ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The dreary weather on Monday was an apt metaphor for the dark cloud that has hung over Maryland's State House during the 90 day legislative session.
Lawmakers have had to grapple with a 3.3 billion dollar budget deficit. The House and Senate elected to pass 2 billion dollars in budget cuts and nearly 1.7 billion dollars in tax and fee increases.
Typically the final day of the session, known as 'Sine Die,' a Latin phrase essentially meaning "adjourned indefinitely," has a celebratory mood. But not this time around.
"Taxing our way forward doesn't fix our economic problems," said Republican Senator Johnny Mautz of Talbot, Dorchester and Wicomico counties.
Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes of Dorchester and Wicomico counties, the only Democrat representing the Eastern Shore, says the financial situation will impact our area.
"What is also getting ready to be challenging is what cuts are coming from the federal government that go down to the state then go down to our counties and cities," she said.
Senate Minority Leader Stephen Hershey, a Republican representing Caroline, Cecil, Kent & Queen Anne's counties says lawmakers will work down to the wire, right up until midnight.
"We've always said the ninetieth day is the Republicans' day because everything's running up against the clock. You'll hear a lot of floor debate from the Republican Senators. We're going to be asking questions and running out the clock as much as we can," he said.
Eastern Shore lawmakers did not see this session as a total wash.
"There's been some wins for commercial fishing which is a good thing, there has not been an assault on the second amendment this year which is a good thing," said Senator Mautz.
"There are projects on the horizon that needed to be filled like Salisbury University, our airport," Delegate Sample-Hughes said.
Once the clock strikes midnight, the clock will begin ticking for Governor Wes Moore, who has thirty days to sign or veto legislation once it arrives on his desk.