The Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the November GML at the Black Diamond Lodge in Fruitland, Maryland, on November 20, featuring Maryland Senator Justin Ready.
Senator Ready currently serves as the Maryland Senate Minority Whip and is a member of the Senate Finance Committee.
Addressing a broad range of issues facing the state, Senator Ready began by thanking the business community: “Thank you to all of you for being in business in Maryland, for creating jobs, and for contributing to the state’s economy. I appreciate job creators.”
He went on to share a sentiment he says is common in Annapolis, noting, “Businesses in Maryland are treated like the enemy, and the state continues to lose out on private-sector investment because of that mindset.”
“Maryland does not have a revenue or talent problem—Maryland has a spending and policy problem,” Ready continued. “Major drivers of increased state spending include the Kirwan education plan, Medicaid expansion, and current energy policies. Over the past three years, Maryland has raised fees or added new taxes on 330 occasions. This has contributed to private-sector stagnation, higher energy costs, and policy decisions that run counter to economic growth.”
Referencing the state’s reliance on federal employment, he added, “Thirteen percent of Maryland’s payroll is dependent on the federal government. Because of this, Maryland needs both Republican and Democratic voices advocating in Washington, D.C.”
Ready concluded with a message on economic growth: “Prosperity comes from private-sector investment, not from any government entity, federal or state. As a state, we need to think creatively about how to grow Maryland’s economy.”
-
- Senator Justin Ready was the featured speaker at the November General Membership Luncheon-min
