Maryland, as presently governed, finds itself on the precipice of fiscal calamity, a condition made manifest by a burgeoning structural deficit that threatens to become one of the most severe financial crises the state has faced in decades. With a staggering $5.9 billion shortfall projected by fiscal 2030, it is not merely advisable but imperative that Governor Wes Moore assume the mantle of reformer, lest Maryland sink further into the quicksand of fiscal irresponsibility.
The solution, however, does not lie in simply raising taxes or relying on ephemeral “one-time fixes.” It demands a fundamental reorganization of the state’s unwieldy and antiquated government structure, the likes of which has not been seen since Governor Marvin Mandel’s sweeping reforms over half a century ago.
Let us first cast our minds back to the era of Marvin Mandel, whose tenure as Maryland’s governor from 1969 to 1979 was marked by a transformative overhaul of the state’s executive branch. Confronted with an astonishing 240 separate agencies—each a little duchy of inefficiency and redundancy—Mandel took a scalpel to this leviathan. His bold consolidation into a dozen cabinet-level departments was nothing short of revolutionary, a testament to the notion that the government can, indeed, be made leaner and more effective.
In contrast, today’s Maryland government has metastasized into a lumbering behemoth, with 20 executive departments and over 60 independent agencies and offices. It is a marvel of bureaucratic inefficiency, and like a forest left untended, it has grown wild and unmanageable.
The last substantial attempt at reorganization was a relic of the 1970s—a bygone era when “artificial intelligence” might have been mistaken for the latest Orwellian jargon rather than a tool capable of revolutionizing government operations.
If the purpose of government is, as the Founders suggested, to serve the public good, then Maryland’s fiscal projections are an abomination of that principle. As reported by Bryan Sears in a November 12, 2024 Maryland Matters article, David Romans, a budget analyst with the Department of Legislative Services, offered a stark diagnosis: by fiscal 2030, Maryland will be able to cover only 84% of its projected expenses.
The current year’s budget gap alone exceeds $1 billion, with this figure ballooning to $2.7 billion by 2026 and $5.9 billion by 2030. This trajectory rivals the economic straits of the Great Recession, but unlike that period, Maryland’s current woes are self-inflicted, driven not by external shocks but by profligate spending and a stagnant economy.
To be sure, Maryland faces an array of fiscal pressures, including the ambitious “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future” education reforms, surging Medicaid enrollments, and ballooning childcare subsidies. Yet, these are challenges that demand a long-term strategic solution, not the usual Annapolis short-term parlor trick of raiding the “Rainy Day Fund” or shifting funds to cover deficits.
What then is to be done? The answer, though politically perilous, is clear: Governor Moore must summon the courage to reform Maryland’s bloated government. The current structure, with its 20 departments and 60-plus agencies, is not merely inefficient; it is an affront to the very notion of accountable governance. By consolidating agencies, streamlining decision-making processes, and leveraging modern technology—artificial intelligence chief among them—Maryland can create a government that is smaller, more agile, and, dare we say it, less costly.
The automation of ministerial acts, for example, could transform the way Maryland handles everything from tax collection to permit issuance, freeing up human resources for tasks that truly require the nuance of human judgment. Consider the potential cost savings of automating routine functions that currently consume countless man-hours and taxpayer dollars. The private sector has long embraced such efficiencies; it is high time that the government follows suit.
To be sure, the forces arrayed against such reforms are formidable. The special interests that thrive in the murky waters of government largesse will resist any effort to disrupt the status quo. Already, we hear the predictable bleats of those who see every government program as sacrosanct, every budget line item as inviolate. Yet, if Governor Moore truly aspires to a legacy beyond mere incumbency, he must gird himself for a battle against the entrenched interests of his own party, as well as the forces of inertia that dominate the corridors of power in Annapolis.
A skeptic might argue that the political climate is not conducive to such radical reforms. But history teaches us that crises are often the midwives of change. Just as Marvin Mandel used the fiscal challenges of his day to justify his sweeping reorganization, so too can Governor Moore leverage the current budgetary crisis to usher in a new era of efficient, streamlined government. As budget analysts like Mr. Romans have implicitly indicated, the alternative—a grim cycle of tax hikes and service cuts—is no alternative at all, but rather a recipe for economic stagnation and public disillusionment.
At the heart of this debate lies the question of moral stewardship. The taxpayers of Maryland—ordinary men and women who go to work each day, who balance their own budgets with care—deserve a government that respects their hard-earned dollars. It is not merely a question of fiscal prudence; it is a question of justice. To allow government spending to spiral unchecked, to permit a bloated bureaucracy to siphon off resources that could be better spent on truly vital services, is to abdicate the sacred trust that public officials owe to their constituents.
Governor Moore, thus, stands at a crossroads. He can either continue down the well-worn path of temporary fixes and fiscal gimmicks, or he can choose to be a statesman in the mold of Governor Mandel, by taking the hard but necessary steps to reform a government that has grown too large, too inefficient, and too costly. The choice is his, but the consequences will be felt by every Marylander.
In this time of fiscal peril, we look to Governor Moore to lead—not with timidity, but with the boldness that the moment demands. Let him seize this opportunity to craft a leaner, smarter, more responsive government. For if not now, when? And if not him, who?
Let us not squander this moment. The people of Maryland deserve better. The time for reform is now. I have every confidence that Governor Moore has the political capital, the business experience, and the acumen to do this.
The author is an attorney who resides on the Eastern Shore and is co-host of the Gonzales/Mitchell podcast.
