Gov. Larry Hogan wants to take more control of the budget process as a way of steering Maryland toward long-term fiscal health.
The Republican governor outlined his spending priorities for his second year in office on Thursday. While not mentioning his Democratic predecessor, Martin O'Malley, by name, Hogan said the state's finances were chronically mismanaged for eight years.
Hogan says he will fully fund all spending increases that are required by law. Those mandates account for 83 percent of the state budget. But in exchange, he won't allow the Democratic-controlled legislature to tweak funding formulas as it has in the past.
Hogan also plans to propose $400 million in tax cuts over five years. Democratic House Speaker Michael Busch says he's curious about how those cuts would be paid for.
