April 24, 2025
Dear Neighbor,
I want to thank you for your civic engagement during the 2025 Legislative Session. This session was principally focused on the State’s poor fiscal condition. The General Assembly’s obligation under the Maryland Constitution is to pass a balanced operating budget each year. In each of my previous sessions in Annapolis, we have been able to do so without raising taxes. This year, however, the budget was balanced through the enactment of over $1.6 billion in tax and fee increases and new taxes – an action I strongly and consistently opposed.
Several pieces of legislation, such as the Blueprint for education and the Climate Solutions Now Act, created unsustainable spending commitments and established unfunded mandates that we are seeing the impact of in our State’s budget. I voted against these bills in large part because it was clear that the commitment to these initiatives is not sustainable based on our fiscal condition. Just like our constituents, I believe the General Assembly must make difficult decisions on how to best live within our means.
Maryland’s economy is stagnant, and we have the second-worst job growth rate in the country. This budget’s tax increases inhibit our ability to attract and retain private-sector jobs and businesses in our State. We need private sector growth to reduce our reliance on Federal spending. I am particularly concerned about the effect that the new 3% sales tax on data and IT services will have on our local economy. This increases the cost of doing business in our State and adds a new regulatory burden on a targeted growth industry across Maryland and throughout District 29.
Outside of the budget, we have several positive results for District 29 and our State as a whole. While the State’s operating budget was in poor condition, I was able to secure over $19 million for key projects in our district in the capital budget. I also sponsored successful legislation to increase penalties on violent criminals, reduce regulations on small businesses, protect due process rights for watermen, address important issues for our State’s hunters, and combat the spread of the invasive blue catfish.
You can learn more about my work during this session here. You can also visit this link if you are interested in learning more about a few of the notable bills that were passed during this session and my views on them.
As always, it is my honor to serve our community, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to continue working for you in Annapolis.
Sincerely,
Senator Jack Bailey