Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey Issues Statement on Senate’s Passage of the FY27 Budget

Annapolis, Md.— Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey released the following statement following the Senate’s passage of the FY27 Budget and BRFA earlier today:

“Today, the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2027 budget following a thoughtful debate, and I want to acknowledge the work of the Budget Committee and the many members who engaged seriously in this process.

Members of our caucus approached this vote from different perspectives. Some supported the budget because it avoids broad-based tax and fee increases, which is an important priority for Maryland families. Others, myself included, remain concerned that the budget does not adequately address the state’s long-term fiscal challenges.

Maryland is facing a structural deficit approaching $3 billion annually, and this budget does very little to change that trajectory.

We are continuing to rely on revenue assumptions that are already proving unreliable. The tax on technology services, for example, was projected to generate hundreds of millions of dollars, yet early returns show it is significantly underperforming as businesses adjust and shift activity to avoid the tax. That is not a sustainable foundation for future budgets.

Fiscal responsibility is not just about balancing the books in a single year. It is about ensuring that our budget is honest, sustainable, and grounded in economic reality over the long term.

This budget may get us through today, but it leaves Maryland unprepared for the challenges ahead. I voted against this budget because I believe we owe taxpayers a more durable and responsible plan to address our state’s ongoing deficits.”

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