“It’s time legislators understood the impact their decisions have on hard-working Marylanders and our state’s economy. Spending has run rampant and lawmakers are looking at us to bail them out. Just like families have to live on a budget, the legislature should take a look at spending and live within its means – not raise taxes and make our state even less affordable.”
“The question inevitably is, ‘How can we get more revenue?’ And that instantly means more taxes and fees,” said Jessica Haire, a Republican former Anne Arundel County councilmember who is leading a new anti-tax advocacy group called Opportunity Maryland. “The general public is going to be very unhappy with that.”
“This report tells us two things: leaders in Annapolis have made promises they can’t afford and our stagnant economy is making the situation worse. Raising taxes won’t fill the budget gap and it certainly won’t stimulate Maryland’s economy. Rather than simply talking about tax increases, we should be talking about ways to promote economic growth in our state.”
There is a common understanding that you can’t tax your way into prosperity. That sentiment was first articulated over 100 years ago and it’s still true today. More recently, politicians have been known to say we can’t spend our way into prosperity either. Taxes and government spending go hand in hand, and in Maryland, we have a problem with both.
Common-sense policies can turn things around though, and that’s why I’m proud to announce the launch of Opportunity Maryland. We are a nonpartisan education and advocacy organization dedicated to making sure our elected officials are looking out for us when it comes to spending our tax dollars. We want to make Maryland a place where opportunities can flourish and our residents can thrive.
“Last year at MACo, Governor Moore warned that our state’s economy hasn’t kept pace with its ambition. He warned counties that there wouldn’t be as much money to go around. Yet, a year later, our state’s budget outlook is even worse and local leaders are sounding the alarm about the state’s promises being forced on the counties to pay for.
This year, Governor Moore has a chance to lay out his vision for local economic growth and detail his plan to get our state budget under control. We hope he holds the line against tax increases and starts looking at strategies that create a better economic environment for individuals, entrepreneurs and innovators in our state.”
A new organization is launching today to help raise awareness about the challenges coming down the road for Marylanders, and advocating for a better economic environment for individuals, businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators in our state.
Opportunity Maryland is an independent non-profit advocacy organization that will promote policies encouraging growth and prosperity. Led by former Anne Arundel County Councilmember Jessica Haire, Opportunity Maryland will engage area leaders and everyday Marylanders to let policymakers know rather than simply raising taxes, we need to make our state economically competitive.
