Wes Moore inherited a historic $5.5 billion surplus. He didn’t protect it. He blew it. Then he passed the largest tax and fee hike in Maryland history, hitting families, workers, small businesses, drivers, and consumers across the board. And after all of that, Maryland is still staring at a $1.4 billion deficit.
Now the legislative session is underway, and Moore is back with a familiar promise: “no new taxes.” We’ve heard this before.
Last year, Moore said the bar for raising taxes was high. Then he jumped right over it. Taxes went up. Fees went up. The cost of living went up. And Marylanders were told that 94 percent of them wouldn’t feel it, even as their bills told a very different story.
This is gaslighting. You don’t get to torch the largest surplus in state history, empty people’s wallets, and then pretend you’re suddenly a champion of affordability. You don’t get to claim fiscal responsibility after creating the biggest mess in a generation.
Polls now show most Marylanders already believe they pay too much in taxes. They’re right. They’re paying for reckless spending, poor priorities, and a governor who refuses to own his failures.
The session has started. The excuses are already rolling. But the record is clear, and Marylanders are watching closely.
