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Describing his plan as a "new direction for Maryland," Governor Larry Hogan focused on economic relief during the first State of the State address of his administration, Wednesday in Annapolis.
"Our administration will chart a new course; one guided by simple, common sense principles. Our focus will be on jobs, struggling Maryland families, and restoring our economy," Governor Hogan said.
He pledged efforts to make Maryland more welcoming and accommodating to new and existing businesses.
"I am confident that we will find many areas of agreement to make Maryland a more business friendly and more competitive state, so that we can create more jobs and more opportunities for our citizens," he said.
Governor Hogan also committed to tax relief for small businesses. As a first step, he proposed cuttingpersonal property taxes for small businesses.
"This legislation would create a tax exemption on the first $10,000 in personal property, entirely eliminating this tax for more than 70,000 small business ownersor one-half of all Maryland's businesses," he said.
Governor Hogan shared his optimism and vision for a "more prosperous Maryland" through additional proposals to improve government efficiency, provide tax relief, improve education for all Maryland children, improve transportation,protect the environment, promote election reform and address drug abuse.
"Though this is an ambitious agenda, I believe that these actions will begin to put Maryland on a new path, one that leads to a new era of opportunity, and prosperity for all our citizens," he said.
Find Maryland Public Television's coverage of the State of the State address and a full transcript here.
