ANNAPOLIS, Md - In his State of the State Address on Wednesday, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan once again called on both is Republican and Democratic counterparts, work together and find solutions to problems in the state.
Hogan's number one priority was addressing high crime rates in places like Baltimore.
But also on his list - continuing efforts to clean the Chesapeake Bay and keeping Maryland's upstream neighbors like Pennsylvania accountable for their part in cleanup.
Hogan also mentioned education and finding ways to increase teachers salaries and expanding Pre-K.
For retirees, the Governor proposed a plan to keep them in the state by offering tax reductions.
But behind his proposals, one major question arises: where will Maryland get the funding?
Finding that money won't be easy. Governor Hogan proposed nearly $1 billion dollars in his retiree tax-relief plan atop of another $4 billion needed to fund education in Maryland.
Democratic Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes says she is skeptical of the plan - unsure of how the $1-billion price tag used over the next five years will find money.
"There needs to be accountability as far as how we're going to offset the expenses of alleviating those taxes," Sample-Hughes said.
Sample-Hughes worries the state will struggle atop pre-existing problems with funding education.
But Republican Senator Mary Beth Carozza argues the proposal should be tackled alongside education. She says the money generated through the proposal could fund itself.
"In Delmarva we have a disproportionately higher senior population," Carozza said. "In the long run, it will pay off and be a revenue-generator for the state because we have retirees that will come to Maryland, stay Maryland, and spend their money in."
Lawmakers have also pointed to other revenue sources like casino lockbox funds or a proposal to limit tax credits.
Maryland lawmakers are also debating a bill that would tax online digital ads on sites like Facebook or Google. The bill alone would generate as much as $250-million a year.
Governor Hogan and Eastern Shore lawmakers says raising taxes is not an option.