As the federal government shutdown stretches into another week, Maryland’s deep dependence on Washington dollars is once again under the microscope — raising questions about whether state leaders have done enough to diversify the economy and protect taxpayers from the fallout of federal instability.
Roughly one-third of Maryland’s annual budget comes from Washington, according to Gov. Wes Moore, who has said the state “relies on more than $370 million in federal support each week to run health care and food assistance programs.”
That dependency now poses an accountability test for Moore’s administration: how will the state shield itself from the risks of a prolonged federal disruption while continuing to fund critical programs?…