet the state’s growing needs in the long term. We should also be talking about how to protect or expand Maryland’s job-creating investments in education, healthcare, transportation, and the other building blocks of a healthy economy.”