Your Public Radio > WYPR Archive
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
You are now viewing the WYPR Archive of content news. For the latest from WYPR, visit www.wypr.org.
WYPR's Senior News Analyst opines on recent Maryland news.

Smith: Hogan Is Here. What Now?

Yesterday, the well-deserved pomp. Today – well we really don’t know. Today, Governor Larry Hogan Jr. unveils his budget. It’s almost certain to be a revealing if not sobering moment.

So far, the new leader has seemed adroit and efficient. He’s quickly fielded a promising team – cabinet members and department heads – no easy task for someone with little if any experience at such organizing. He’s had no elective, let alone major, administrative experience.

He worked in the Ehrlich Administration, and he had a hand in finding talent. But he was not in charge of it.  

At the same time, he’s been reaching out to Democratic leaders. From the outside, at least, the gesture seems sincere. He looks like someone who wants to govern, to get things done, to serve the people of the state.

More clues to his plans, more definition of the governor he will be will land tomorrow. He will layout his spending – and saving – plan. He’s had some of the best minds in Maryland helping. His new budget secretary, former state senator David Brinkley, has considerable knowledge of how Maryland has spent the taxpayers’ money. He is now Hogan’s budget chief. Brinkley, too, has a bi-partisan head start on his new job. Moderate, smart and reasonable he supplies some of the experience Hogan does not have.

Much of the budget-making work so far has been done with the consultation of Robert Neall,  who served in the General Assembly for decades. He was a Republican – and later a Democrat. He’s well-regarded by members of both parties.

What all this means for the governing of Maryland will be clearer today when Governor Larry Hogan presents his fiscal roadmap.