Governor Moore Announces Maryland Budget Secretary’s Departure, Highlighting Fiscal Achievements

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has announced that Helene Grady, the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management, will be stepping down from her position in October. Grady has served in this role for nearly three years, during which the state government has transitioned from a projected structural deficit to a surplus. Her tenure has been marked by efforts to manage the state’s fiscal, capital, and personnel resources, with a search for her successor now underway.

During her nearly three-year service, Secretary Grady played a key role in several significant policy accomplishments for the Moore-Miller Administration. These include the permanent extension of the Enhanced Earned Income Tax Credit and the expansion of the Child Tax Credit. Additionally, her leadership contributed to securing increased funding for crucial sectors such as education, healthcare, public safety, and transportation. These initiatives are expected to have long-term positive impacts on the state’s residents.

Under Secretary Grady’s guidance, the Department of Budget and Management was instrumental in addressing a substantial projected budget deficit. This effort resulted in either a decrease or no change in income taxes for the majority of Maryland taxpayers. Furthermore, Grady spearheaded the Government Modernization Initiative, which is projected to yield savings of $250 million over the next five years by streamlining procurement, information technology, and vehicle fleet management. She also oversaw the transition of approximately 50,000 Medicare-eligible retirees and their dependents to Medicare Part D, leading to annual cost savings of around $200 million for the state.

In addition to fiscal management, Secretary Grady focused on improving state government operations. She led initiatives aimed at enhancing the recruitment and retention of state employees, which saw the executive branch vacancy rate decrease from 13.4% in January 2023 to 9.1% by June 2025. The department also successfully launched Maryland’s inaugural statewide workplace culture survey, established a new FAMLI benefit program for state employees, and fostered improvements in labor-management relations across the state. These changes are intended to create a more stable and efficient state workforce, which could translate to improved public services for Marylanders.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Office of Governor Wes Moore

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