As you may have seen on Facebook or X, I recently spoke about a sneaky move by House Democrats to impose a massive tax increase on small businesses, by introducing a bill after we are already two-thirds of the way into session. Today the bill passed the rules committee and has already been scheduled for a hearing in the Ways and Means Committee next week, on Wednesday. I do not think many businesses and constituents are aware of this bill.
If you missed the video I posted, you can watch it here:
After months of promoting a "growth budget," Governor Moore now has the chance to show real leadership by standing against this harmful legislation. How would imposing a billion dollars in taxes on small businesses help drive economic growth? It wouldn’t.
HB1554 adds new tax burdens at a time when many businesses are already struggling with skyrocketing energy costs, and it is shortsighted and counterproductive. At best businesses will pass this fee onto consumers and worse it will force businesses to downsize, leave Maryland, or shut their doors entirely.
The reality is clear: Maryland is grappling with a $3 billion deficit while neighboring states thrive with surpluses, thanks to business-friendly policies and prudent fiscal management. Our state stands at a pivotal moment. If the Governor and the majority party are genuinely committed to resolving this crisis, they must prioritize solutions that support and empower job creators.
Small businesses are the backbone of Maryland’s economy, providing jobs, services, and opportunities for many communities.
If you share my concerns about HB1554, there are two very important steps to take immediately.
First, I urge you to make your voice heard. Our friends in the Maryland Freedom Caucus have set up a page to send a letter of opposition to key committee members. Please get involved.
https://ujoin.co/campaigns/3539/actions/public?action_id=4998
Second, if you own a small business, I would encourage you to testify in opposition to this bill at the hearing on Wednesday. The deadline to sign up to testify and or to submit written testimony is MONDAY, MARCH 10.
To do this, visit the Maryland General Assembly website and create a MYMGA account by clicking MYMGA at the top right corner.
This video will walk you through the process of creating the MYMGA account: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Video/Tutorials/MyMGANewAccount.mp4
This video is a tutorial on how to sign up for the bill you want to testify on: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Video/Tutorials/WitnessSignUp.mp4
Registration is open from 8 AM to 6 PM on Monday, March 10th for HB1554. If you choose to testify virtually, a confirmation and meeting link will be sent to the email associated with your MYMGA account.