Current:Home > NewsMaryland board approves $148M in cuts to help support Medicaid, child care-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Maryland board approves $148M in cuts to help support Medicaid, child care
View Date:2024-12-23 15:45:06
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A Maryland board approved $148.3 million in state spending reductions on Wednesday to balance the budget while directing more money to pay for child care and Medicaid — two priorities that Democratic Gov. Wes Moore’s administration hopes will help improve a stagnant state economy.
The Board of Public Works, which Moore chairs, made cuts across a variety of state agencies to address larger-than-expected demand for Medicaid and a state child care program. The board, which also includes Treasurer Dereck Davis and Comptroller Brooke Lierman, can cut up to 25% of the state’s operating budget when the Legislature isn’t in session.
“While it’s never ideal, the reductions that we are advancing today are necessary to ensure that our fiscal stability is going to be sound and to create long-term economic growth for our state,” Moore said.
The governor emphasized that most of the cuts were spread among state agencies. He said that when he took office 18 months ago, his staff realized that the state’s economy had been stagnant for a decade and that “Maryland’s business model was broken.”
“That’s not politics, that’s math,” Moore said. “You cannot have something that continues to watch budgets increase but where you’re continuing to watch an economy stay flat.”
The need for the spending adjustments arose because of larger-than-projected participation in a state program to help pay for child care and higher-than-expected retention of Medicaid participants as Maryland, like other states, has undergone post-pandemic eligibility reviews.
When Moore took office, there were about 24,000 children enrolled in the state’s child care scholarship program. By late 2023, that figure had grown to about 33,000 children. When he prepared the budget for the state’s current fiscal year, it was anticipated that 38,000 to 40,000 children would participate, but as of June, that number already had grown to more than 40,000.
As for Medicaid, Maryland released data last week marking the end of the yearlong redetermination process. Over the 12 months that ended in April, Maryland Medicaid processed 1,540,247 applications to renew coverage, more than 70% of which were approved, the state health department said.
Medicaid enrollment stood at 1,684,462 as of May 31. That’s compared to 1,415,631 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase of 262,303.
Helene Grady, the governor’s budget chief, told the board that ensuring that eligible Marylanders can access health care and child care affordably are priorities of the governor and the General Assembly to support economic growth by keeping people healthy and enabling more parents to enter the workforce.
She said the reductions focused on redeploying underutilized funds, as well as delaying areas of new or increasing funding.
Maryland Republicans criticized the the board’s decision, describing it as a fund transfer rather than a true budget cut, as the state faces long-term future budget deficits.
“What you will find is a fund transfer and budgeting tricks akin to looking for coins in the couch cushions to make up a significant underfunding of Medicaid created by flawed projections,” Steve Hershey, the Senate minority leader from the Eastern Shore, said in a statement.
Natasha Dartigue, Maryland’s chief public defender, said the cuts would hurt her agency, which she said has been underfunded for decades and is already “in crisis.”
“Every dollar matters,” Dartigue told the board.
Charlotte Davis, executive director of Rural Maryland Council, also spoke out against cuts.
“We feel that our mission fits what you’re trying to do to support the future growth of rural Maryland and Maryland in general,” she said.
veryGood! (75)
Related
- 2 striking teacher unions in Massachusetts face growing fines for refusing to return to classroom
- Nikki Garcia Attends First Public Event Following Husband Artem Chigvintsev’s Arrest
- Food inflation: As grocery prices continue to soar, see which states, cities have it worse
- 'The Bachelorette' ex who made surprise appearance said show left out 'juicy' interview
- Rare Alo Yoga Flash Sale: Don’t Miss 60% Off Deals With Styles as Low as $5
- Jenn Tran’s Ex Matt Rossi Says His Bachelorette: Men Tell All Appearance Was Cut
- How Hailey Bieber's Rhode Beauty Reacted to Influencer's Inclusivity Critique
- Joshua Jackson Shares Rare Insight Into Bond With His and Jodie Turner-Smith's 4-Year-Old Daughter
- Hurricane-stricken Tampa Bay Rays to play 2025 season at Yankees’ spring training field in Tampa
- Mistrial declared after jury deadlocks in rape case of former New Hampshire youth center worker
Ranking
- New Orleans marks with parade the 64th anniversary of 4 little girls integrating city schools
- George and Amal Clooney walk red carpet with Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon
- Derek Jeter to be Michigan's honorary captain against Texas
- James Darren, 'Gidget' and 'T.J. Hooker' star, dies at 88 after hospitalization: Reports
- Sister Wives’ Janelle Brown Alleges Ex Kody Made False Claims About Family’s Finances
- Commander of Navy warship relieved of duty months after backward rifle scope photo flap
- Nation's largest Black Protestant denomination faces high-stakes presidential vote
- South Carolina Is Considered a Model for ‘Managed Retreat’ From Coastal Areas Threatened by Climate Change
Recommendation
-
AP Top 25: Oregon remains No. 1 as Big Ten grabs 4 of top 5 spots; Georgia, Miami out of top 10
-
Mountain lion attacks 5-year-old at Southern California park and is euthanized
-
Queen Camilla Shares Update on King Charles III's Health Amid Cancer Treatment
-
Jennifer Meyer, ex-wife of Tobey Maguire, engaged to music mogul Geoffrey Ogunlesi
-
Joey Logano wins Phoenix finale for 3rd NASCAR Cup championship in 1-2 finish for Team Penske
-
Man extradited back to US in killing of 31-year-old girlfriend, who was found dead at Boston airport
-
The 33 most anticipated movies of the Fall
-
Why quercetin is good for you and how to get it in your diet