Budget
In January, this editorial board expressed concerns about Gov. Larry Hogan’s newly released budget. Though we understood the need for budget cuts as a response to this state’s troubling deficit, we opposed a possible 5 percent tuition hike included by the University System of Maryland in the budget’s projections.
Most recently, the state House of Delegates and Senate passed amended versions of Hogan’s budget and will meet this week to address differences between both versions. Some of the changes the Senate proposed include restoring a 3 percent increase to the Developmental Disabilities Administration, a partial restoration in state funding for Baltimore City College and restoring 50 vacant state police positions. Both the House of Delegates and Senate recommended fully funding foundation aid to public schools as well as restoration of the 2 percent cost-of-living raise for state employees. None of the changes addressed higher education funding.
Thankfully — though not to our surprise — neither chamber reduced the $1.2 billion in state funding Hogan had budgeted for the university system.
Two key effects of the budget seem to be running against college students’ favor: Firstly, the projected 5 percent increase in tuition next semester seems likely to occur — or at least, this university should be preparing for it. Secondly, the possibility of Hogan issuing a supplemental budget, or an additional funding measure, to improve university system funding seems very unlikely, as this funding would need to be issued within a week as well as receive support from both chambers.
Though most students might not exactly be satisfied with Hogan’s budget, it seems as though pushing for improvements in the budget for the 2016 fiscal year isn’t worth it and won’t yield changes, given the timeline and political differences between the governor and the legislature.
However, this reality doesn’t mean we’ll be facing a downward trend when it comes to higher education funding, and it also doesn’t necessarily mean Hogan should be labeled an “anti-education” governor.
As Student Government Association President Patrick Ronk said: “This year for Hogan in particular is the year to kind of close out the deficit, and I’m hoping that now that he’s made his cuts … he’ll kind of start prioritizing higher ed a little bit more and be more amenable to it moving forward.”
We hope this prediction will ultimately become a reality. Given the $750 million structural budget deficit this state faced in January, we believe that some sacrifices have to be made before we get out of the red.
Like many students, members of this editorial board aren’t happy to shell out more funds to receive a college education, but if this pain is short-term and leads to better economic conditions, it is something we will have to live with for the next year.
As the deficit (hopefully) closes, we expect Hogan to place more of a priority on higher education, and if he does not, then that would be the time to start additional lobbying efforts in Annapolis. Otherwise, the cuts in the upcoming fiscal year seem like discomforts we’ll have to endure for the time being.
