House and Senate Republicans said they oppose a continuing effort by Gov. Wes Moore (D) to hire displaced federal workers.
Moore asked the Legislative Policy Committee in June to approve the use of $30,000 with the current budget to help cover the salaries of two new part-time contractual employees to handle recruitment and hiring of federal employees, according to an analysis by the Department of Legislative Services.
Since making the request, Moore announced a hiring freeze in most state agencies. The governor is also looking to reduce state payroll through a voluntary buyout program.
House Minority Leader Del. Jason C. Buckel (R-Allegany) said the request is surprising.
“How can we, at the same time, pursue the hiring of former federal employees, unless they are in those critical positions he’s outlined?” Buckel said in a statement. “That is unlikely. If his administration needs to essentially hire additional staff whose job it will be to hire additional staff, that contradicts any notion about government efficiency. It seems disingenuous to take from state employees with one hand while giving to former federal employees with the other.”
The relatively small amount comes from $2 million set aside by the legislature this year to fund a program to expedite the hiring of federal employees who are fired or laid off. Since February, the state has hired 251 people across all state agencies, according to legislative analysts. But just 7% of those — about 18 people — were hired through the program meant to help displaced federal workers, according to the Department of Legislative Services.
“We have a duty to be good stewards of the taxpayer dollar, particularly in these tight budget times,” Senate Minority Leader Sen. Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore) said. “Our taxpayers cannot afford the unsustainable level of hiring the Moore Administration has pursued over the last three years, and they certainly cannot afford a phony hiring freeze. The Governor needs to be honest with the people of Maryland.
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