Agenda For a Maryland Solidarity Economy
Introduction
According to The 2023 Maryland State of the Economy Report, “The State of Maryland has a robust and resilient economy that leads the nation in key economic indicators: the lowest unemployment rate, the highest median household income, and among the highest educational attainment levels.”
At the same time, growth in the Maryland economy basically stalled in 2017, and as of 2021 nearly 40% of Marylanders can’t afford the basics in the communities in which they live.
Our state government is stable and predictable, but Republican and Democratic Governors alike are afraid to increase taxes on the wealthy and close the loopholes that allow corporations to evade paying their fair share. This means that each time the state makes a major investment in Maryland’s future, we run into a budget crisis and politicians choose to make austerity cuts to services and programs. This is the approach the administration of Governor Wes Moore is taking right now.
This cycle is destructive. It benefits the wealthy, harms working class communities, and removes public resources from those that most rely on them.
It doesn't have to be this way, we can build an economy rooted in justice, so that everyone can thrive. To do so we will need to repair harm from previous policy decisions and reinvest in communities that have had resources taken from them. Racial justice, economic justice and environmental justice must be core elements of how we govern and how we budget.
Communities, working people, and families should be at the center of our economic policies--not corporations, banks, and wealthy developers. We need a fairer distribution of wealth, but even more, we need a fairer distribution of power. As governor, I will use the power of my office as chief executive of Maryland to provide resources directly to working class people and communities. We will work together with the movements, groups, and people in Maryland building our new solidarity economy.
During my administration we will implement the largest redistribution of power, wealth, and opportunity Maryland has ever seen.
That's my pledge to you--and it's a call to action for all of us.
A Gathering of Solutions
Marylanders have the energy, organizing skills, and knowledge to run an economy that prioritizes human needs and environmental responsibility. Communities across the state and organizations working directly in those communities are talking the talk and walking the walk. Just as our campaign is committed to listening and learning, my gubernatorial administration will invite those communities and organizations into our economic policymaking, not just to share their ideas, but to lead the solutions. Together, we will build an economy that reflects your values, your concerns, and your priorities.
Our current list of key policies and positions – a wealth tax, tax credits and income support, community repair and reinvestment funds, a public bank, worker-owned cooperatives and community ownership – is meant to open, not close, the conversation. Between now and November 2026, we'll be asking you for your input and ideas. We will plan our new economy together, so that each of us and all of us can thrive.