ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Leaders of a Maryland Senate panel that steers state spending say recent changes to the state budget are something the whole General Assembly can support.
Sen. Richard Madaleno, the panel's vice chairman, told a cheering crowd in Annapolis Monday that he expected unanimous votes in both chambers for changes to add more funding to education and to restore a 2-percent cost-of-living adjustment for state employees.
Panel chairman Sen. Edward Kasemeyer said he felt confident Republican Gov. Larry Hogan would also support the changes.
Hogan, who was facing a $750 million budget hole as soon as he entered office, scaled back the funding in his initial budget plan.
Last week, the House Appropriations Committee voted unanimously for a budget that makes room for the added education money and state employee pay.
