61% of Marylanders believe effort to reduce federal workforce will have negative impact, poll finds
Sixty-one percent of Marylanders who participated in a UMBC poll said the Trump administration's plan to reduce the size of the federal workforce will have a "mostly negative impact," while 24% said the plan will have a "mostly positive impact."
The poll surveyed 803 Maryland adults between Feb. 11 and Feb. 15. Of those surveyed, 769 reported they were registered voters.
The results of the poll come after President Trump signed an executive order telling federal agencies to prepare for "large-scale reductions in force," and after the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ordered agencies to lay off almost all probationary workers.
The move has impacted hundreds of thousands of workers across the country so far.
The effort to reduce the federal workforce also included a buyout offer in which more than two million federal employees were given a Feb. 6 deadline to participate in a "deferred resignation program," allowing them to keep their pay and benefits through the end of September.
The governor's office estimates there are about 160,000 federal civilian jobs in Maryland, which represents about 6% of jobs in the state.
Marylanders approve of Wes Moore as governor
The poll found that 52% of surveyed Marylanders approved of the job Gov. Wes Moore is doing, while 40% disapproved.
Of the surveyed Democratic voters, 79% approved of Moore's job as governor and among Republican voters, 16% approved, according to the poll. 37% of Independent and unaffiliated voters approved of Gov. Moore's job.
The survey also asked Marylanders if they think the state is heading in the right direction. 42% said yes, while 49% said the state is on the wrong track.
"Gov. Wes Moore earns support from a majority of Marylanders during a time of tough budgetary choices and public pessimism about the state's economic conditions. His approval rating is buoyed by his political base-nearly 80 percent of Democrats support the job he's doing. On the other hand, Republicans express broad disapproval of the governor," said Mileah Kromer, Director of the UMBC Institute of Politics.
Approval rating comes as leaders consider 2026 budget
According to the UMBC poll, 67% of Marylanders rate economic conditions in the state as "poor" or "fair," while 31% rate conditions as "excellent" or "good."
The February poll was taken as state leaders consider the governor's proposed 2026 budget, which aims to address a $2.7 billion deficit in the state.
The governor's proposed budget, unveiled in mid-January, would bring tax cuts for 66% of Marylanders and raise tax rates for residents earning over $500,000 annually.
The poll shows that 63% of Marylanders prefer a system where people with higher incomes pay a higher tax rate than those with lower incomes, and 30% prefer that people pay the same rate regardless of income.
In the survey, Marylanders were asked how they would prefer state lawmakers to address the budget deficit. 45% said they want the deficit addressed with spending cuts and increased taxes and fees, 37% said they want the deficit addressed with mostly spending cuts to state government programs, and 12% said they want some tax and fee increases.
A similar poll conducted by UMBC in mid-September revealed that 54% of Marylanders approved of the governor's job performance, while 32% disapproved.
The first poll was taken in the middle of Gov. Moore's first term.
Marylanders surveyed on government priorities
UMBC's poll also asked Marylanders what issues they want the state government to prioritize.
Those who participated in the survey mentioned the following as being high priority:
- Reducing crime and improving public safety
- The quality of K-12 public education
- The cost of healthcare
- The cost of household energy bills
- The cost and availability of housing
- The amount of state taxes and fees that residents pay
- Supporting economic growth and development
- Protecting the environment
- The quality of roads and highways
- The availability and quality of public transportation
According to the poll, 56% of surveyed Marylanders said they can "never" or "only some of the time" trust the state government, while 41% said they trust the state government "just about always" or "most of the time."