For the fourth year in a row Governor Hogan’s budget plan includes no tax increases and record funding for K-12 education. The Governor’s FY2019 budget would spend an unprecedented $6.5 billion total on schools, more than called for in state formulas.  Every single school system in the state of Maryland will see increased investment by the state.  

Governor Hogan's focus on reining in state spending and rolling back tax increases has put the state in far better shape than it would have been otherwise, but his work is not done.

84% of state tax revenue is mandated and prevents far more dollars from being returned to Marylanders’ pockets. To combat this problem, Governor Hogan has introduced the "Common Sense Spending Act of 2018."

• Since President Trump took office, the unemployment rate has decreased from 4.8 percent to 4.1 percent, a 17-year low.
• The U.S. economy has also added 1.8 million jobs since President Trump took office.
• The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index averaged 50 in 2017, the highest yearly average since 2001.
• The December, 2017 jobs report has been praised and includes a number of strong indicators of economic health.
• Over 100 companies and counting have pledged to offer bonuses, pay raises, and benefits increases after Republicans passed historic tax reform, a trend that is having a positive impact for many Americans and charities across the country.
• The Christmas shopping season was the best in a decade, far exceeding expectations.
• The Dow has topped 25,000, up 36 percent since President Trump was elected, "an incredible move in such a short period."

The U.S. Senate confirmed Alex Azar II to serve as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on January 24. Secretary Azar attended Parkside High School in Salisbury, Maryland from 1981 to 1985. His father, also named Alex Azar, is a retired doctor of ophthalmology and teacher at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He practiced ophthalmology in Salisbury, Maryland for more than 30 years. His grandfather emigrated from Lebanon in the early 20th century.