Between salaries, benefits and, eventually, pensions — the number of people the state employs comes at a significant cost to taxpayers. And yet, at a time Gov. Wes Moore says major cuts need to be made, state government has only grown.
“It’s the largest fiscal crisis in 20 years,” Moore said during a recent news conference discussing how he plans to address a $3 billion deficit.
According to data from Maryland’s Department of Labor, from when Moore took office in January 2023 to now, he’s added more than 5,000 new state employees. During former Gov. Larry Hogan’s first two years in office state government shrunk by nearly 2,000 employees.
“This comparison is striking,” taxpayer advocate David Williams said. “When you start adding thousands of employees, that is going to add up, and we’re probably talking millions of dollars in the future.”
The cost of those additional employees remains unclear. The Department of Budget & Management and the Comptroller’s office say those figures are not available.
However, according to past and present state budget proposals, when Hogan left office, state salaries, wages and benefits were projected to cost taxpayers $10.2 billion. Under Moore, that figure increased to $11.3 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $12.2 billion in 2025.
“State employees, and really government employees, last a long time because the salary is good, the benefits are good, and the pension is good,” Williams said. “So, this is going to be a problem that’s not just for this year. This is going to be five, 10, 15, 20 years down the road that taxpayers will still be spending this money for the employees that are hired today.”
Questions were sent to Moore’s office asking him to explain why he chose to expand state government when the state is facing a massive budget shortfall. At the time this article was published, no response had been given.
“There needs to be a review of every job that was added, especially in a time when the state can’t afford it,” Williams said. “This is a step that the state legislature and the governor can do to help bring the budget back into balance. It’s not going to solve all the problems, but this is an easy step, is not hiring more people.”
Have a news tip? Contact reporter Rebecca Pryor at [email protected].
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