By Lori Jaffe

Something happened last Friday that we think encapsulates an issue that we have been trying to come to grips with in our country, our state and our county. It is a generalized feeling of disrespect for the American taxpayer. We go through our days trying to “do good” and yet we feel unappreciated. There is always something to fix. There is usually someone less fortunate who expects something from us. This happens internationally, as well as nationally and locally.

On Friday, President Trump hosted President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. During the meeting, Zelenskyy continued to push for “security guaranties” for Ukraine. Vice-President J.D. Vance said to President Zelenskyy, "Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media." Fox News later reported the back story from Treasury Secretary Bessent.

Both sides of the US political aisle are having their say. But we came away feeling like Zelenskyy just expected the United States to do what he wanted – give him more money. Maybe that’s because under Joe Biden, Zelensky got what he wanted. 

At the national level, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is currently exposing just how much previous administrations have disrespected the federal taxpayers. So far DOGE’s estimated savings is $65 Billion.

And who is among those standing up against DOGE? Our own Maryland representatives.

Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), speaks Wednesday at a Silver Spring town hall for federal workers with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), center, and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th). (Photo by Jack Bowman/Maryland Matters)

Thanks to the Maryland Federation of Republican Women (MFRW) for their perspective on what our Maryland leadership is planning for us financially. Governor Wes Moore will continue to tax and spend. His Fiscal Year 2026 Budget:

• Imposes a new delivery tax -- adds a $0.75 fee to every online purchase that will automatically increase each year because the fee has been tied to the CPI (Consumer Price Index).
• Eliminates all itemized income tax deductions – qualifying medical and dental expenditures, home mortgage interest, real estate taxes, charitable contributions -- forcing everyone to claim the standard deduction.
• Increases the income tax rate for the 3 lowest tax brackets and the 2 highest brackets.

As reported by Fox 5 DC, Governor Moore said, "What I saw in Washington, it did not just concern me as a governor, it disturbed me as a Marylander," Moore said. "This was going to be hard during normal circumstances and these are not normal circumstances — finding ourselves actively pushing back against what we’re seeing in Washington."

Moore's budget is disturbing to many Maryland taxpayers. Is it respectful of the taxpayers for the Maryland government to blow through a $5 Billion surplus left by Governor Hogan, leaving a $3 Billion deficit in two short years? We think not.

Southern Maryland News Net quotes Gov. Moore: “Under our plan, the majority of Marylanders will receive a tax cut, and we’ve targeted tax relief to those with low- and middle-incomes.” But, as reported by Montgomery Perspective, his plan will impose a new burden on many taxpayers. “Many, perhaps most, Democratic state elected officials in Maryland think of themselves as progressive.  And the notion of progressive taxation has been used to market Governor Wes Moore’s tax package, which has been depicted as mostly targeted on high earners.  But in fact its elimination of itemized deductions has ensnared a significant number of middle-class taxpayers.”

Locally, in the Montgomery County $7.1 Billion 2025 Operating Budget, our County Executive continues to disrespect many voters by spending our tax money on his far Left agenda, including “$365 million for climate change and environmental initiatives.” Elrich also applauded the County Council's approval of Building Energy Performance Standards, yet another regulation that Montgomery County taxpayers can't afford. Well, at least he’s consistent. In 2021, Elrich said (7:00), “Only we can end climate change.”

The American taxpayer has been disrespected for a very long time. Now that we have a fighter at the national level, our eyes have been opened to just how much money has been pouring out of our pockets to support the Left’s fanciful ideology and government corruption. We taxpayers have been expected to foot the bill locally, nationally and internationally. It’s time to wake up and vote for leaders who understand that we are tired of the disrespect.

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Lori Jaffe is the Party Secretary for the Montgomery County Republican Central Committee, volunteer coordinator and Member of the Executive Board. She can be reached at [email protected]