County Executive Baker Responds to Governor Hogan's "State of the State" Address

Press Release

 

For immediate release:

February 3, 2016

 

For more information, contact:

Scott L. Peterson

Deputy Manager of Communications/Press Secretary

Cell: 240-619-9400 

 

Prince George’s County Executive Baker Responds to Governor Hogan’s “State of the State” Address

 

County Executive Baker calls for the Governor to release the $20 million of education funds and $30 million of hospital funds from current FY 2016 budget and proposed FY 2017 budget.

 

Upper Marlboro, MD: Yesterday, Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III and the leaders from four of the state’s largest jurisdictions gathered at a press conference in Annapolis prior to Governor Hogan’s State of the State Address.  County Executive Baker was joined by Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, and Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, who all called for the Governor to fund education, health care, public safety, and transportation infrastructure priorities in their jurisdictions. To watch video of this press conference, please click here.  To access photos from yesterday, please click here.

 

“Budgets reflect priorities. As an Executive, I know that there is a limited pool of resources that are available to deliver on the things that help a jurisdiction and our state move forward,” said County Executive Baker. “Several months ago, we asked the Governor to release $70 million dollars, including $20 million for Prince George's County, of funding for education that the children and families of this state deserve. Even though he is sitting on $300 million surplus, the Governor ignored our request on this issue, denying thousands of children from receiving the best resources that this state can offer.  Our Governor told us that the state of the State is good. That we are now heading in the right direction. However, he did not tell us that the funding he is leaving out of his budget will impede counties like Prince George’s from continuing their forward progress. Whether it is fully funding education, transportation spending, or investing in a much needed healthcare system, the Governor has shown us through this budget where his priorities are. It is clear to me that they do not include the children and families of Prince George's County.”

 

Additionally, County Executive Baker testified before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on behalf of the Prince George’s County Regional Medical Center Act of 2016.  The plan for the new Prince George’s County Regional Medical Center, a $650 million, 231 bed hospital was established in a 2011 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Prince George’s County, the State of Maryland, the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) and Dimensions Healthcare System, in which the State and the County agreed to participate in the funding of the new facility.

 

Noting that the County has continued to fund its share of the commitment in the budget each year for the last 5 years, County Executive Baker stated “Governor Hogan is not helping us, he is holding us back. There is no reason not to have the new Regional Medical Center approved by this point.  There is no reason, for two years in row, to not provide funding that the State of Maryland previously agreed to support.  Governor Hogan insists on playing politics with the health and well-being of Prince Georgians.  I cannot stand by any longer and allow our residents to be treated like second-class citizens of this state with our own tax money.”   

 

In the 2011 MOU, the State of Maryland agreed to pay $15 million dollars to support the transition to this new hospital.  Since taking office, Governor Hogan has refused to honor this agreement by not including the $15 million dollars in the current year’s FY 2016 budget and it is not in his FY 2017 proposed budget.  When a new Memorandum of Understanding was sent to Governor Hogan in October, his administration refused to sign it.  Furthermore, approval for the new Regional Medical Center’s “Certificate of Need” (CON) by the Maryland Health Care Commission has been in review for over two years. 

 

To watch yesterday’s hearing on the Prince George’s County Regional Medical Center Act of 2016 legislation in front of the Senate Budget and Taxation committee, please click here. Next Tuesday, February 9, 2016, at 11:00 a.m., County Executive Baker will be testifying on the legislation in front of the House of Delegates’ Appropriations Committee in the House Office Building, Room 121.

 

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