ROCKVILLE, Md. — Montgomery County Council President George Leventhal said Monday that, while he likes Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, he disputes the governor’s statement that there’s a “mass exodus” of people leaving the state.

In his State of the State address last week, Hogan stunned leaders in the State House when he painted a bleak picture of Maryland’s economic outlook.

“Our economy is floundering, and too many Marylanders have been struggling just to get by,” Hogan said.

He summed up the grim outlook by saying, “We’ve had the largest mass exodus of taxpayers fleeing our state, of any state in our region and one of the worst in the nation.”

At his weekly briefing with reporters, Leventhal made a statement about the remark.

“I do not think there is a mass exodus of Marylanders leaving the state. I didn’t see evidence of it when I was driving to work today in heavy traffic. I didn’t see any evidence of it over the weekend when I was shopping in the Kentlands, where affluent Marylanders were engaging in commerce and going shopping and dining out,” Leventhal said.

Leventhal concedes Maryland’s tax rates are relatively high, and he told reporters that Hogan obviously struck a chord with Maryland voters when he focused on the increases in taxes and fees they faced.

“The governor’s shining a bright light on our relative tax burden is a healthy thing,” Leventhal said regarding Hogan’s focus on Maryland’s tax increases.

But, he added, “Our taxes in the state of Maryland and Montgomery County are relatively high  — and we have the best schools. So, you know, you get what you pay for.”

WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.