ANNAPOLIS – Senate President Bill Ferguson warned Friday that new decisions by President Donald Trump’s administration could force much deeper cuts to state programs than those already proposed.
Lawmakers are concerned that Republican moves in Washington could mean millions more in reductions to the state’s budget.
“The reality is, it’s worse than we expected,” Ferguson, a Democrat representing Baltimore City, told reporters.
With Maryland facing a large budget shortfall, state officials are already weighing tough choices. In January, Gov. Wes Moore proposed a budget plan to address Maryland’s $3 billion deficit that included cuts to education and services for people with developmental disabilities.
Now, Medicaid cuts under consideration at the federal level could shift even more of a financial burden onto the state, potentially requiring lawmakers to find hundreds of millions more in additional cuts. Ferguson warned that federal cost-shifting or cuts to Medicaid could have “a devastating impact on the state of Maryland.”
“We’re going to have to really look deeply at cuts,” he said.
Ferguson noted that federal funding for the Key Bridge rebuild could be at risk despite a bill passed by the last Congress last year.
There could also be more local consequences to the cuts in the federal workforce. Each civil servant position lost affects the private sector jobs that make up a significant portion of Maryland’s employment base.
“This is going to have an enormously negative impact on Maryland’s economy and our ability to invest in our priorities,” Ferguson said.
In a statement to Capital News Service, Moore’s office said their administration are doing their best to stay on top of the situation.
“The Moore-Miller administration is continuing to monitor the movements and dialogue in Washington while working with our federal delegation so Maryland is prepared for any eventuality,” the statement said. “Governor Moore will continue to work in partnership with the dedicated leaders of the general assembly to pass a budget that makes Maryland safer, more affordable, more competitive, and the state that serves.”