Gubernatorial Candidate Craig Wants to Eliminate Maryland's Personal Income Tax

Harford County Executive and gubernatorial hopeful David Craig held a press conference Tuesday in Annapolis to propose a reduction in personal income tax.

The measure would help stimulate Maryland's economy while preventing people from leaving the state due to taxes, The Baltimore Sun reported.

Craig's proposal was to lower the income tax—which currently caps out at 5.75 percent—to 4.25 percent in 2016 with an ultimate goal of doing away with it entirely, Fox 45 reported.

Taxes at the county level would remain the same, and personal exemptions would increase, according to WBAL.

Lowering state income tax and increasing personal exemptions in 2016 could add up annually to $176 for individuals and $352 for married couples, The Washington Post reported.

Craig said he would lower the income tax to 3 percent by 2018 before phasing it out in what he hoped would be his second term, according to WBAL.

The reduction in income tax would be made possible by a 3 percent across-the-board cut in state spending, reports stated.

The Washington Post reported that Craig did not go into detail about the cuts.

According to The Baltimore Sun, Craig said that by voting for him, "People will be voting for a pay raise for themselves."

The Republican primary is June 24.