Maryland Cuts 500 Jobs To Tackle Budget Crisis

Maryland is officially making major cuts to its state workforce as the budget crisis gets worse.

On Wednesday, the Maryland Board of Public Works voted to eliminate 502 state jobs in an effort to get spending under control and close the budget gap, FOX Baltimore reports.

Governor Wes Moore didn’t sugarcoat it. He said Maryland is facing financial pressure like never before, especially as support from the federal government has slowed down. Moore said rising costs and shrinking funding have put the state in a position where tough decisions can’t be avoided.

To cut costs, the state offered employees a chance to voluntarily leave their jobs through a buyout program. Nearly 900 people applied, but only 332 were approved. Those who got in will receive a $20,000 payout, an additional $300 for each year they worked, six months of health insurance, and payment for any unused leave. The rest of the cuts came from eliminating vacant positions that were never filled.

State officials say these cuts will save more than $10 million next year and over $22 million every year after that. Governor Moore says these moves are part of a bigger plan that also includes a hiring freeze and other cost-saving actions to avoid deeper cuts to essential services like schools, healthcare, and public safety.

Gov. Moore made it clear: “The easy decisions are gone.” He said the goal is to get the budget back in balance without hurting the services that people depend on.

But not everybody is on board. Republican lawmakers say the cuts prove their point, that Maryland needs to be more careful with spending, and warned that more tax increases could be coming next year.

Bottom line is that Maryland is facing real financial pressure, and these job cuts are just the beginning of how the state plans to deal with it. Residents should be prepared as more changes could be on the way.

Maryland Cuts 500 Jobs To Tackle Budget Crisis  was originally published on wolbbaltimore.com