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Thursday, October 06, 2011

Higher Alcohol Tax To Pay For School Projects

Md. Board of Public Works approves $18 million in spending

Money from higher prices at bars and liquor stores is paying for athletic fields in Howard County, renovations to schools in Montgomery County and a new high school performing arts center in Anne Arundel.

On Wednesday, Maryland's Board of Public Works approved $18 million for school construction projects in the three counties, doling out the first chunk of revenue from the 50 percent increase in the sales tax on alcohol that the General Assembly approved in April. The tax rose to 9 percent, from 6 percent, starting July 1.

Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, emphasized the jobs that would be created by the projects, asking officials from each school system who attended the board's meeting to estimate how many workers would be needed.

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5 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm glad to see that the Eastern Shore was able to help these counties particularly with the taxes collected in Ocean City. Have they decided what to spend part of the local cut of the Ocean Downs casino revenue on yet?

Anonymous said...

Have any of the Eastern Shore schools gotten any of this money? We're taxed here - we'd certainly like to spend it here....WCBOE is hurtin' so much they're talking about wanting tax increases....let's get some of that tax increase back here from the other side of the bay.....

Anonymous said...

The way I see it, there should be an abundance of money for school projects. Just think back,at the inception of the lottery we were told the majority of the profits were to go to education.When the slots were approved by voters we were told the same thing.Now the alchohol tax is creating jobs? What happened to all the past money earmarked for education?

Anonymous said...

Relax folks, the alcohol tax has been in effect for 3 months now. Everyone will get a slice of the pie in time.

Anonymous said...

I just slip over the state line into Delaware once every week or so to buy what I need. No new tax there. ...and when they raise the gas tax here, I will be doing the same for my gas. Everyone close enough to Delaware or Virginia should do the same.