Why Larry Hogan’s smaller government came at a cost to Marylanders

As he campaigns for the U.S. Senate, former Gov. Larry Hogan touts leaving behind a $5.5 billion surplus, tax breaks, toll cuts and a balanced budget. But state reports show the savings came at another cost — high vacancy rates in state agencies. The Republican governor’s decision to downsize government kept agencies from delivering services when people needed them most, said policy analysts, union officials and nonprofit leaders watching and working for state government during Hogan’s time in office.