Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) has announced plans to eliminate vacant state positions, a freeze on hiring new state employees, and buyouts for some existing state employees. These cuts, expected to go into effect on July 1, are an effort to save $121 million amid an ongoing budget crunch, while also working to prevent layoffs.
“We are moving with care and intentionality to minimize impact on current employees and be transparent throughout the process,” Moore wrote in a letter announcing the changes.
According to Moore’s chief of staff Fagan Harris, state officials had been looking at various options to trim the state budget in recent weeks. A list of vacant state positions to be eliminated will be presented before the Board of Public Works in September.
During Moore’s gubernatorial campaign, he pledged to fill some of the 5,000 vacant state positions left by the administration of former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, and roughly 4,800 positions remain vacant. Moore has also touted the state workforce as an employment opportunity for laid-off federal workers amid mass firings by the Trump Administration.
Pat Moran, president of American Federal, State, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Maryland Council 3, highlighted the difficult work and heavy workloads that state employees currently face.
“While it’s clear our state must navigate tough and volatile times, any solutions cannot come at the cost of providing quality state services,” said Moran in a statement on June 23.
House Appropriations Chair Ben Barnes (D-District 21) was pleased to see cuts protect state workers.
“I’m very happy to see that there will not be furloughs or layoffs,” said Barnes, “as they’re not warranted or necessary given our current fiscal picture.”
He also argued that the $121 million in budget savings could have been generated from slashing vacant positions.
Sen. Guy Guzzone (D-District 13), the chair of the Budget and Taxation Committee, praised Moore’s decision.
“I think it’s important to keep a level head and make reasonable decisions along the way,” Guzzone said, “and I think this was a reasonable decision by the governor.”
