Maryland’s $3.3 billion budget deficit isn’t just a fiscal crisis — it’s a crisis for Black communities, who are already bearing the brunt of rising costs and economic instability. While Gov. Wes Moore has championed policies that claim to uplift working families, his administration’s reckless spending and tax policies are doing the exact opposite.

Black Marylanders — who make up nearly a third of the state’s population — are being hit the hardest by rising electric bills, inflation and an economy that continues to stack the deck against them. Instead of focusing on financial discipline, Moore has massively expanded the state’s workforce, despite a historic budget shortfall. Meanwhile, the House of Delegates has rejected any meaningful cuts, opting instead to push forward expensive initiatives without a plan to pay for them.

The economic mismanagement under this administration stands in stark contrast with Gov. Larry Hogan’s tenure. Hogan inherited a $5 billion deficit from the O’Malley administration but left office with a $6 billion surplus. Rather than take accountability, Moore has dismissed this surplus as a “sugar high” from pandemic-era federal funding. But the truth is clear: Maryland was on solid financial ground before Moore took office, and now, Black communities are at risk of suffering the most from the consequences of his administration’s tax hikes.

Moore’s latest budget proposal includes tax cuts for some while raising taxes on Maryland’s highest earners. But here’s what that really means for Black Marylanders: When businesses are taxed more, they cut jobs, wages and benefits — opportunities that Black workers disproportionately rely on to move into the middle class.

When costs go up, it’s Black families and small business owners, many of whom are already struggling, that feel the weight the most. Sales tax increases, property tax hikes and other hidden fees make everyday life even more unaffordable.

Raising taxes to cover reckless spending doesn’t fix Maryland’s problems — it makes them worse. The wealth gap will grow, Black-owned businesses will struggle even more, and the same communities that have historically been underserved will continue to be left behind. It’s no surprise that Moore’s approval rating has dropped 6 percentage points since January.

Maryland doesn’t need more spending and higher taxes — it needs a government that prioritizes responsible leadership and economic policies that work for all residents, especially Black communities.

If Moore truly wants to uplift Maryland’s most valuable residents, he must stop passing these tax burdens on to those who can least afford them.

Christopher Anderson is a third-generation Baltimorean, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and a community advocate. He is chairman of the Maryland Black Republican Council and a member of the Baltimore City Republican Central Committee. He has run for Congress and the Baltimore City Council.