Here’s why I’m running to be Maryland’s next U.S. senator
By Larry Hogan
Frederick News Post
Read the full opinion piece here.
The entire reason why I ran for governor in the first place was to fight for hard working Marylanders, mom and pop small businesses, and retirees who were just struggling to get by.
In 2014, Maryland had raised taxes 43 times in a row. We were losing businesses and jobs. As a lifelong Marylander, that just broke my heart.
For eight years, we fought every single day to make life more affordable and delivered on that mission. We cut taxes, tolls and fees by $4.7 billion, including the Retirement Tax Elimination Act of 2022.
We turned a $5.1 billion deficit into a record $5.5 billion surplus, reduced health insurance premiums by 30%, and helped Marylanders afford their first home and college tuition.
Today, the economic headwinds hard-working Marylanders face are even more challenging than a decade ago. With skyrocketing prices, the last thing Marylanders need now is higher taxes, but that is the reality we are facing.
On July 1, many of the 338 new tax and fee increases that were passed by the General Assembly took effect. These will be felt all across the state with higher car registration fees and electricity fees.
These taxes target small businesses like barbershops and salons to manufacturers, and especially hit tradesmen, increasing fees on their licenses and apprenticeship programs — disincentivizing these career paths at a time when we need them most.
These increases not only cost jobs and decrease wages, but result in price hikes for consumers. With Maryland facing rising deficits and on track to lose our Triple A bond rating, it is likely that even more tax hikes are on the horizon.
Meanwhile, Washington politicians continue to run up their debt and do nothing to make life more affordable. Marylanders desperately need someone who is willing to stand up to both parties to fight for them and get things done for their pocketbooks.
There is a clear contrast between me and my opponent on this issue.
Under the leadership of County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, Prince George’s County faces a skyrocketing deficit that is projected to grow to $387 million by 2030. The county’s financial outlook was recently downgraded, and the county executive supports raising taxes on her constituents.
She is even campaigning for the Senate on the promise to raise Social Security taxes, which would cost Marylanders billions.
I have a very different approach. Instead of pointing fingers and playing politics, I’ll reach across the aisle and work together to make life more affordable for Marylanders, just like I did for eight years in Annapolis.
I will deliver much needed tax relief for working families, retirees, and small businesses and advance common sense solutions to make housing, education, health care, and basic necessities more affordable for Marylanders.
We will accelerate housing construction, make home ownership for middle-class Americans, and inject greater transparency and competition into the healthcare marketplace. We will advance tax credits — education and sponsorship accounts, and greater flexibility for 529 accounts. And we will block excessive spending and over regulation that drives prices higher and kills jobs.
These are not Republican or Democratic ideas. They are common sense ideas.
When we cut the tolls on the Bay Bridge, many Maryland politicians scoffed. But I knew that for so many Marylanders who are struggling to get by, any relief can make all the difference in the world.
I am not going to ask or care what side of the aisle an idea came from. I am going to ask a simple question: Will it deliver economic relief for hardworking Maryland families?
While my opponent will be a rubber stamp for her party bosses, Marylanders know me, and they know I have the courage to stand up to the current president, the former president, and the bosses in both parties. I will work with leaders on both sides of the aisle to deliver for Maryland.
Washington politicians on both sides of the aisle love to talk about inflation. But what have they actually done about it? Let’s face it — one party alone can’t fix this mess.
Enough is enough. It’s time for less talk and more action. It is time for strong, independent leadership in Washington to fight for Maryland and get the job done
Larry Hogan is the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in this year’s election.
