Wes Moore unveils proposed budget 

By Tashi McQueenAFRO Political Writertmcqueen@afro.com Gov. Wes Moore unveiled his fiscal year (FY) 2025 proposed budget on Jan. 17, highlighting his focus on public safety, with increased funding for police protection, the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and a new statewide gun violence prevention center.& Moore said that his goal is to “make Maryland safer, more affordable” and “more competitive” all while becoming “the state that serves.”& “We will achieve each of these goals without raising taxes on Marylanders,” said Moore. “Our budget includes a record $127 million for local police agencies. That is a $5 million increase over the last year.” According to Giffords, an advocacy organization for gun control, 79 percent of all homicides committed throughout Maryland are done with guns. About $10 million is set to erect a new Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention, an initiative encouraged by President Biden that Gov. Moore is supporting in the general assembly. Moore said he “believes in accountability” and “consequences for people that break the law” but does not believe children should be put through a system that “makes them more likely to commit crime.” “We’re doing it wrong. That’s why our budget provides an increase of $16...