ANNAPOLIS – Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, as well as Baltimore, would be hit the hardest by sweeping Maryland budget cuts that would be needed if lawmakers fail to pass tax increases to fill a $1.1 billion budget hole for the coming fiscal year.
The “doomsday” budget proposal would cut $794.9 million, including big drops in higher and K-12 education, police aid to local jurisdictions, Medicaid spending and the elimination of 500 state jobs, according to figures prepared for a state Senate budget committee by the Department of Legislative Services.
Prince George’s County would lose $77.1 million in local aid, while Montgomery County would be hit with $51.3 million in spending cuts. Baltimore City would lose $59.7 million.
| Some doomsday budget cuts |
| $70.9 million – reducing per-pupil spending |
| $12 million – reducing disparity grants for counties |
| $45 million – police aid cuts |
| $100.8 million – cuts to Medicaid |
| $115.5 million – 10 percent reduction in higher education aid |
| $30 million – eliminate 500 state jobs |
Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., D-Calvert and Prince George’s counties, has said the cuts are necessary if the lawmakers can’t reach an agreement on raising revenue.
“These cuts would be devastating to us,” said Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker. “The county would not be able to sustain these cuts without dramatically reducing the programs and services that our citizens need.”
Class sizes in public schools would increase, and the cuts would increase the potential for teacher layoffs. Police recruiting classes would be cut back as police departments struggle to make ends meet after losing state aid.
“This is the backup list,” said Warren Deschenaux, director of the state Office of Policy Analysis. “This is our plan B and C.”
“I’m not going to say the world would end if this would pass, but it’s going to be a different world for public services in the state,” he said.
The doomsday budget sends a message to lawmakers in jurisdictions where cuts would be the deepest but opposition to tax increases is strongest. It also shows residents just how dire a situation the state is in, according to Sen. Nancy King, D-Montgomery County.
“I think it’s hard for people to understand we cut the easy stuff years ago,” King said. “This is really kind of what’s left.”
Gov. Martin O’Malley says the doomsday budget is irresponsible compared with his budget proposal for $800 million in cuts and $311 million in new revenues.
The proposed cuts from the Department of Legislative Services are nothing new to the Senate, according to Sen. Douglas J.J. Peters, D-Prince George’s — lawmakers have heard the suggestions before. But this year, with lawmakers so far away from a compromise, the department’s backup list of cuts could actually happen.
“There’s so much disagreement that this is becoming a reality,” he said. “These are real numbers. All the other proposals are just projections.”
