Posted on 08/05/25
| News Source: FOX45
Annapolis, MD - Aug. 5, 2025 - A new state audit is raising red flags over Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s claim that his administration identified $400 million in budget savings. Investigators say the numbers don’t add up and accuse Maryland’s leasing deals of lacking transparency and could possibly cost taxpayers far more than originally promised.
Moore tasked the Department of General Services (DGS) with some cost-cutting measures, including relocating certain state offices. But a 71-page audit suggests some of those measures may be based on incomplete data.
“We need immediate savings today because of the structural deficit we have in Maryland,” said Del. Ryan Nawrocki, R-Baltimore County. “Not savings in 25 years.”
Nawrocki called the findings “very concerning” and accused the Moore administration of poor fiscal stewardship.
Among the audit’s key issues:
“You’re not going to solve a structural deficit by providing false information to taxpayers,” said David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance. “Audits like this are critical in providing transparency and oversight to the citizens of Maryland.”
Williams said the state needs to clearly show where the savings are coming from.
“You have to show the people that it’s really happening — that it’s not just a bunch of words,” he said.
The audit also found DGS could not prove that certain leasing arrangements were in the state's best financial interest.
DGS disputes many of the findings, saying it did perform cost-benefit analyses and used independent brokers to determine fair market rates. The department acknowledged the need for greater transparency and said it will begin including total lease values and parking costs in future deals.
“We need a governor who is here focused on Maryland,” Nawrocki said. “Unfortunately, our governor has been running all around the country, running for president. Things like this continue to pop up. Now we’re talking about $410 million. That’s real money.”
The audit’s findings are expected to be a topic of discussion when the Maryland General Assembly reconvenes in January.
In a statement from Governor Moore’s office, it states: “The Maryland Department of General Services has completed comprehensive cost-benefit analyses of options for several state-owned buildings in Baltimore as part of a broader strategy to address decades of underinvestment and deferred maintenance in state-owned facilities. While the audit highlights concerns about documentation lacking under the previous administration, this Administration is committed to transparency and data-driven decision-making. By relocating agencies to privately leased spaces rather than investing in costly construction, renovations, and ongoing maintenance of aging state buildings, Maryland taxpayers will save millions of dollars over the next two decades.”