Hogan not spending $80M set aside by Maryland legislature

"Governor Hogan has repeatedly said he would not play politics with budget items and that the legislature's tactic of fencing off dollars for critical programs like public safety, lead remediation, addiction services and state highway funding are the kinds of stunts that Marylanders have come to resent," said Matt Clark, the governor's spokesman.

Another big part of the fenced-off money includes $13.2 million for medical care provider reimbursements to increase primary and specialty physician evaluation and management rates to 96 percent of Medicare.

The state had a projected budget surplus of about $360 million for the current fiscal year, which began July 1, but budget officials say it will end up being less than that due to the softening revenue collections.