ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Two months after winning Maryland’s gubernatorial race, Wes Moore has spent much of his time planning, thinking, and waiting to officially be sworn in as the 63rd governor of Maryland.
“I’m so ready,” said Moore. “I’m ready to get to work.”
Moore, the first African-American person elected governor of Maryland and only the African-American elected to the governor’s mansion nationwide, said Wednesday’s inauguration will be one focused on inclusivity. Buses from around the state will bring people to Annapolis to see the inauguration for themselves.
“I want people to see. It’s not just the faces of the people who will be inaugurated. I want people to pay attention to the crowd,” said Moore who anticipates thousands to attend his inauguration.
To honor the past, Moore will be sworn into office on a bible that belonged to abolitionist Frederick Douglas while Moore's two children hold a bible that belong to Moore's grandfather.
As final preparations for inauguration day move forward, Moore is preparing the incoming administration to address budding issues like a potential recession, a staggering number of state job vacancies, and an estimated $2.5 billion surplus.
In his final address, Governor Larry Hogan warned against, “raiding the rainy-day fun or recklessly spending down the surplus.”
Moore, however, sees the surplus as an opportunity to make investments into state programs and projects. He noted that infused federal cash, market performance equity and government job vacancies have contributed to the surplus.
“Our administration is going to be disciplined,” he said pointedly. “ We are going to be presenting our budget on January 20th within hours of being inaugurated. You are going to see a budget reflective of the fact that we understand that the surplus is there are things we are going to invest, that we think, is going to bring a level of societal investment.