The Maryland General Assembly reached a budget deal Wednesday that will raise up to $340 million in new taxes and fees next year after weeks of contentious intraparty debate between Democratic leaders.
The details of the plan will be finalized at a conference committee meeting scheduled for Thursday afternoon. At a news conference Wednesday, fiscal leaders from both chambers said the roughly $63 billion budget would restore funding for immediate transportation needs and fund the state’s signature education program, known as the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, through fiscal 2027.
“I think it’s a pretty strong deal that both sides can be satisfied with,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Ben Barnes (D-Prince George’s). “It’s truly a compromise.”
The chambers agreed to raise new money for transportation projects by increasing fines for speeding in a work zone; increasing vehicle registration fees based on weight class, so that heavier vehicles contribute more to repairing roads; and adding a ride-hailing surcharge, in addition to other fee hikes.
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