Dear Friends,
At this point in the legislative session, we are in the thick of bill and budget hearings. I serve on the Health and Human Services subcommittee of the Budget and Tax Committee (B&T) and a few times a week, cabinet secretaries from state agencies appear before us to discuss their FY ‘26 budget. The Department of Legislative Services issues a budget analysis, looking over the past year to identify trends, raise issues, and make recommendations that B&T will take into consideration as we work from the Governor’s budget to adopt a balanced FY ’26 budget.
This year, the House considers the budget first – beginning in subcommittees, then in the full Appropriations Committee, before passage by the full House. Once the House passes a budget, it comes to the Senate for consideration and comparison. Differences will be reconciled in a conference committee process.
There are a few important reasons why this year’s budget is so challenging. First, we are beginning with a nearly $3 billion shortfall which I have discussed in prior newsletters and is more fully explained below. Second, the Governor’s budget was introduced with a number of cuts to programs (for example, cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration) that the legislature would like to try to make whole. Third, we anticipate that the state will need to compensate victims of child sexual abuse where those occurrences took place in state institutions. While those negotiations are ongoing, Maryland could be liable for billions of dollars. And finally, we are less than a month into the Trump Administration that is taking a wrecking ball to many federal programs, which the state relies on for funding.
At this moment, we have no idea what the full impact will be on the more than 160,000 federal workers who live in Maryland and the essential services they provide to residents and institutions. In just one example, Johns Hopkins University, which receives more federal research funds than any other institution of higher education in the nation, is at risk of losing funding. These funds support scientists’ critical research on disease, clinical trials with sick patients, cancer research, the building and operation of labs, etc. Slashing their federal funding could have devastating consequences for the institution, the surrounding community, and the countless individuals whose careers are dependent on that support for their livelihood.
We are always mindful of how the budget affects your life – because it does every day. It supports our schools, law enforcement, libraries, hospitals and healthcare system, transportation system, roads, courts, and public parks. Our budget is supported by both our federal and state tax dollars and we take the responsibility seriously to put them to good use.
We may take for granted how important our state and federal workers are to a functioning government. I fear that as unelected billionaire Elon Musk wreaks havoc to our federal workforce and agencies, obliterates systems that are meant to serve as a check and balance to abuse (i.e., the Office of Government Ethics, 11 Inspectors General, etc.), it is just a matter of time before we will face even more difficult decisions in-state.
These are some of the issues that make this year particularly challenging. Rest assured that we are facing these daunting times with a seriousness of purpose and with great consideration.
Take care & stay involved,
Shelly L. Hettleman
Senator, District 11
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