Yesterday, Governor Moore announced his proposed budget for FY 2027 which focuses on three core priorities: protecting our people, driving down costs for working families, and strengthening our state’s economic competitiveness—all without raising taxes or fees.
The proposal makes nearly $900 million in targeted cuts and other cost-saving measures while also maintaining an eight percent in the Rainy Day Fund and a minimum cash balance of over $100 million. It also includes a record $124 million for local police agencies—a $2 million increase over last year, a historic $10.2 billion for K-12 schools, and builds on investments that have driven major job-creating projects to Maryland such as Sphere, AstraZeneca, and Samsung Biologics in just the last few months.
Here’s what Marylanders are reading:
As Maryland looks to address a $1.4 billion budget shortfall, Governor Wes Moore announced Tuesday he wants to increase spending on public safety and education as he unveiled his proposed FY 2027 budget.
Blaming the cuts by the Trump administration on the federal workforce for the budget gap, Moore said he will not raise taxes and fees on Marylanders.
“We know the realities of what this means. We know the numbers. And Maryland is going to be forced to do more with less,” Moore said. “Being fiscally responsible and being fiscally disciplined does not mean we stop investing in what matters most to the people of the state of Maryland. But it does mean that we are going to be more targeted, we’re going to be more data-driven about how we invest.”
Instead his proposal balances the budget with targeted cuts and transfers from other state funds into the general fund. Moore said it will maintain the Rainy Day Fund at 8 percent and cut operating expenses by $154 million.
As the budget now goes into the hands of the General Assembly, Moore called on state lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to work together to address the state’s budget woes.
“They’re counting on us to tackle everyday problems with discipline, with persistence, with bold and tangible solutions, not just today, but for our tomorrow,” Moore said. “They’re counting on us to make sure that from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, everybody is seen inside the budget that we are laying out. That this is a time to prove that we are not going to do politics as usual here.”
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Key Highlights
Public Safety
- Record $124.1 million for law enforcement through the State Aid for Police Protection Program.
- $10.6 million to expand community-based programs for justice-involved youth.
- $30 million to support aging correctional facilities statewide.
Lowering Costs
- $306 million for clean and renewable energy programs to help lower utility bills.
- $414 million to sustain the Child Care Scholarship Program and $32 million to combat child poverty through the ENOUGH initiative.
- Major investments in affordable housing, including funding for vacant property redevelopment, rental housing, and homeownership assistance.
Community Revitalization
- $73.7 million for 252 revitalization projects across Maryland, with nearly two-thirds directed to historically underserved “Just Communities.”
Economic Competitiveness
- Continued investment in making Maryland the “Capital of Quantum,” including funding for IonQ’s new headquarters, quantum research facilities, and workforce development.
- More than $100 million in targeted business tax cuts and investments to diversify the state’s economy.
- Funding for major projects expected to create thousands of jobs, including Sphere at National Harbor and expansions by AstraZeneca, which the governor says will bring 2,500 jobs during the construction phase, 4,750 jobs once operational, and is expected to generate $1 billion in economic impact annually.
Education
- A historic $10.2 billion investment in K-12 education, a $373.8 million increase over FY 2026.
- Increased funding for school construction, literacy and math coaching, community schools, and efforts to reduce teacher vacancies.
The administration says it will continue working with the General Assembly to finalize a balanced budget that delivers results for Maryland families while investing in long-term growth.
Contact: Carter Elliott, IV [email protected]