Local jurisdictions say 10-cent hike necessary to repair roads, fill potholes
Arguing that Marylanders will face a proliferation of potholes without more state money to repair local roads, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and three county executives urged lawmakers Tuesday to support a 10-cent-a-gallon increase in the gas tax.Rawlings-Blake joined County Executives Ken Ulman of Howard County, Ike Leggett of Montgomery County and Rushern Baker of Prince George's County in endorsing an increase in the state's 23.5-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax as long as the money goes to local jurisdictions and isn't used to balance the state's budget.
The local government leaders want the increase coupled with a restoration of state road repair money to their jurisdictions and a constitutional amendment that would protect the Transportation Trust Fund from the type of "raids" that have been used in recent years to close shortfalls in the general fund.
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Half of the current gas tax goes to mass transit system. Here is an amazing idea...How about the people that use mass transit pay the actual cost of the service. We would then have enough money to fix the roads on the eastern shore.
ReplyDeleteWhere are Rick. P. and Jim-Beau on this scam?
ReplyDeleteI'm all about the gas tax! Montgomery County, PG County and Howard County the three HIGHEST revenue consumers of the State can gas tax all they want...IN THEIR COUNTY! Leave the Eastern Shore alone!
ReplyDeleteThe procedure has to be documented in Annapolis:
ReplyDelete1. Complain that there's not enough money in the Transportation Trust Fund to fund transportation needs.
2. Raise taxes to replenish the this Trust Fund.
3. Over spend.
4. Borrow money from the Transportation Trust Fund to cover the shortfall in the budget.
5. Warn that Teachers, Cops, and Fireman may have to be laid off.
6. Go to step 1.
It's too bad that local jurisdictions can't impose their own gas tax if ALL of the money collected in the increase stays in the jurisdiction--or can they? If, say, an additional five cents added to the tax would add the needed revenue to Wicomico Co. road repair, then I'm for it. I don't like sending so much of the money generated by the tax back to Montgomery, PG, Howard, and Balto. City. Let them have their own "added tax" on gas.
ReplyDeleteThey need to take all the gas tax money they've been colllecting over the years and use it for what it was intended first.
ReplyDeleteRaising the tax is not going to help because the money won't go to the roads.
I'm so tired of government saying this tax goes to ____ and then down the road, there's no money in ____ so we need to raise another tax.
Any elected official supporting this measure needs to go!
We are already getting raped at the tax pumps!
ReplyDeleteWe are already paying for the highway taxes and the towns and counties are entitled to those funds, but the state refuses to give us our fair share. Only an idiot would support more tax on gas. This is rediculous!! Our Mayors and County Executives should be demanding we get our share of highway funds.
How soon the liberals forget what happened in November!
I can fix this, its easy, lets fill pot holes with Lawyers and Poloticians, and Liberals...
ReplyDeleteProblem solved....
elections have consequences.
ReplyDeletevote out the tax and spenders and your life will be much easier.
it's not rocket science.
has everyone seen all of the special spending bills introduced for Prince Georges County?
ReplyDelete