Annapolis, MD — Governor Larry Hogan promised he’d “Change Maryland,” and he sure did. In his three years as governor, public schools are declining, businesses are leaving the state, Marylanders are losing out the economic prosperity with anemic wage growth and the prospect of higher taxes.
Today, Maryland Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Matthews issued the following statement after Hogan issued the final State of the State address of his term:
“In typical fashion, Hogan’s State of the State was heavy on the rhetoric and light on the details. After spending the first year of the Trump presidency hiding from the impact of Trump’s destructive policies on Marylanders, Governor Hogan is attempting to rewrite history in an election year. Marylanders spent the entire year urging Governor Hogan to stand with them against Trump’s sabotage of the ACA, the GOP’s rotten-to-its-core tax plan, and efforts to tear apart immigrant families in Maryland, but Hogan said nothing.
“Hours after Donald Trump bragged about a tax plan that will raise taxes on middle class Maryland families and destabilize our health insurance marketplace, Hogan failed to address it head-on. Instead of using today as an opportunity to detail his plans to close the $3 billion public education funding gap, stand up to Trump’s assault on Maryland and protect the hundreds of thousands of Marylanders facing a tax hike, he ducked, dodged and used misdirection to avoid responsibility.
“Maryland deserves a governor who will take on the tough political battles, not shy away from them like Governor Hogan continues to do. As we enter the final year of Governor Hogan’s term, it is clear that Maryland needs new, bold leadership to move our state forward and stand with working families in Maryland.”