Change Maryland Pushes For Coherent Transportation Policy

Annapolis - Change Maryland Chairman Larry Hogan backed transportation reform which has emerged as a key issue this legislative session after several years of being relegated to the back burner. Specifically, key members of the Maryland House of Delegates are advocating guiding principles to ensure much-needed investments are made in infrastructure and fundamental reforms made to transportation policy. 

"Previous attempts to improve our transportation network in Maryland have been an abject failure. Our top elected officials are saying roads and bridges are crumbling, but what they won't tell you is they are the ones who caused the problem in the first place," said Hogan. "Another myth that is being foisted upon us is that there is an urgent need to raise the gasoline tax, and that is simply not true."

Hogan joins Del. Susan Krebs and other House members in instilling common-sense policy solutions to making transportation policy. These include protecting the transportation trust fund with a constitutional amendment, realigning infrastructure investments to reflect how Marylanders actually travel and restoring funds for transportation.

"If we had followed these principles, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in now," said Hogan. "Now is the time to take deliberate steps to demonstrate to the public that state government can address transportation challenges."

Change Maryland has previously called attention to haphazard policy making on transportation. And most recently, the non-partisan, grassroots organization called attention to the fact that the Maryland Department of Transportation has been without a permanent secretary for seven months.