WELCOME TO MPT'S COVERAGE OF THE GOVERNOR'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS.

WE WILL BRING YOU THE GOVERNOR'S REMARKS IN THEIR ENTIRETY FOLLOWED BY A REPUBLICAN VIEW OF THE STATE OF OUR STATE.

NOW GOVERNOR WES MOORE.

>> MADAME SPEAKER, Mr. PRESIDENT, MADAME LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES REPRESENTING LOCAL AND STATE AND ALSO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FIRST LADY AND MY FELLOW... AND ALL OF MY FELLOW MARYLANDERS.

I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE FAMILIES AND ALSO FOR THE VICTIM VICTIMS OF THE AERIAL COLLISION THAT TOOK PLACE ONE WEEK AGO TODAY.

OVER THE POTOMAC.

OUR HEARTS ARE STILL WITH ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE HURTING AND WE PRAY FOR GOD'S GRACE FOR ALL OF THOSE WE LOST.

What happened last Wednesday was one of the worst aviation disasters in American history.

But I also do know this: Is that when duty called, Maryland answered.

Within minutes of the crash, Maryland first responders were dispatched to search for survivors.

They didn't ask any questions.

They just simply said, there are people in trouble and we need to help.

[ APPLAUSE ] I met with some of those remarkable first responders this past weekend.

We spoke with members of the Maryland state police.

We spoke with the natural resources police.

We spoke with teams from Anne Arundel county, Prince Georges county, teams from Calvert, teams from Baltimore county and teams from Baltimore city.

IT'S CLEAR THAT THE JOURNEY TO HEALING WILL BE FELT BY BOTH THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THOSE WHO PERISHED, AND ALSO BY THE MARYLANDERS WHO WERE THE FIRST ONES ON THE SCENE TO RESPOND.

BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE IMAGES OF WHAT WE SAW FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.

SO I ASK THAT WE CONTINUE TO KEEP ALL OF THEM IN OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR PRAYERS AS WELL.

BUT TODAY, AS WE TAKE STOCK OF WHERE WE HAVE BEEN AND TAKE STOCK OF WHERE WE ARE HEADED, I CALL ON ALL MARYLANDERS TO FIND RENEWED STRENGTH IN THE COURAGE OF THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO RAISED THEIR HANDS TO SERVE.

They didn't miss a moment.

We must follow their lead and confront crisis with courage because our entire state is being tested right now we are being tested by historic fiscal challenge, the likes that we have not seen since the great recession, and if that wasn't enough, we are now being tested by a new administration in Washington that sows uncertainty and confusion and chaos.

48 hours before the tragedy over the Potomac, the White House announced a freeze on all federal grants and loans, including those coming to the State of Maryland.

And in the days since the tragedy, we have seen the beginnings of a trade war, the shutterings of federal agencies and thousands of workers laid off.

These ideological moves will have a distinct impact on hurting our middle-class which is already feeling the pinch of inflation.

And in a larger sense, and heartbreakingly, these actions mark a shift in a long standing relationship and long standing norms between Washington and Maryland.

Norms that have been preserved by leaders of both political parties and of all backgrounds.

So now I still look at the new leadership in Washington and I hope that we can work together to make progress for the State of Maryland.

that the members of the administration will preserve and deepen the partnership between Maryland and Washington D.C. that has benefited our people all across the country for generations and across political ideologies.

But if the policy decisions of these past few weeks are any preview, I fear that our most charitable expectations will be met with harsh realities.

And that at a time when our nation needs clarity, we confront chaos.

At a time when our nation needs vision, we confront hysteria.

These trials that we now face, both those inherited and those that are newly realized, mean that the easy decisions are done.

They're off the table.

We only have difficult decisions ahead.

We must close this $3 billion budget gap.

And we have to do it in a way that actually grows the middle-class, that super charges and diversifies our economy and breaks our distinct reliance on Washington.

And helps Maryland seize its place in a very uncertain world.

[ Applause ] I've worn warned the storms and the structural deficit even before I placed my hand on the bible to become the state's governor and have I warned about the storm and the danger this new leadership in Washington might pose to our economy.

Now these two storms have made landfall.

And our job is not simply just to batten down the hatches.

We must prove that when Maryland was tested, that we collectively met this moment.

And while there are many opinions about how we ended up in this crisis, let's work together to make sure there s never a question about who solved it.

That when crises come, we confront them; that we confront them with courage, together.

And in this moment, we must marshal the courage to move in partnership to build a state where our economy is growing, to build a state where our people are protected, to build a state where our children are no longer being born into poverty and build a state where Maryland becomes the standard of what abundant opportunity actually looks like.

[ Applause ] Because with assets this strong, our succession relies on the the presidential election.

And it should not rely on who holds the majority in Congress.

With values this principled, we should not be complacent when the rights and humanity of Marylanders are at risk.

[ Applause ] And with people this determined, we should not be content with a G.D.P.

that is half that of the nation.

Marylanders deserve a government that looks every challenge in the face.

And still delivers results.

And we have already collectively made real progress in just the last two years to do exatly that.

That together, we have created nearly 100,000 Maryland jobs.

[ Applause ] That together we have connected over 100,000 Marylanders to broadband for the first time.

[ Applause ] That together we have provided child cared to 16,000 additional Maryland children.

[ APPLAUSE ] That together we raise the minimum wage and made sure our people can be paid fairly for their work and for their labor.

[ Applause ] Together we brought the unemployment rate down from being 43rd in the nation with we took office to now being one of the lowest rates in the entire country and we have seen women's labor force participation increase by more than almost any other state in America.

[ Applause ] Together, together we are breaking the back of violent crime and according to preliminary data, homicides and non-fatal shootings are the lowest they have been statewide in a decade.

[ Applause ] Today, Maryland is safer and more competitive than what it was two years ago.

But there is still a lot of work to do.

The journey forward starts by modernizing government.

It starts by reining in spending and being more responsible in how we invest taxpayer dollars.

[ Applause ] We are looking closely at every single state initiative so we can invest in programs that work and stop investing in the programs that don't.

[ APPLAUSE ] Marylanders expect their elected officials to invest their tax dollars wisely.

And we also need to ensure that where we increase investment, we grow.

Growth will continue to be our north star.

Because a growing Maryland leads the rest of the nation and has the resources and the willpower to deliver the results for the people that we serve no matter the obstacles that are thrown in our way.

[ Applause ] Our budget proposal includes more than $750 million to boost economic competitiveness and our workforce.

We've studied the data.

And we have identified three lighthouse industries that we have got to build out.

I.T., aerospace and defense, and Life Sciences.

I want Maryland to be the capital of quantum and A.I., and clean energy and Biotech, and I want to make sure that all the sectors that will define the economies of tomorrow will be housed right here in the State of Maryland.

[ Applause ] And we also must protect the incumbent industries and the sectors at the heart of our economic strength.

Maryland is a bridge between America and the rest of the world.

We get cars from Michigan out to market.

We bring sugars and spices to Louisiana.

We haul farm equipment from the east coast deep into the heartland of America.

Commerce and trade are the bedrock of our state.

And that why is this year we have proposed new funding for transformative projects at trade Point Atlantic.

[ Applause ] This work is going to increase the Port of Baltimore's container capacity by 70%, create more than 8,000 jobs and general rate $1 billion of private investment.

[ Applause ] In partnership, we will cement Baltimore as the Premier maritime hub for the east coast and the Premier maritime hub of this country.

And that work goes hand in hand with strengthening the foundation of our commercial strength and economic growth.

Maryland's roads, Maryland's bridges, Maryland's tunnels and yes, mass transit.

[ Applause ] Listen, you cannot have economic mobility without physical mobility.

It's not complicated.

Our transportation budget includes more than $21 billion to make Maryland transportation safer and more reliable through commonsense investments.

We are replacing aging light rail cars.

[ Applause ] We are reinvesting state funding in bridge repairs and roadway resurfacing.

And we are advancing critical highway projects all around the State of Maryland from 81 and 15 in western Maryland... [ Applause ] All the way to Maryland Route 97 in Montgomery County.

[ Applause ] I'm loving the Montgomery western Maryland battles going on right now.

[Laughter] And at the same time, we are going to lean in and lean into our cherished heirlooms that have sustained our economy for decades.

From the bay to the mountains to the shore.

Because investing in conservation, environmental protection and Maryland's great outdoors is not just the responsible thing to do.

It will help to grow our economy.

[ Applause ] So listen, guys, for the first time in a long time, Maryland has a clear economic growth strategy and... [ Applause ] And we are excited that we have the right person to help lead this new economic focus.

Because a few weeks ago, I was honored to announce my nomination of Harry Coker to lead the American Department of Commerce.

Most recently he served as the United States national cyber director.

He is a Navy guy but I'm not going to hold that against him.

He is widely regarded as one of America's most respected leaders in defense, intelligence and cyber security.

So at a time when Maryland is ready to make some big bets on industries of the future, it is a very big deal that Harry Coker is going to help to lead us there.

And by the way, today happens to be his first day in the office, so if it's okay, I would like to ask Harry to please stand.

[ Applause ] He is sitting with his remarkable colleagues and members of the cabinet.

This is quite the first day, Harry.

Thank you.

We are excited to have you on board.

And also, as we grow our economy, we must also reform this tax code.

Because the two are going to have to go hand in hand.

It doesn't matter if I'm in St. Marie's county or Ocean City or Frederick or upper Marlboro.

Doesn't matter if I'm talking to business leaders or municipal leaders, every single Marylander that I talk to has a very strong opinion about their taxes.

Because under the current law, our system just isn't fair.

Right now, check this out, right now someone who is making $30 million a year is in the same tax bracket of a family making $300,000 Maryland right now is the only state in this country that has both an inheritance tax and estate tx.

You cannot look at the system that we have right now and say it makes sense.

So this year, we have put forward a commonsense package for tax reform that will make taxes simpler, fairer and pro-growth.

That for the third year in a row, our proposed budget does not raise sales taxes.

For the third year in a row our proposed budget does not raise property taxes; that we are going to close corporate loopholes and lower the corporate tax rate to make Maryland more business friendly; that we are doubling the standard deduction and expanding access to the child tax credit to support families growing up in poverty and under our plan, two-thirds of Marylanders will get a tax cut and, in fact, 82% of Marylanders will either see a tax cut or no change in their taxes at all.

[ Applause ] And, yes.

We will be asking people that have done exceptionally well to pay a little bit more so we can invest in growing our economy.

[ Applause ] And listen, as someone who will be affected by this change, I'm okay with paying a little bit more if it means that we do not have to lay off firefighters or police officers.

[ APPLAUSE ] I'm okay with it if it means that we can have the best public schools in America.

[ Applause ] I'm okay with it if it means that we can have the resources to actually grow our economy and be strategic about the way that we grow.

Under our new plan, those who have done exceptionally well financially, will simply pay a quarter point more than others.

And the reason that we are so passionate about this reform plan is because we know who it will benefit most.

It's going to benefit people like Liliana Mejia, the founder of Lilly's Printing.

A full service printing company that she founded with her husband.

In 2021 her Annapolis store front was destroyed by hurricane Ida.

Liliana had to relocate to a church to keep things going.

But Lilly's printing bounced back.

Not only did they reopen the store in Annapolis.

They have now expanded to Baltimore City.

And as the founder of the Salvadorian committee and as a member of a Salvadorian Chamber of Commerce, Liliana is not just a successful entrepreneur, she is a community anchor for immigrant communities all across our state.

And under the tax reform plan that I have presented, to both the house and the Senate, small business owners like Liliana will be eligible for both a corporate tax cut and an income tax cut.

And Liliana is just one of the countless middle-class Marylanders who will benefit from our plan.

And I'm thankful that she is here today and I would like her to please stand so she can be recognized.

Thank you so much for everything that you do.

[ Applause ] God bless you.

Liliana's story reminds us that in order to manage the crises that we are in, we need to be able to invest in our greatest strength as Marylanders.

And that's our people.

This year let us rededicate ourselves to helping more Marylanders become active participants in a growing economy instead of being weighed down by a stalled economy.

And that starts by ensuring that Maryland has the best public schools in the United States of America.

[ Applause ] Our schools are the foundation on which we build everything else.

I want our children learning by 4, I want them reading by 8 and I want them college and career ready by 16.

[ Applause ] And this year, we are taking aim at the single largest barrier in achievement in our schools.

And that is the teacher shortage.

We are currently tens of thousands of licensed teachers short from where we need to be, and that is unacceptable.

Our first order of priority is recruiting and retaining world class educators for every single Maryland classroom.

[ Applause ] And this year, our administration is seeking legislative authority to launch a national campaign to recruit top educators to come work in the best state in this country and that is the State of Maryland.

We want to build out an educator workforce that brings excellence to our class room and that looks like our student body.

And as part of this initiative, we are building out debt-free paths to teaching and increasing funding for K-12 schools by $550 million, the largest investment in public education in our state's history.

[ Applause ] These steps, these steps will ensure that our students get the supports that they need, and that our schools get the resources that they require.

And we have someone with us today who reminds us of exactly what we are fighting for.

Kristy Tyson is originally from Mississippi and I had a chance to visit her school and as soon as she introduced herself and I heard that accent, I said you are not from here.

[Laughter] But she moved to Maryland in 2014.

She got a job at Ricertown elementary and she is now a first grade teacher inspiring young Marylanders and building young minds and making sure that our kids are learning the fundamentals of reading and writing.

She knows that Maryland is the best state in the country to teach and we are proud that even though Mississippi will always be home for her, Kristy chose Maryland.

Kristy is here with her husband who just reenlisted in the Navy two weeks ago and I would ask for both Kristy and her husband, would you both please stand so we can recognize you for your continued service.

[ Applause ] GOD BLESS YOU GUYS.

This administration remains deeply committed to our students and our educators like Kristy.

And I also want to be crystal clear about this, too.

This administration remains committed to delivering on the promise of the blueprint for Maryland's future.

[ APPLAUSE ] That for many in this chamber, I know this is deeply personal.

That together you crafted one of the most ambitious and important pieces of education reform in American history.

That many of you started working on it as early as 2016 and since then, you have faced multiple obstacles.

I know that when you pass the blueprint, that our state had a governor who didn't just veto the bill.

He pretended it didn't exist.

I know that after you passed blueprint that you had a superintendent that didn't have either the inclination or interest to realize the full potential of your work.

And also back in 2016, that we didn't know about a phrase that would completely upend our education system.

COVID-19.

The battle to get here should not have been this hard.

But now we are in a new moment with a school superintendent with a proven track record of getting big things done and delivering results, and also an administration that believes in the blueprint and wants to see the full force of this legislation realized.

But if history teaches us anything, it's that laws of enormous consequence must be adjusted in order to endure changing times.

But working together to make the blueprint more successful and sustainable does not mean we are backing down.

It means we are stepping up.

All of you did the hard work to create it.

But together we are going to do the hard work to make sure it is implemented effectively and you have my word on that.

[ Applause ] And our school system, they should also have stronger on ramps of success no matter how they define it.

Everybody is going to have a different journey.

I joined the Army when I was 17 years old.

I went to a two-year college.

Things worked out pretty well.

[Laughter] Let's continue to address our workforce shortages from every single possible way.

And uplift the journeys of every single Marylander no matter where they started or no matter where they hope their completion ends.

We have preserved record investments in child care because parents should not have to choose between a good paying job and knowing that their child is going to be safe.

We are continuing our support of community colleges and higher education and laboratories and our research institutions.

This year we are helping to make Maryland a model employer by ensuring that Marylanders with disabilities can get hired and also build fulfilling careers.

We are moving in partnership with the General Assembly to honor our pledge of recruiting 500 new employers, 5,000 new apprentices and at least five additional public apprentice agencies that are registered to do apprenticeships in the State of Maryland.

[ Applause ] This year we continue to address one of the biggest obstacles (Inaudible) or decide against coming here in the first place.

And that's housing affordability.

Taking on this issue, guys, is a win-win-win.

By making housing more affordable, we will create more good paying jobs.

We will grow our economy.

And we will turn more renters into homeowners.

Last year... [ Applause ] LASTED YEAR WE WORKED TOGETHER TO CRAFT AND PASS ONE OF THE MOST AGGRESSIVE HOUSING PACKAGES OF ANY MARYLAND GOVERNOR IN RECENT HISTORY.

This year we are going to keep working together because we are coming back for more.

Yes.

[ Applause ] And lastly, lastly investing in our people means following data.

And the data is telling us that we need to have a greater statewide focus on supporting and elevating our men and boys.

It's not just that in Maryland labor force participation for young men is nearly the lowest that we have seen in two decades.

It's also that suicide rates amongst men under 30 have been more-- have been up by more than a third since 2010.

Across the country college attainment levels are now the same as they were for men and boys as they were in 1964.

And Maryland still sends youth under the age of 18 to our state prisons at twice the national rate.

Guys, the data is telling us a clear message.

WE NEED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH OUR MEN AND BOYS.

This administration remains steadfast and our support of all Marylanders, regardless of their gender or their background.

And as the father of both a son and a daughter, I want both of my children to grow up with all of their God honoring and God given opportunities.

But if we want to truly unleash the power of Maryland's labor force, we need to make sure that our men and boys are all right and that our men and boys are not continuing to fall behind.

[ Applause ] Now I strongly believe that our mission to uplift men and boys is not in conflict with our values to leave no one behind.

It's actually in concert with it.

In the words of a great Marylander, Frederick Douglass, it's easier to build strong children than it is to repair broken men.

Now we have already started working on this and finding ways to uplift our men and boys and help support the aspirations of all Marylanders.

That together in 2023, we launched a first in the nation service year option to help high school graduates find their path and find their purpose.

[ Applause ] That in 2024, we made sure we rewarded our service members through policies to both support veterans and military families.

And.

[ Applause ] And in 2025, I will be directing my entire administration to begin implementing target the solutions to uplift our men and boys.

[ Applause ] And part of the work must include removing the barriers that are holding many of them back from participating in the labor force, including our returning citizens.

[ APPLAUSE ] A cornerstone of our effort this year will be helping to ensure that we confront this myth that every single sentence needs to be treated like a life sentence.

[ Applause ] And that is why this session, I have introduced legislation to build on the historic cannabis pardons that I signed into law last year, the largest state pardon in our nation's history.

[ Applause ] Our new bill would expand eligibility for expungement by allowing individuals who violate their parole or probation to petition to have their records wiped clean.

This legislation will help us build stronger pipelines to fulfilling careers and have a real and tangible impact on Marylanders of all backgrounds, including our men and boys.

It's men like Carlos, Carlos is a reverend at new Shilo Baptist church.

He is also a member of we are us, a non-profit that yes-- [ Applause ] A non-profit that connects men and boys with mentorship in their communities.

And over these last years, Carlos has served our state with distinction.

Serving our communities, helping our children.

But back in the early 2000s, he was addicted to cocaine and heroin.

His dependence on substance abuse was so overpowering that he continued to use even after he was arrested on a drug charge.

And as a result of his addiction, he violated the terms of his probation.

And under current Maryland law, Carlos can never have his record wiped clean.

Ever.

Our bill would change that.

So he... [ Applause ] So he can petition for expungement so every time Carlos applies for a job or a home loan, he doesn't constantly have to be shadowed by decision that he made decades ago.

And Carlos, I'm thankful to say, is with us today.

And Carlos, can we please ask you to stand.

[ Applause ] Carlos, this body, we are going to get this done.

And thank you so much for being here today.

So my fellow Marylanders.

These are the three pillars of our approach to confront this moment of crisis with courage.

First, we will invest in industries of the future that will grow and diversify our economy.

Second, we will reform the tax system to make it simpler, fairer and pro-growth.

And third, we will invest in our people.

I don't want to suggest it is going to be easy because it is not.

We face not only a test of our aspirations, but our fidelity to a long tradition of what defying the odds look like when other people say things are impossible.

After all, what is Maryland if not a family that is bound by challenge and also by shared aspirations.

The fabric of this nation was knit here.

Our greatest crises have been faced and fought here.

We cannot forget that this is the northern most southen state in America let's be clear.

The bloodiest battles of the Civil War were fought here.

[ APPLAUSE ] The blueprint for our nation's unity in the face of division was established on our land.

And we persevered.

It's the story of Douglas and Tubman.

They risked their lives for the cause of freedom.

It's the story of Jackson and marshal, who changed the rules of a society where they said separate could never mean equal.

[ Applause ] And it's their courage in the face of crisis that lives within us.

We are the ones who are rising before the sun.

We are the farmer who is tilling the land.

We are the teacher who is inspiring their classroom.

We are the craftsmen who are leading their union hall.

We are the researcher who is curing diseases.

We are the minister who is uplifting their congregation even when the congregation is still searching for something to believe in.

They set the standard for what our work must look like and we are going to need their help and the help of each and every Marylander to ensure that we seize the opportunities and that we answer this crisis with calm and clarity.

But here's the thing.

I don't need to tell anybody in this chamber about what I'm talking about.

Because you all have been doing it long before I was ever elected.

You are the ones who held firm during the great recession when this state needed your leadership you are the once who kept the state moving even when you were forced to leave Annapolis in the middle of a session during the onset of COVID-19.

And when the Francis Scott key bridge collapsed and our people were calling for swift action, in the face of that crisis, you were the ones who came together within days to craft and pass the port act to make sure that our dock workers were not left behind.

[ APPLAUSE ] SO LISTEN, GUYS.

We are Maryland.

We step up and we stand tall.

That is always what we have done.

We answer the call when crisis comes and not with fear, but with determination.

The example that the divers showed last week, when they work through the night.

It's the example of the people in this room who have helped to steer our state through troubled waters before.

And it's the example of four very special guests who I would like to honor as I close today's remarks.

We all remember where we were on March 26 and how we heard that the key bridge had just collapsed.

A ship, the size of three football fields slamming into our iconic key bridge, which then collapsed and fell into the river instantaneously.

But just moments, just moments before that fatal tragedy, there were MDTA police officers who helped to rescue those in trouble and who cleared the bridge to keep drivers from meeting a fatal journey in the pitch of the dark.

While we slept, they met the moment.

Along with our dispatchers and other first responders from across the state and in the process, they literally saved countless lives.

And they're here with us today and I would like to ask each and every one of them to stand as I recognize them by name.

Corporal Jeremy Herbert.

[ Applause ] Officer Garry Kirtz.

[ Applause ] Sergeant Paul Pastorek.

And officer Timothy babliss.

[ Applause ] These are four of the most extraordinary Marylanders I've ever met.

People who responded to the moment because our people needed it.

And right now, guys, the people of Maryland are calling us on us to follow their example, to choose the tough thing instead of the simple thing.

To confront crisis with compassion and courage and competence and calm.

To meet the moment and to prove that we can stare down our greatest challenges no knowing that we won't flinch.

That challenge will.

Many Marylanders are scared.

They're trying to figure out where things are and how things are going for them and their families.

They're looking to us to provide the solutions.

To know they're going to be okay.

And I know we are not going to agree on everything.

But I want us to agree on this.

Let's stand united in our commitment to working together Democrats and Republicans, to do what is required in this moment.

Let's prove the sceptics wrong.

Let's put the politics to the side.

Let's answer this crisis with courage.

Let's rally together as one state and as one people and let's weather these two storms as we always have and as we always will.

Together.

Because in this moment, we will show those who came before us and those who come after us that this body and this state THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THE ASSIGNMENT.

Thank you all very much.

God bless this state and let's leave no one behind.

[ Applause ] >> Jeff: Maryland Governor Wes Moore delivering his third annual State of the State message to the Maryland General Assembly.

Now we bring you a Republican view of the State of Our state with house minority leader delegate Jason Buckle.

>> Good afternoon.

I'm delegate Jason Buckle from Allegany county in western Maryland.

I have the privilege to serve as the minority leader in the house of delegates and in that capacity, I join you today to give the Republican view of oyer OF OUR GREAT STATE.

At this moment Maryland is truly as a crossroads.

In one direction is the path our state has followed for decades, one of uncontrolled government growth and fool issue partisan policies that always result in chronic budget deficits, astonishing increases in the cost of living, and calls by complicit politicians for higher taxes on everything under the sun.

It is a path that relies too much on the over taxation of its citizens and the federal government's largess.

On this path, Maryland's economy has remained at best stagnant with little population growth as private sector job creators and hard working families flee our state.

Maryland has been ranked 49th in private sector job creation.

We are 46th in the nation in domestic migration.

The percentage of residents leaving Maryland for other states.

It is this path that has brought us to the $3 billion deficit we are currently facing which is expected to grow to an over $6 billion deficit by fiscal year 2030.

Some leaders seem to be more interested in assigning blame for who is responsible for these disaster in the making shortfalls than in fixing our fundamental problems.

What I would submit to you, is that regardless of who has served as governor or from which political party they hail, it is the Maryland General Assembly that bears the most responsibility in all of these matters.

It is the General Assembly that, under a Democratic super majority for generations, has consistently prioritized policies that punish Maryland consumers, taxpayers, rate payers, motorists and businesses.

It is the General Assembly that has allowed virtually unchecked spending increases without any evidence that spending more has produced better results and blocked the actions of governors who have tried to rein in spending from the past.

For Maryland to succeed, we must choose a new path.

Governor Moore claims his budget is a pragmatic mix of tax cuts for the middle-class, tax increases for only the wealthiest Marylanders and real spending reductions.

However, governor Moore's spending cuts are not what they appear to be.

The largest cut in governor Moore's budget is not a cut at all, but merely a decision not to put $420 million into the rainy day fund, our state's savings account.

He also shifts $145 million of spending on to the backs of local governments who will, as a result, likely be enforced to increase local taxes.

The truth is we are spending more on education, more on healthcare, more on mass transit and more on state government employee costs than last year.

That proposal is not ground breaking or even creative.

It merely perpetuates the same spend and tax cycle that has haunted our state and burdened our taxpayers for entirely too long.

When it comes to taxation, the governor's budget merely gives with one hand while taking with the other and he is taking far more than he gives.

Where he modestly cuts income taxes for the middle-class, reducing their tax rate by less than one tenth of a percentage point, he also eliminates itemization of deductions such as interest on your home mortgage, causing many middle-class taxpayers to pay more.

His elimination of the vehicle trade-in allowance will increase taxes on most new car purchases by an average of $1200.

He seeks, for the first time, a fee on the delivery of any product like pizza or your Amazon order which will cost many Maryland familiar families hundreds of dollars a year in new taxes.

There have been more than 400 individual new taxes or fees on Marylanders since governor Moore took office through both his actions and proposals and the actions of the legislature.

Those new or increased taxes and fees are paid by Maryland's small business owners, service providers, farmers, motorists and families.

It is important to recognize perhaps the most beleaguered and exploited group of tax and fee payers in our state.

Maryland's motorists.

Those individuals who buy, own and drive vehicles contribute nearly 50% of the revenue that feeds the transportation trust fund through registration and titling fees, excise taxes and gas taxes.

Governor Moore's budget plans to take an additional $195 million from the pockets of these Marylanders.

If the bulk of those dollars were being invested in Maryland's roads, highways and bridges, this might be a little easier for motorists to take.

But less than a quarter of transportation trust fund spending goes to Maryland's roads and bridges while more than 50% is spent on mass transit, which only a small percentage of Marylanders actually utilize.

New taxes are not the only place the governor and our Democratic friends in Annapolis are making life difficult for our citizens.

Maryland's environmental interest groups and lawmakers beholden to them have a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions BY 60% IN A FEW YEARS, and reach net zero emissions by 2045, seemingly at any cost.

As a result, Maryland's families and businesses are being crushed under the weight of high energy prices.

Maryland's five existing fossil fuel power plants are being forced to close due to failed Democratic policies and energy costs are therefore skyrocketing.

At the same time, some Marylanders are facing the threat of having their property values destroyed, or their property even seized to build new power lines from Pennsylvania because our state has to import electricity to meet the needs of our electric grid.

Maryland's misguided obsession with offshore wind has and will continue to increase costs for rate payers as we invest in a financial boon boondoggle that destroys our views and destroys our marine life.

INCREDIBLY, Maryland has adopted California's comptroller emission standards that would ban the sale of new gasoline powered vehicles by 2035, increasing costs on vehicle purchases and endangering jobs at vehicle dealerships across our state.

Republicans prioritize clean air, clean water and conserving our state's natural resources as much as anyone.

But our state's environmental goals are not only unattainable by practical standards, but they're the outrageous costs are financially suffocating our citizens.

Environmental activism gone wild is not is the only cost driver here in Annapolis.

There is a repeated refrain from Maryland's Democratic leaders that this year's deficit is not caused by the massive education spending program known as the blue print, because it is fully funded.

That is, at best, a disingenuous position.

What they mean is this year, the blueprint fund covers the cost of the blueprint and no additional monies from other state government funds will be needed to cover the costs.

What they choose to ignore is that the dollars in the blueprint fund represent Maryland's tax monies previously spent in other areas of government that are now being used exclusively to fund the blueprint this includes 12% of the state's total sales tax revenue.

And in total this year alone, the blueprint fund includes about $1 billion in revenue that used to be available for things like healthcare, economic development, public safety and our infrastructure needs.

Put another way, if we simply used the alleged blueprint fund to pay for our state government's other ongoing obligations there would be no real need for the billion dollars in tax hikes governor Moore is requesting.

TO SAY THE BLUEPRINTED IS NOT CONTRIBUTING TO MARYLAND'S DEFICIT IS JUST NOT TRUE.

As Maryland sits at this crossroads, my Republican colleagues in the General Assembly all agree that our current path is unsustainable.

Every year we come to Annapolis with new ideas and solutions to try to make Maryland a better place to live, work and raise a family.

We advocate for truly lowering our tax burden, spurring private sector job growth and cracking down on violent criminals.

We push to align our energy policies with common sense and with our regional neighbors in Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Most importantly, we work to make sure Maryland citizens are getting the most bang for their buck possible in funding critical objectives like education and transportation.

Marylanders from Oakland to Ocean City, from Denton and all our neighborhoods in between are begging for relief.

They're demanding we do better.

As Maryland stands at this crossroads, it is time to change our path.

What direction will we take.

Thank you.

>> For more on the State of the State and all the week's news from Annapolis, join us for "State Circle" Friday evening at 7.

Now for all of us at MPT, thank you for watching.