Gov. Larry Hogan campaigned on a pledge to reduce the budget, but the impact may be disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable: small businesses, people on fixed or limited incomes and children ("Hogan budget would cut state worker pay, city school aid," Jan. 22).
A $200 million reduction in Medicare spending will not merely affect health care for the neediest but care providers as well. Many care providers are small businesses and will feel a direct impact on their ability to provide services and pay salaries.
That will lead to job losses, increased unemployment and reduced tax revenue and spending by the families of those affected by the cuts.
The same goes for state employees who would lose a long-awaited incremental wage increase. It's a relatively small amount in each worker's paycheck, but it has a direct impact on discretionary spending and savings.
The impact of a reduction in education spending in districts with the highest costs is not well articulated, but anticipated job losses and diminished resources are likely to erode gains in educational success the state has experienced in recent years.
Governor Hogan's road to Maryland's fiscal health may well be a road to ruin for the families and small businesses he purports to care about.
A.I. Schneiderman