Maryland Governor Wants More Control Of Budget

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ)—With Annapolis gearing up for the start of this year's legislative session, Governor Larry Hogan unveiled his budget goals for Maryland.

Alex DeMetrick has more on the governor's plan.

As Governor Larry Hogan starts his second year in office, he says his goal is to reduce red ink left by the O'Malley administration.

To reduce the state's deficit, Hogan will push the legislature to keep state borrowing under a billion dollars, while seeking a reduction in mandated spending authorized in earlier laws, that he says makes up 83-percent of all the money the state spends.

Hogan's spending priorities include $2 billion for transportation infrastructure, $6 billion for schools, including new construction and $7 billion in aid to local governments for projects like improved treatment plants.

But the governor's plan is only a plan until the legislature makes it law.

"I don't care what side of the aisle the ideas come from, as long as they're good ideas," said the governor. "I think we're going to have a great session. I don't think the honeymoons over, at least not my part. You can tell Mike and Mike I still love them."

As in democrats Mike Miller and Mike Bush who lead the legislature.

Maryland's 2016 legislative session begins next Wednesday.