Maryland Among Hardest Hit By Federal Government Shutdown

MARYLAND — The partial federal government shutdown has lasted nearly two weeks and could extend even longer if House Democrats and President Donald Trump continue digging in their heels over funding for a border wall with Mexico. But the shutdown doesn’t affect every state equally. Some, for instance, have more residents receiving food stamps, while others have a large share of federal workers.

Maryland ranked as the 3rd most affected state, sandwiched between New Mexico and Hawaii, according to a report published Thursday by WalletHub.

Washington, D.C. topped the list. The nation’s capital has the highest number of families receiving SNAP benefits, the authors noted, and it tied for first in federal contract dollars per capita and highest share of federal jobs.

The WalletHub researchers compared states based on five measurements, with the highest weight belonging to share of federal jobs and percent of families receiving food stamps.

Here are the 10 states most affected by the shutdown, according to WalletHub:

1. Washington, D.C.
2. New Mexico
3. Maryland
4. Hawaii
5. Alaska
6. Virginia
7. West Virginia
8. Mississippi
9. Alabama
10. Arizona

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan joined leaders in Virginia and D.C. on Friday, Jan. 4, calling for an end to the partial government shutdown. He sent a letter to President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. It was also signed by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

“As our federal employees and contractors experience a sudden loss of income, this not only causes financial hardship for individuals and families, but also deals a significant blow to our region’s economy," Hogan, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser wrote in their letter. "Hard-working federal employees and those who depend on them should not have to suffer because of this partisan standoff."

They noted the national capital region was home to more than 360,000 federal workers.

Maryland is tied for first with the District of Columbia and Hawaii for having the highest share of federal jobs, according to the study, and it's tied with D.C. and Virginia for the highest federal contract dollars per capita.

County Executive Calvin Ball also urged lawmakers to end the federal shutdown on behalf of his jurisdiction, Howard County, which is home to nearly 50,000 federal workers.

He announced on Friday, Jan. 4, that everything from library fees to water shutoffs would be put on hold during the government shutdown.

RELATED:

• HoCo Suspends Library Fines, Keeps Water On During Shutdown
• 11 Percent Of HoCo Families Impacted By Government Shutdown: Ball

When the government shuts down, some federal workers perform their duties but don’t receive a paycheck. Others receive furlough, essentially meaning a leave of absence.

While some Patch readers said they worked for the Department of Defense and were not impacted by the shutdown, others said they were having to make a gamble.

"If I pay off my everyday credit card in full like normal, then I may not have enough to pay next month's mortgage. If I only pay the minimum on my credit card, then I get hit with interest," one reader wrote on the Odenton-Severn Patch Facebook page. "It's most probable that I will eventually get paid for the missing work, but even that's not guaranteed. I don't have the choice to take leave because that is against the law."

Federal workers deemed essential such as air traffic controllers are still mandated to work and will eventually receive back pay, but in the meantime they must make do without a paycheck. Non-essential federal employees are furloughed until the shutdown is over. In the past they have traditionally gotten back pay, but it isn't a guarantee.

Tens of thousands of workers in the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Prisons, Customs and Border Protection, Coast Guard and Secret Service are among those working for free at the moment, according to The New York Times. Most IRS operations have been halted.

The IRS won't issue refunds during the shutdown and won't answer taxpayer questions, which could be problematic as tax laws will change significantly for many filers, especially those who typically itemize their returns, according to USA Today. Taxes will still be due April 15.

The longest shutdown in American history was 21 days during Bill Clinton’s presidency. That impasse began in December 1995 and lasted into January 1996.

Minnesota ranked as the state least affected by the shutdown, followed by New Hampshire, Nebraska, Iowa and Indiana, according to the WalletHub study.

RELATED: How Maryland Would Be Affected By Government Shutdown

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton and Patch editor Rick Scinto contributed to this report.

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