ANNAPOLIS, MD — Maryland House Republicans raised concerns over Governor Wes Moore’s Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act, arguing that the proposed education funding plan would require significant tax increases while failing to guarantee improved student outcomes.
In a statement following a joint hearing on the bill, House Minority Leader Jason Buckel said the Moore administration and Democratic leaders acknowledged that higher taxes would be necessary to fund the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a long-term education reform plan. “This certainly counters the ongoing fallacy that the Blueprint does not contribute to Maryland’s budget crisis,” Buckel said.
Delegate Jeff Ghrist, the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, pointed to declining student reading scores despite increased education funding over the past decade. “Now we see little evidence these historic investments have benefitted our students and no guarantee that we will see any improvement in outcomes with the massive infusion of Blueprint dollars,” Ghrist said.
Chief Deputy Minority Whip Delegate Wayne Hartman called the current funding model “unsustainable” and urged changes. “Our citizens cannot afford the level of taxation they will have to absorb to pay for the Blueprint as it stands,” he said.
The Moore administration has defended the Blueprint as a necessary investment in public education, while Republican lawmakers continue to push for revisions to reduce its financial burden.
