VIDEO | Md. Gov. Hogan Sets Priorities In His Final State-of-the-State Address

Governor Larry Hogan Wednesday thanked Marylanders for their persistence through the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as providing him with the opportunity to serve as governor for two terms.

The two-term Republican delivered his final State of the State Address.

“My message to you tonight is that we must all learn to live with this virus, not to live in fear of it. We can’t let it continue to dictate how we live our lives. … Of course we will continue to follow the data and the science, and we’ll keep fighting back with everything we’ve got. But make no mistake about it, we are moving forward full speed ahead, and we will continue to lead the nation in both health and economic recovery,” Hogan said.

Hogan called upon lawmakers to pass his tax cut proposals, and to develop a solution to what he calls the gerrymandering of congressional and legislative districts, as the maps produced by a citizens commission that he appointed were shelved in favor of maps produced by the General Assembly’s own redistricting commission.

“Our fiscal health and our economy are stronger than they have been in decades. But changing Maryland for the better means continuing to help the working families and seniors on fixed income who are getting squeezed by inflation and higher costs,” Hogan said. “Over the course of our administration we have been successful in passing targeted retirement tax relief for our military retirees and for our hometown heroes, our law enforcement, fire and rescue, corrections, and emergency personnel. But that’s not enough.”