Latest news with #DanielleJ.Brown
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Moore administration touts nearly $400 million in savings
State officials announced they found nearly $400 million in potential savings, much of which would come from moving state employees out of state-owned and maintained buildings like the decaying State Center complex in Baltimore. (File photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters.) State officials Friday announced a series of budget cuts they said could reduce spending by nearly $400 million in coming years. Included in the reductions are $50 million in cuts that are part of the fiscal 2026 budget. The bulk of the savings — $326 million — would come over as many as 25 years as part of an effort to shift employees out of state-owned buildings and into commercial office space. 'While the federal government recklessly slashes budgets and lays off public servants, we are using data to save taxpayers money and modernize government in a targeted way,' Gov. Wes Moore Moore (D) said in a statement. 'This announcement is only the beginning of our efforts. Together, we will continue to prioritize fiscal discipline and ensure we deliver essential services to all Marylanders, efficiently and effectively.' Moore, in announcing his proposed 2026 budget in January, promised to find $50 million in savings. The effort was a small part of attacking what was then a projected $3.3 billion structural budget deficit. Moore set up a work group to look for savings within state agencies. The group was tasked with looking for efficiencies in procurement, real estate and fleet management. Officials who briefed reporters Friday said they hit their target. The largest portion of the savings — about $30 million — for the fiscal year that starts July 1 will come from changes in state technology. Officials said underutilized mobile and land phone lines will be eliminated. The state will also standardize laptop purchases and keep equipment longer before buying replacements. Ferguson: Maryland would lose $430 million in Trump 'skinny budget' proposal Another $14 million of the proposed savings will come from standardizing shipping and delivery options. Officials said the savings will come from ensuring state employees are aware of and use contracts that offer the best rates. The final $6 million comes from consolidation of the state's vehicle fleet. Departments will purchase fewer vehicles and spend less on fuel and maintenance. All that is in addition to $16 million the state Department of Information Technology had planned on saving from centralizing the programs it uses for employee access to computer systems as well as cybersecurity tools. 'Our data-driven approach to modernizing state government operations is saving taxpayer dollars,' Chief Performance Officer Asma Mirza said in a statement. The bulk of the savings — $326 million — is expected to come from moving state employees out of nine buildings in Baltimore City that are owned and maintained by the state. Those employees will move to commercial space in the city's central business district. The total amount of savings would come over a 20- to 25-year period, officials said. One state official told reporters that the state hopes to take advantage of the large amount of available commercial office space and negotiate 'very aggressive lease rates.' The state was already moving out of the decaying State Center property. At one point, the plan was to partner with the private sector to redevelop the 25-acre state office complex, which sits on a Metro stop and is adjacent to the light rail. CONTACT US The plan, which was approved in 2009, fell apart, and then-Gov. Larry Hogan (R) filed a lawsuit to terminate the $1.5 billion project. The developer countersued. The Board of Public Works, led by Moore, voted unanimously in November to settle with developer State Center LLC for $58.5 million. At the time of that settlement, there were fewer than 5,000 employees from seven state agencies at the center. The state plans to move all remaining employees to other locations by the end of 2026. A final plan for the property has yet to be determined. It is unclear if the property will be taken over by the city or sold to a developer. The state also plans on moving employees out of two other buildings — the William Donald Schaefer Tower on St. Paul Street and the Nancy Grasmick building at 200 W. Baltimore Street. Officials told reporters that relocating those employees could take up to three years. The goal, they said, was to open the properties up for redevelopment and put them back on city tax rolls.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Insurers seek 17% hike in state marketplace premiums, amid ‘wild uncertainty' at federal level
Nearly 300,000 Marylanders who bought individual plans on the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange could be affected by proposed premium rate increases. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters.) State insurance officials warn that thousands of Marylanders who bought health insurance on the state marketplace could see the cost of coverage increase an average of 17% next year unless Congress extends federal subsidies that are set to expire in December. The Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA) said in a press release Tuesday that health insurers are asking the state to raise premiums between 8.1% and 18.7% for individual plans offered under the Affordable Care Act for 2026. The increase would hit nearly 300,000 Marylanders who buy their health insurance through the state marketplace. Insurers say the rate increases are needed to account for the impending expiration of federal insurance premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act that are set to expire at the end of the year. If the tax credit remained, insurers would only be seeking 'an overall average rate change of 7.9%, with most carriers filing for an increase between 5% and 7%,' the MIA statement said. The tax credit expiration is just one of the changes under discussion at the federal level that state officials fear could upend Maryland's insurance marketplace and lead to higher premium costs. Maryland Insurance Commissioner Marie Grant said the budget reconciliation bill recently passed by the House of Representatives could lead further increases insurance premiums and make it harder to enroll in an ACA individual plan. 'There are many changes in the House budget reconciliation bill on the federal level that will impact the ability of Marylanders to … enroll in our exchange, as well changes in the calculations that would lower the amount of tax credits further for Marylanders,' Grant said in a virtual press conference Tuesday. The insurers are also asking for premium increases for small group plans with an 'overall average rate increase of 5.5%, with the averages by carrier ranging from 3.3% to 12.2%,' according to the MIA press release, though state officials were more focused on the increases in the individual market Tuesday. The House narrowly passed the so-called 'One Big Beautiful Bill' last month to carry out much of the Trump administration's policy plans, including massive changes to Medicaid and the ACA. The current bill does not include language to extend the premium tax credit, leaving it to expire in December unless the U.S. Senate decides to extend it. That 'wild uncertainty' at the federal level is driving the need for rate increase requests by Maryland's insurance companies, said Matthew Celentano, executive director of the League of Life & Health Insurers of Maryland, which includes major providers such as CareFirst, Kaiser Permanente and UnitedHealthCare. 'The budget reconciliation package that passed the House of Representatives last week would have dramatic impacts on Maryland insurance markets, and the loss of subsidies would create affordability challenges across the board for Maryland consumers that would lead to a reversal of progress over the years to drastically reduce the number of uninsured Marylanders,' Celentano said in a written statement. 'We hope that the Senate realizes and reverses course on the negative consequences of reducing premium tax credits and the concerning impacts it will have on the entire health care ecosystem including our most vulnerable neighbors,' his statement said. Grant said the proposed premium rate increases are not final and will go through a 'really careful review' by MIA, with public hearings and public comments over the next couple months before new rates are set for next year. But legislators and state officials say that the potential expiration of premium tax credits is just the tip of the possible impacts on the insurance market from the federal level. 'We don't know at this point the exact impact on Marylanders of all those changes, but I think that we can anticipate that they could further lower subsidies and further lead to increases in the market, if they are not addressed by the Senate,' Grant said. Michele Eberle, executive director of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, said that one of the proposals in the House bill would cut a month off the open enrollment period when people shop around for health care plans – running from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15, instead of through Jan. 15. Eberle noted that many young people who enroll in private health plans tend to enroll in the later weeks of the current open enrollment period. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE 'We know that younger, healthier people in the risk pool is good for everyone, as it lowers the rates,' she said. Eberle said that some provisions in the reconciliation bill would also reduce the state's ability to automatically re-enroll individuals by requiring more upfront eligibility checks. Other language in the bill would prohibit tax credits for many undocumented individuals who are lawfully present, including those with asylum protections. 'The collective impact of these changes will not only destabilize the private health insurance market place, but we anticipate we could go back to pre-pandemic levels of enrollment – a loss of about 30% of our enrollees,' Eberle said. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th) said during the virtual press conference that the current bill language will 'skyrocket prices for average working people,' calling the One Big Beautiful bill is 'one big, brazen betrayal of working Marylanders and Americans.' In the 2025 General Assembly session, lawmakers passed legislation aiming to mitigate potential disruptions in the state marketplace due to federal decisions. Among those was a proposal to give the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange authority to create a state subsidy if the federal premium tax credit comes to an end. That authority would only be available for 2026 through 2028 under this law sponsored by Del. Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk (D-Prince George's and Anne Arundel), chair of the House Health and Government Operations Committee. Sen. Pam Beidle (D-Anne Arundel), chair of the Maryland Senate Finance Committee, fears the changes will take a toll on the state's relatively low 6% uninsurance rate for health care, backsliding on legislative efforts to boost insurance coverage across the state. 'To me, health care is like food and water. It's one of the most important benefits we can provide to people,' Beidle said. 'Seeing the changes this bill (budget reconciliation bill) will bring … we've seen our numbers go down to where it's just a small percentage of people who don't have health insurance, and now we're going to see that number increase exponentially,' she said.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
May Day demonstration, a day of reflection
Protesters in Baltimore leave Camden Yards to march to the Inner Harbor during May Day demonstrations this year. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters). This year, May Day demonstrations swept across the nation in protest against President Trump and sometime 'Co-President' Elon Musk. People took to the streets in over 1,000 peaceful demonstrations in opposition to the chaotic policies and actions of the second Trump administration. For me, May Day was a day of reflection as I attended a modest size demonstration in Frederick. It was not the first May Day demonstration for me. My first was in May 1971. May 2025 was different for me: I was a protester this time. In May 1971, I was in Washington, D.C., as a member of the Metropolitan Police Department's Special Operations Division, Tactical Branch. I was a member of the Civil Disturbance Unit, trained in crowd control, mass arrest procedures and the deployment of special chemical weapons (tear gas). Following a peaceful demonstration by 175,000 protesters on April 25, up to 40,000 protesters set out the next day for their 'spring offensive' to disrupt government by closing downtown Washington on May Day. Their slogan was, 'If the government won't stop the war, we'll stop the government.' Marching orders for demonstrators were provided in a tactical manual published many months in advance. It described how to carry out civil disobedience. It included photos and maps of targeted locations and tactics to be employed by protesters who set out to overwhelm police capacity to respond. From April 26 through May 7, as protesters carried out their planned civil disobedience, over 12,000 arrests were made, with over 7,000 arrests on May 3 alone. Maryland Matters welcomes guest commentary submissions at editor@ We suggest a 750-word limit and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions. We do not accept columns that are endorsements of candidates, and no longer accept submissions from elected officials or political candidates. Opinion pieces must be signed by at least one individual using their real name. We do not accept columns signed by an organization. Commentary writers must include a short bio and a photo for their bylines. Views of writers are their own. In stark contrast, this year's May Day drew hundreds of thousands of protesters across the United States in cities and towns, large and small, with comparatively few arrests. There were speeches by politicians, community leaders and protest organizers — and there were protest signs of all shapes and sizes expressing dissatisfaction with the current direction of our nation. Although both May Day demonstrations were protesting the policies and actions of presidential administrations, one attempted to close the government for an administration's actions during the Vietnam War and the other denounced an administration's attempt to decimate federal services and our democratic form of government. The foremost difference between the demonstrations of 1971 and today have to do with the motives of the demonstrators and the provocations that brought them to the streets. In 1971, President Nixon, for all of his faults — and there were many, including the continued prosecution of the Vietnam War — was trying to preserve government services, keeping offices open during the demonstrations and ensuring personnel could get to work and do their jobs. President Trump, on the other hand, has been attempting to shut down the government, to bring our democratic form of governance to its knees with indiscriminate firings, withholding congressionally authorized funding and closing many federal offices. The 1971 protesters, using civil disobedience, tried to shut down the government. Today's demonstrators, organized by the 50501 Movement, used peaceful demonstrations to protest the dismantling of government and to preserve our democracy and way of life. I have now seen things from both sides, as a law enforcement officer attempting to keep the peace as well as a protester, peacefully exercising our First Amendment 'right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.' As we enter what will undoubtedly be a summer of widespread protest, I want to implore demonstrators to remain peaceful and respectful, particularly the law enforcement officers there to ensure their safety and the safety of others. Be careful not to do anything that would provoke an unwanted response from the police. Remember, former Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that when demonstrations filled Washington's streets after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, then-President Trump asked authorities if they could shoot protesters in the legs. 'Can't you just shoot them? Just shoot them in the legs or something?' was said to be Trump's question. Similarly, former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley said Trump called for law enforcement to handle protesters and 'crack their skulls.' Law enforcement, 'peace officers,' are reminded of their oath of office, to protect and defend the Constitution. As summer heats up in both temperature and rhetoric, it will be important for officers to keep cool heads and maintain public order while protecting protesters' right 'peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.' Mass demonstrations can have an impact. A White House Historical Association official said 'the enormity of the protest pushed Nixon to accelerate the nation's exit from Vietnam.' Whether the protests that lay ahead will have the same impact as those of the Vietnam War era, only time will tell. Let's all pull together to make democracy work!
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
May Day rally expands to broad anti-Trump protest in Baltimore, across the nation
Workers and union members gather at Camden Yards to join a city-wide May Day demonstrations against the Trump administration Thursday. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters) Tunde Salaam, in his fifth year of an apprenticeship with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 24, came out to Camden Yards Thursday evening to march for worker justice and against what he sees as the Trump administration's anti-union policies. 'Worker rights, union rights are under attack,' said Salaam, 34, who said he came to the May Day march 'to support my fellow workers' who he said have been hammered by decades of stagnant wages and offshoring of jobs. But the march that brought hundreds to the stadium was just one of several 'feeder marches' that started in different parts of Baltimore and all converged at the Inner Harbor for a citywide rally in recognition the May Day protests. Others marched for schools, for immigrant justice, for Palestine, but they all came together at the Inner Harbor under one premise: To oppose the Trump administration and 'stop the billionaire takeover.' More than 1,000 people gathered at the Baltimore rally, waving protest signs, singing and chanting their opposition to President Donald Trump (R) and billionaire Tesla owner Elon Musk, whose Department of Goverment Efficiency (DOGE) Service has careened through the federal government, slashing jobs and shuttering agencies. The gathering in Baltimore was one of more than 1,000 May Day rallies that organizers said were scheduled across the country Thursday. 'The public is mad,' said Beverly Clevidence, 77, who said she only started joining political demonstrations months ago. 'We're banding together about many things – about labor, about civic services, about education.' Other than some angry comments from drivers passing by, there weren't any notable counterprotests around the gathering. Meanwhile, there was plenty of honking and shouting from drivers in support of the protest. Many of the grievances at the May Day rally were related to the Trump administration's rapid cuts to funding and programs in an effort to reduce federal spending. Cristina Duncan Evans, the Teacher Chapter Chair of the Baltimore Teachers Union, said that federal cuts to education and various policy changes are creating a difficult learning environment for kids. 'We're seeing cuts from the federal government, we're seeing ongoing issues in the school district, and we're here showing up to show the strength of unions, the strength of educators and to connect with all of the other issues that people are bringing,' said Duncan Evans, who previously worked as a social studies teacher and a library media specialist. 'We've also seen a radical redefinition of civil rights that is an attack on African American students … and an attack on transgender students,' she said, 'and we're standing up for all of our students, all of our families and all of our staff.' Many of the protesters where angry at the administration's crackdown on undocumented residents. Kathleen Carlson, 31, an immigration lawyer, was at the protest to stand up for her clients who are 'terrified' of Trump's aggressive immigration policies. 'We're all workers, and a large number of immigrants provide labor — provide poorly-paid labor, unpaid labor — and they get taken advantage of by corporations and individuals,' she said. 'They deserve the same rights as every other citizen.' Angela Clark, 26, with a youth-led climate activist group, the Sunrise Movement, said that the theme of the rally was 'the workers versus the billionaire class.' ''Big Oil and Big Pharma, the people ruining the environment, are part of that billionaire class,' Clark said. 'Our messaging right now is not necessarily 'end climate change,' it's 'stop billionaires from ruining our climate.'' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Some of the nonworker-focused protest signs demanded protections for transgender kids and adults, urged the administration to return erroneously deported Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and pushed for protecting Palestinian lives amid the Israel-Hamas war. 'The crowd is huge,' Clark said. 'I think it's great that we started with six different marches, all with different causes. And we're all congregating here with one real unified message: Stop the billionaire class from messing everything up for us.' Protesters wait outside Camden Yards to begin the march towards the Inner Harbor, joining hundreds more in a city-wide May Day demonstration. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters) Protesters continue the march down Pratt street to the Inner Harbor for May Day demonstrations. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters) A drummer participating in drumline that played while marching from Camden Yards to the Inner Harbor during May Day protest on May 1, 2025. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters.) Protest sign supporting the return of erroneously deported Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters). Protesters march down Pratt Street to the Inner Harbor during May Day demonstrations on May 1, 2025. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters). Signs seen at the May Day protest spanned several topics, including support for undocumented immigrants. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters). Protesters leaving Camden Yards to march to the Inner Harbor during May Day demonstrations. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters). "Hands off" has become a rallying cry for various grievances against the Trump administration and was featured on several protest signs during May Day demonstrations. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters). The May Day rally featured a variety of protest signs that spanned in tone - from serious to funny to creative. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters) A woman crossing the street with her May Day protest sign. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters). Tesla-owner Elon Musk heads the unofficial Department of Government Efficiencies that has been slashing various programs and federal grants - leading to frustrations by those affected by such cuts, such as the protesters at the May Day rally. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters) Several Protest signs feared that actions taken by the Trump administration oppose democracy and could even lean towards fascism. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters). Over a thousand protesters convened at McKeldin Plaza in the Inner Harbor after attending several smaller May Day demostrations. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters).
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
After rocky legislature, disability agency's self-directed care may still face budget challenges
People with developmental disabilities who self-direct their services rally in front of the State House on Nov. 19. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters) Early in this year's legislative session, state officials looking to close a $3 billion budget gap targeted the 'unsustainable growth' in developmental disabilities services as one of the main drivers of the deficit and set out to cut $457 million from the program. What followed was 90 days of emotion, rallies, negotiating and arguing that ended with both sides getting to a place they could live with: Advocates were able to claw back close to $300 million in cuts and got program reductions to a level they said was regrettable but survivable, at least. But after all that, both sides now wonder if they fixed the problem they set out to solve, of unsustainable growth in the self-directed care portion of the Developmental Disabilities Administration. One lawmaker said all of this year's wrangling may amount to a Band-Aid on a problem they could be visiting again next year. 'I'm not sure that the legislature was able to address some of the underlying concerns with needs of the community being balanced against spending that seems to continue to increase,' said Sen. Clarence Lam (D-Anne Arundel and Howard) who serves on the Senate Finance Committee. 'I think there are still fundamental issues that are outstanding that probably need a deeper review, and agreement upon on what approach to take to bring spending on DDA services to a level that the state can sustain,' he said. A spokesperson with the Department of Health said in a written statement Wednesday that the agency 'expects to continue discussions on DDA program sustainability.' 'The Maryland Department of Health is deeply committed to providing high-quality services that support Marylanders with disabilities,' the statement said. 'To drive that effort forward, the department will work in partnership with the Maryland General Assembly and key stakeholders.' In early discussions on the fiscal 2026 budget, former Health Secretary Laura Herrera Scott pointed to an increase in enrollment for the 'self-directed service' model of care as a contributing factor for the agency's budget woes. Enrollment for self-directed services grew more thatn 30% in both 2023 and 2024, particularly among young people moving from school into the Medicaid waiver program, according to the health department. Budget analysts have suggested that self-directed services tend to cost the state more than community-based services. The DDA administers Medicaid waivers that allow Marylanders with developmental disabilities to receive a wide variety of services, from live-in caregiver supports to transportation, respite care, employment services and more. At the end of 2024, there were about 16,800 Marylanders who selected a community model Medicaid waiver, where people join an established organization for disability care. Another 3,600 waiver recipients elected the self-directed model, where the waiver recipient or their family hires individual employees for services. 'It is true that people are choosing self-direction,' said Alicia Wopat, president of the Self-Directed Advocacy Network of Maryland. 'I think COVID-19 gave people a glimpse into what self-direction is like, because providers sadly couldn't provide during that period of time … I don't think the growth is unexpected.' Wopat hopes that the increased interest will mean that self-directed services can be protected in future budget discussions, not slashed with budget cuts. 'It's important for all of us to have choices in how we run our lives, and it should be no different for people with a disability,' Wopat said. The General Assembly ultimately cut some $164 million from the DDA in fiscal 2026, as part of the larger budget wrangling this year. For self-directed services, that means cuts to a program that helps families afford one-time expenses to support their family member with developmental disabilities, as well as caps on wage bonuses for some of the self-directed service care providers. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE But despite those cuts, Lam said that there are still some details that need to be understood regarding the DDA budget. The 'restored' funding this year serves as a 'Band-Aid' on the issue, while lawmakers and community leaders figure out how to fund the developmental disabilities programs sustainably, he said. 'There are still questions on why the cost of these services continue to rise so significantly, why self-directed care seems to be rising significantly,' Lam said. 'That discussion is hard to have during the throes of session, and so what took place this session was a Band-Aid to hold the community over,' Lam said, 'but it doesn't address the underlying issues there that have been festering for a while.' There were other factors that led to the financial woes at the DDA, some of which were temporary and should not play as much of a role in future budget discussions as they did this year, said Laura Howell, CEO of the Maryland Association of Community Services. Howell noted service providers have now all transitioned from the old payment model to a fee-for-service payment model, that should allow for better spending forecasts for the agency. The previous model paid providers up-front and expenses would be reconciled at a later date. The department periodically needed to account for unexpected costs, as the older system did not accurately project spending needs to deliver services. The new model, which was being phased in over the past few years, providers are reimbursed for services delivered. The health department agrees that the new payment system will help the state officials better understand the DDA's spending. How did we get here?: Analysts, officials unsure how disability agency overspent Meanwhile, lawmakers have boosted reporting requirements from the health department so they can also keep tabs on spending at the DDA. Other factors that contributed to some of budget deficit at the DDA were a result of higher pay increases for staff from an increase in the state's minimum wage, and the expiration of COVID-era relief dollars that had been supporting the agency. 'So all of those things led to the [spending] issues that we saw this year. We shouldn't be seeing those things moving forward, nothing should be a surprise,' Howell said. Howell agrees that the 'unanswered question' in future DDA budget talks is whether the state is able to support funding for self-directed services. 'It's hard to imagine that we could possibly be anywhere close to the same situation where were with this year,' she said. 'I can't see any reason why the DDA shouldn't be able to adequately and accurately project the cost moving forward, because all the data should be there. The only question is what happens with self-direction budgets.' As for Wopat, she hopes that the state includes more voices from the self-directed services community so that the model can be protected for those who rely on care that is more individualized. 'I hope everyone is included in those conversations as to how to best manage what's happened with the state's finances,' Wopat said. 'That stakeholders of all kinds have opportunities to collaborate and come up with solutions that are best for people.
