A 63% majority of Maryland voters oppose the tax increases needed to fund education spending hikes, according to a new Maryland Public Policy Institute poll conducted by Gonzales Research & Media Services. The overwhelming opposition to income and property tax hikes comes as Maryland taxpayers are learning of the truly enormous cost of the so-called “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future” devised by the Kirwan Commission in 2019.
A total of 841 likely voters were read the following: “Lawmakers in Annapolis passed legislation that increases funding for Maryland public schools by nearly $4 billion each year. Do you support or oppose efforts to raise income and property taxes to pay for these new increases in education spending?” A mere 36% voiced support, including only 51% of Democrats, 25% of Independents, and 15% of Republicans.
“Buckle up, Marylanders,” said Maryland Public Policy Institute President and CEO Christopher Summers. “There are only a few solutions to this problem. One is to reduce the spending mandated by the Kirwan Commission’s plan. But this is unlikely given current political realities. The second is to require less funding from local jurisdictions and more from the state. But this is a distinction without a difference since the same hard-working people are taxed either way. The third is to increase taxes at the local level or the state level or both.”
