Md. Gov. O'Malley Considers Raising Taxes

WASHINGTON -- Hours before he presented his new budget proposals for next year, the Maryland governor told WTOP on Friday he is open to raising taxes on some common amenities.
 
Gov. Martin O'Malley said he would consider petitioning the state legislature to raise the alcohol and gas taxes -- two fees that have remained unchanged for decades.
 
He warned any potential funds raised would still fall short of stemming a $1 billion state budget shortfalls.
 
"I'm going to have, by Constitution, the first word on the budget," he said Friday. "But it's not going to be the last one."
 
O'Malley stipulated that raising these taxes "won't do the heavy lifting that's needed to close a billion dollar gap."
 
He also noted there are some other potential changes that might not necessarily lead to increased taxes. The gas tax is currently a flat rate of 23 cents per gallon, O'Malley said. He proposed Friday implementing an index on that tax that would keep pace with inflation.
 
He introduced this to the state legislature four years ago, he said, and it was "shut down pretty summarily."
 
Those currently involved in state governance aren't the only ones weighing in on the issue.

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