As the Maryland Senate race heats up, former Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican candidate, has laid out a clear vision for his economic priorities, emphasizing a focus on tax relief, affordable housing, healthcare, and education. In a statement addressing key voter issues, Hogan outlined his approach to tackling these critical concerns, drawing a sharp contrast with his opponent, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.
Hogan, known for his fiscally conservative record as governor, asserts that his guiding principle is to “help people keep more of their hard-earned money.” Pointing to his administration’s eight-year track record of cutting taxes, saving Marylanders $4.7 billion, he emphasizes the importance of this relief in the face of rising inflation. He criticizes Alsobrooks’s support for a “tax-and-spend agenda,” particularly her pledge to raise Social Security taxes, which Hogan argues would negatively impact middle-class families, jobs, and wages.
Instead of raising taxes, Hogan proposes a pro-taxpayer approach to address the affordability crisis. He advocates for expanding the child tax credit and earned income tax credit to support working families, indexing housing gains and Social Security taxes to combat inflation-fueled tax hikes, and reauthorizing a higher standard deduction. He also takes a firm stance against the cap on the state and local tax deduction (SALT), pledging to work for its repeal.
Recognizing the urgency of the housing affordability crisis, Hogan highlights his administration’s success in building over 28,000 affordable units and making record investments in workforce housing. He vows to continue these efforts in the Senate by streamlining regulations and ensuring local governments have the resources needed to address this critical issue.
In the realm of healthcare, Hogan underscores the need for bipartisan action to bring down costs. Drawing on his experience in lowering Marylanders’ premiums by 30% through innovative models, he proposes increasing competition, transparency, and choice in the healthcare market, holding middlemen accountable for price gouging, and reversing the Biden administration’s Medicare Advantage cuts.
On education, Hogan emphasizes the importance of making education accessible and affordable. He touts his administration’s efforts to prevent tuition hikes, expand scholarships for community college students, and implement a successful school-choice program for lower-income families. In contrast, he criticizes his opponent’s opposition to school choice and public charter schools. He pledges to advocate for tax credits, scholarship accounts, and greater flexibility with 529 plans to empower families to afford quality education.
Hogan concludes by stressing the need for responsible fiscal management, arguing that excessive government spending, burdensome regulations, and mandates only drive up the cost of living. He highlights his record of turning a $5.1 billion deficit into a $5.5 billion surplus through responsible fiscal policies and bipartisan collaboration. He vows to fight against reckless spending and promote a balanced approach to lowering the cost of everyday essentials.
Ultimately, Hogan presents his candidacy as a call for common sense solutions, urging voters to move beyond partisan gridlock and focus on addressing the economic challenges facing Maryland families. He emphasizes his commitment to working across the aisle to deliver real relief, echoing his closing message: “One party alone can’t fix this mess. Washington has enough talkers. It is time to cut through the partisan B.S. and get the job done.”
