Senate President Bill Ferguson is warning Maryland lawmakers they will have to walk a tightrope this session to maintain state priorities while bridging a $2.7 billion budget deficit — and that is before potential cuts to federal funds that the state relies on. Ferguson warned that there will be “adjustments across the board,” as lawmakers consider trimming current projects and evaluate programs to see which are effective and where money could be spent elsewhere. This includes the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the state’s massive education reform, according to the Senate president.
Living within our means: Maryland’s budget for fiscal year 2025 is $63 billion — up more than $20 billion from nearly a decade ago. But money coming in has not kept pace, and analysts have been warning for years that either cuts or more revenue will be needed to keep the budget balanced — a legal requirement in Maryland.
