Gov. Wes Moore (D) told a gathering of county leaders in Cambridge Thursday that he will not propose tax increases to close a projected $1.5 billion budget gap in the coming fiscal year.
Moore told officials attending the winter conference of the Maryland Association of Counties that “budget decisions in front of us won’t be easy or simple.” He gave few specifics, but took at least one solution off the table.
“We cannot – and will not – balance our budget on the back of Marylanders. This is not a year where we anticipate tax increases,” Moore said. “At the same time, we must right-size programs that need to be made more sustainable.”
Moore and the General Assembly have been warned that they face about a $1.5 billion deficit in fiscal 2027. Additionally, there is about $700 million in budget deficiencies.
State fiscal leaders will get an updated look at the state’s revenue projections for fiscal 2027 when the Board of Revenue Estimates meets Friday afternoon. Friday’s forecast is the last before Moore delivers his budget to the General Assembly.
Moore diverged several times from his speech as prepared. He dropped portions that named President Donald Trump or referenced the White House, instead referring only to Washington or speaking more in more general terms. The majority of county officials in the room hail from rural jurisdictions where Republicans are the majority party.
Moore was warmly received as he was introduced. During his speech, there was some applause from pockets of the banquet room. But there were also few obvious applause lines and attendees for the most part listened quietly.
Moore went off script to talk about one issue — housing.
The governor and the association were at odds in the 2025 legislative session over an administration bill that was aimed at sparking construction of affordable housing in the state. But county officials saw the bill as overriding local authority on zoning and on where projects can be built.
Moore lost that fight and his bill was ultimately defeated. A divide remains. While the administration seems focused on bringing the bill back, county officials have complained that they have had few substantive talks with the Department of Housing and Community Development — a continuation of complaints that surfaced at the association’s summer convention.
Despite any disagreements, Moore told the audience Thursday he was “not going to stop pushing.”
“Sometimes we butt heads on this one,” Moore said. “The thing that I ask you though, is this: If we disagree on the topic of housing on Monday, the only thing I ask is … let’s get back together on Tuesday and let’s keep on working, because I’m not going to stop pushing this housing.”
Photo: Gov. Wes Moore (D) told a gathering of county leaders Thursday that he does not plan to balance his next budget with taxes, while pledging to revisit an affordable housing proposal that local officials last year opposed. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)
