GOV. MOORE PITCHES HISTORIC EDUCATION FUNDING HIKE AMID $1.4B SHORTFALL: Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday proposed a $373.8 million increase in the education budget, pitching what he called a historic investment in schools even as the state heads into a looming $1.4 billion budget deficit expected to dominate the next legislative session. Josh Davis and Luke Parker/The Baltimore Sun.
‘WE MUST RESPECT AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER’: HOYER TELLS THE U.S. HOUSE HE’S RETIRING: Maryland Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer announced Thursday he will retire from Congress at the end of this year, telling colleagues from both political parties in a floor speech he made the decision with “mixed emotion and reluctant conviction.” Jennifer Shutt/Maryland Matters.
- An emotional Hoyer took the podium on the floor of the U.S. House to say he would not seek another term, noting his long career has had more days of “diamonds than stone.” Brenda Wintrode/The Baltimore Banner.
- In the hours after Rep. Steny Hoyer announced his retirement, the praise coming from elected leaders at all levels in the state of Maryland was like a tidal wave. Democrats, and especially the ones from Prince George’s County, couldn’t stop gushing over the impact Hoyer had as a lawmaker and as a person. John Domen/WTOP News.
BWI’S $425M EXPANSION OPENS: BWI Marshall Airport’s $425 million Terminal A/B connector expansion is set to open for travelers on Friday, and Gov. Wes Moore visited the site Thursday evening. Benjamin Rothstein/The Baltimore Sun.
WHISTLEBLOWERS ALLEGE SCHEME TO AVOID FEDERAL SNAP PENALTIES: Two senior state officials are alleged to have hatched a plan to maintain a high error rate on food stamp payments — rather than making every effort to correct the errors, as their department is supposed to do — to delay hundreds of millions of dollars in federal penalties, according to multiple whistleblowers who spoke with Spotlight on Maryland. Brooke Conrad/Spotlight on Maryland/The Baltimore Sun.
PLANS FOR HISTORICALLY EXPENSIVE B’MORE JAIL NOW UP TO $1.2 BILLION: The cost to build a new jail in downtown Baltimore — which would already be the most expensive state-funded project ever — has shot up by roughly $200 million, bringing the estimated price tag to nearly $1.2 billion. Ben Conarck/The Baltimore Banner.
OLSZEWSKI WANTS TO RESTRICT TRUMP’S WAR POWERS IN VENEZUELA: U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski says he will vote in favor of upcoming legislation to restrict the president’s power to take further military action in Venezuela. Scott Maucione/WYPR.
LAWMAKERS TO RECEIVE INTERIM FOSTER CARE REPORT AMID FOCUS ON SHORT TERM SOLUTION: As lawmakers prepare to head back to Annapolis for the 2026 legislative session, a workgroup aiming to improve foster care protections and placement settings is expected to have recommendations ready, despite a sluggish start to their work. Mikenzie Frost/Fox 45 News.
B’MORE GROUPS PROTEST ICE IN AFTERMATH OF MINNESOTA SHOOTING: Baltimore protesters are pushing back against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after an ICE officer fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday. Adam Thompson, Bryant Reed/CBS Baltimore.
BWI PROTESTS FELL SHORT BUT AVELO WILL END DEPORTATION FLIGHTS: Avelo this week announced that it was suspending its contract with the federal government and would end its charter flights later this month for immigrants targeted for deportation. The contract was worth an estimated $150 million. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.
TEACHER PAY, CAPITAL SPENDING HOT TOPICS AT ARUNDEL BUDGET HEARING: The Southern High School community advocated for renovations, and teachers reiterated their demand for improved cost-of-living raises at an Anne Arundel County Public Schools budget hearing Thursday. Bridget Byrne/The Baltimore Sun.
CARROLL HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAM INCOME CALCULATIONS COULD CHANGE: Carroll County residents who use housing choice vouchers could see a change in the way their income is calculated by the end of 2026, if federal officials move up their implementation date. Lily Carey/Carroll County Times.
You know what sounds like a good idea? Proposing increases in education funding while dealing with a $1.4 Billion deficit. Like are these people absolutely void of any mathematical skill? This is absolutely moronic.
Oh and we have a scheme by senior officials over SNAP? They need to be prosecuted at best and fired at least. So sick of all this corruption within our state institutions.
And WTF $1.2 billion for a jail? If i didn’t know better I’d think we were building the key bridge in the middle of the city. I’m also sick of every damn building contract always needing more money. If these organizations that bid on these contracts can’t keep their promise why do we continue to utilize them? Why are we not prosecuting them for fraud? If you say I can do project for x in x amount of time and you don’t complete it, then you need to go to jail, not get free passes and more money. You lied!
When are we going to start holding people accountable? I’m sick of my taxes going up with all of this fraud going on.