What They Are Saying …

Governor Larry Hogan’s FY16 Budget Is “Balanced," "Evenhanded," and

puts "Maryland on the path to prosperity"

Senate Minority Leader J.B. Jennings (R): “In 24 hours he’s been able to do something that hasn’t been done in 10 years in bringing spending in line with revenue.” (Michael Dresser and Erin Cox, Hogan budget would cut state worker pay, city school aid, The Baltimore Sun, 01/22/15)
Senate President Mike Miller (D): “In terms of priorities – in terms of our priorities – he recognized them, and he dealt with them and the cuts weren’t as severe as could have been.” (Brian Witte, Hogan says budget has limits, butprovides record K-12 funds, The Capital Gazette, 01/23/15)

Senate President Mike Miller (D): [Hogan] “has done the best he can with what he has available to him.”(Hogan Unveils First Budget, WBAL News Radio 1090, 01/22/15)
House Speaker Mike Busch (D): “He was very gracious in saying he was open to discussion on all the issues that are in front of us, but he was committed to balancing the budget.” (Pat Warren, Hogan Introduces Budget Plan,CBS Baltimore, 01/22/15)
House Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga (R): “It is a great plan. This is what happens when you put a businessman in the governor’s mansion. It’s a plan that shows you can’t spend more than you get and you can’t solve Maryland’s problems with budget gimmicks.” (John Wagner and Ovetta Wiggins, Hogan's plan to cut salaries, education spending will test call for bipartisanship, The Washington Post, 01/22/15)

•        [Hogan] “is taking responsible steps to put Maryland on the path to prosperity.”

Senator George Edwards (R): “What we’ve got here is evidence of Gov. Hogan following through on his campaign trail promises. Plenty of people doubted that he could balance the budget without raising taxes or fees, but that’s exactly what he’s done. (Kaustuv Basu, Hogan's budget draws praise and criticism, Herald Mail Media, 01/25/15)

Anne Arundel’s County Executive Steve Schuh (R): “Governor Hogan is making the tough decisions to put Maryland on a fiscally sustainable path with a balanced, no new taxes budget.” (County Executive Steve Schuh, “County Executive Steve Schuh Releases Statement onGovernor’s Proposed Budget,” Press Release, 01/23/15)

•        “By slowing the rate of growth in state spending and setting clear priorities, the Governor’s budget will lead to a more efficient use of tax dollars, while maintaining a record level of education spending.

•        “After forty increases in taxes and fees in the last 8 years, the people of Maryland finally have a governor who understands raising taxes on working families is not the answer. I look forward to working with the Governor as we help secure the financial future of our state and the next generation of Anne Arundel County citizens.”

Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker II (D): “The big part of what was slowing us down was whether, in fact, the new administration will support the hospital and put the new money in there. Now, with this, I think we can move full-steam ahead.” (John Wagner and Arelis Hernandez, Md. Gov. Hogan's first budget reins in rise in education spending, imposes agency cuts, The Washington Post, 01/23/15)

The Washington Post Editorial Board: “Mr. Hogan proposes a sensible approach to spending cuts.” (Editorial,Mr. Hogan proposes a sensibleapproach to spending cuts, The Washington Post, 01/22/15)

•        “On balance, the cuts endorsed by Mr. Hogan, a Republican, look judicious…”

•        “Together, these measures amount to a reasonably even-handed approach to budgeting…”

Frederick News-Post Editorial Board: “Hogan is off to a good start…the budget is balanced, closing an anticipated shortfall of $750 million, and the painful cuts Hogan said might have to be made don’t seem as awful as they were made out to be.” (Editorial, Hogan is off to a good start, The Frederick Post, 01/23/15)
The Capital Gazette Editorial Board: “But this is why Hogan was elected – to give state taxpayers a break by throttling back on spending to the extent possible.” (Editorial, Our say: Hogan's budget doesn't give us shivers, The Capital Gazette, 01/25/15)

•        “…what we’ve seen so far, in general, is promising.”

Cecil Daily’s Editorial Board: “His fiscal year 2016 budget cuts all agency spending by 2 percent, but increases funding for K-12 schools and higher education. Bureaucracy in Maryland has been riding high on the hog ever over the past eight years of the O’Malley administration, so we certainly welcome news that the Republican governor doesn’t plan to back down on his big campaign promises. Keep up the good work.” (Editorial, All thumbs, Cecil Daily, 01/23/15)

CEO of the Tech Council of Maryland, Philip Schiff: “I think the message in this first round is, ‘I believe in the business community and the tech and life sciences.’ We knew everyone would have to take a hit somewhere.” (Scott Dance, Hogan's budget includes some cuts, some statusquo for economic development programs, The Baltimore Sun, 01/25/15)

Coalition for Smarter Growth Executive Director Stewart Schwartz: “We were pleased to see that both Purple Line and Red Line funding remaining in Governor Hogan’s first Maryland budget. The Purple Line is a good deal for Maryland, good for jobs, good for the economy and good for commuters.” (Aaron Kraut, Purple Line Funding in Hogan's Budget, For Now, Bethesda Now, 01/22/15)

Executive Director of the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund, Dan Dincel: “We are incredibly pleased that Gov. Hogan and his team recognize the substantial value of the Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission's work and the critical funding it is able to provide for best-in-class scientists who choose to do their groundbreaking life science research in the State of Maryland.” (Scott Dance, Hogan's budget includes some cuts, some statusquo for economic development programs, The Baltimore Sun, 01/25/15)