U.S. REP. HARRIS WARNS STATE ON NOT COMPLYING WITH TRUMP POLICIES: U.S. Rep. Andy Harris (R-Maryland), who heads the Freedom Caucus made up of conservative U.S. House members, said Tuesday he expects President-elect Donald Trump will withhold federal dollars from those who don’t comply with mass deportation and other policies — potentially even in Harris’ home state of Maryland. Harris’ comments came during a press conference to debut the Maryland House of Delegates’ Freedom Caucus, a bloc of half a dozen conservative state delegates modeled after the U.S. House caucus. Paul Kiefer of Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter.
LEGISLATORS TO BEGIN TACKLING MOORE BUDGET PROPOSAL: State officials will wrestle over a new state budget in the coming weeks, no small task given the massive budget deficit they’re facing. Gov. Wes Moore’s new budget proposal kicks off a season of debate, in which lawmakers will weigh the state’s needs against the cost of meeting them. What are some of the key questions on their minds?Adriana Navarro of Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter.
- Moore’s proposed $67.3 billion spending plan — a 1% increase compared to the current year — includes $2 billion in cuts and efficiencies to help close projected $3 billion deficit in fiscal 2026. At the same time, it will offer a tax break he hopes will “energize” the state economy. And it has an income tax increase on the wealthiest Maryalnders. Bryan Sears and Danielle Brown/Maryland Matters.
- Moore is proposing an income tax hike on the wealthiest 18% of Marylanders — while offering modest tax relief to others — as part of his plans to close a nearly $3 billion gap in the state’s budget. Pamela Wood, Brenda Wintrode and Madeleine O’Neill/The Baltimore Banner.
- Moore cast his plan as an approach that reins in expenditures while also investing $750 million in economic growth, especially in emerging industries such as cybersecurity, defense contracting, quantum computing and life sciences. Katie Shepherd and Katie Mettler/The Washington Post.
REPUBLICANS SAY MOORE BUDGET SEEMS ‘ENCOURAGING:’ Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey, who expressed early optimism about finding a solution to balance the state’s budget without tax increases, said Wednesday that Moore’s efforts to close the $3 billion deficit in his proposed $67.3 billion budget appeared “encouraging,” though proposed tax increases to higher-income individuals could negatively impact small businesses. Natalie Jones/The Baltimore Sun.
CONSERVATIVE GROUP WANTS ATTY GEN BROWN INVESTIGATED: A conservative watchdog group tracking high-ranking officials it believes are at odds with the incoming Republican Trump administration wants two Maryland agencies and the IRS to investigate state Attorney General Anthony Brown, a Democrat, for alleged campaign finance and state ethics violations. Glynis Kazanjian/The Baltimore Sun.
MOORE PROPOSED MAKING STATE ‘QUANTUM CAPITAL:’ Gov. Moore is pledging to make Maryland the “quantum capital of the world,” proposing a significant investment into the industry of super-fast computing amid a budget crisis in the state. Jack Bowman of Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter.
BALTIMORE LIGHT RAIL UPGRADES IN STATE TRANSIT PLANS: Baltimore’s light rail, once at risk of losing a massive federal grant to replace its decrepit fleet of trains, will get the money it needs after all in the state’s finalized six-year transportation spending plan, said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld. Daniel Zawodny/The Baltimore Banner.
CHANGES & DELAYS LIKELY IN STORE FOR EDUCATION BLUEPRINT: Four years after Maryland lawmakers approved an ambitious reform plan to pump billions into the state’s public schools, Gov. Wes Moore (D) and state superintendents are seeking to make changes or delay some requirements. Nicole Asbury/The Washington Post.
BILL WOULD END PRACTICE OF CHARGING YOUTHS AS ADULTS: Legislation to end the practice of charging youths as adults is a priority of the Office of the Public Defender, which is scheduled to outline its legislative agenda Thursday during a rally at Lawyers’ Mall in Annapolis. It’s also among 18 recommendation scheduled to be released in a report this month by the Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative, which Public Defender Natasha Dartigue and Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) serve as co-chairs. William Ford/Maryland Matters.
JUVENILE SERVICES SECTY GRILLED ON STAFFING, REPEAT OFFENDERS: A Maryland Senate panel grilled Juvenile Services Secretary Vincent Schiraldi Wednesday on a “troubling” report on the agency’s performance, including concerns about staffing and juveniles who recommit crimes and are returned to the department’s custody. William Ford/Maryland Matters.
BROWN SUES REALPAGE AS RENT PRICES SOAR: Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown is the latest top legal officer to sue RealPage, a commercial software platform, for using an algorithm to inflate rent prices. Six Maryland landlords also are named as plaintiffs. The suit follows a remarkably similar one refiled last week by the U.S. Department of Justice. That suit, co-signed by 10 states and commonwealths, asserts that RealPage worked closely and frequently with rental companies to jack up rents and minimize free-market competition. Hallie Miller/The Baltimore Banner.
BIRD FLU COULD BRING MAJOR FINANCIAL LOSSES TO THE STATE: If avian flu cases continue to spread on the Eastern Shore, it may bring financial difficulty to the area, officials say. According to to the National Chicken Council in 2024, the chicken industry accounted for as much as $5.46 billion in the state’s revenue. Containing this problem and not letting it spread is key to maintaining those numbers. Ahmad Garnett/The Easton Star Democrat.
BA CO IG CLEARS PLANNING BOARD MEMBER OF MISCONDUCT: Baltimore County’s inspector general has cleared a Planning Board member of alleged misconduct arising from applications to rezone properties outside of their area of responsibility, but says the board should establish rules to prevent similar actions. Danny Nguyen/The Baltimore Banner.
DEPUTY STATE PROSECUTOR PREPS TO CHALLENGE SHELLENBERGER IN 2026: The calendar may have recently turned to 2025, but that doesn’t mean some people aren’t already looking to 2026. One such individual is the well-connected deputy Maryland state prosecutor Sarah David, who has been raising money behind the scenes to unseat longtime Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger in next year’s Democratic primary. Lee O. Sanderlin/The Baltimore Banner.
