30 Maryland Organizations Criticize Gov. Hogan’s Approach to the Budget
30 organizations, and some individual community leaders, endorsed this statement about the budget cuts proposed by Governor Larry Hogan June 26, 2020:
“Governor Hogan is taking the wrong approach to managing the state budget during this economic downturn. His proposed cuts would hurt public schools, colleges, programs serving people with disabilities, efforts to mitigate the climate crisis, and behavioral health programs. We can’t afford to further hurt people during a public health crisis and inhibit our economic recovery.
“At a minimum, the Board of Public Works should delay its action and give the public a chance to consider these proposed cuts and weigh in on how public funds should be spent. The Board should reject cuts that harm Marylanders and make it harder to deliver vital public services.
“In these extraordinary times, the governor should be looking carefully for resources to keep delivering for Maryland’s working families. Governor Hogan should continue to work with our congressional delegation to get federal aid to help state and local governments balance their budgets, and ensure that the state is using other fiscal resources at its disposal. Permits for solar and wind power projects could also be accelerated by state agencies, speeding up job creation and additional tax revenue to counties and the state.
“The state should also consider additional revenue options to balance the budget. The House of Delegates passed legislation during the truncated 2020 session to ensure big corporations pay their fair share of profits earned in Maryland. The legislature should revisit those bills and other revenue measures as soon as possible.”
Signers:
1199SEIU
Advocates for Children and Youth
AFSCME Council 3
Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS)
Baltimore Child Abuse Center
CASH Campaign of Maryland
Catholic Community of St Anthony of Padua, St Dominic & Most Precious Blood
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Community Development Network of Maryland
Communities United
Decoding Dyslexia Maryland
Disability Rights Maryland
Kalman R. Hettleman
League of Women Voters-Maryland
Marylanders Against Poverty
Maryland Center on Economic Policy
Maryland Coalition for Community Schools
Maryland Education Coalition (MEC)
Maryland Fair Funding Coalition
Maryland Legislative Coalition
Maryland Parent Teachers Association (MDPTA)
Maryland Pesticide Education Network
Maryland Out of School Time Network
NAACP Maryland State Conference
National Association of Social Workers – MD Chapter
Progressive Maryland
Public Justice Center
Sierra Club Maryland Chapter
SEIU Local 500
Sharon Rubinstein
Strong Schools Maryland
Teachers’ Democracy Project