Senator Colburn Honored by MML

Cambridge – Scott Hancock, Executive Director of the Maryland Municipal League (MML), announced today that they have selected Senator Richard F. Colburn (R-Mid Shore) to be a recipient of the 2014 “Outstanding Friend of MML” award from the Maryland Municipal League. The award will be presented at the June 9th Eastern Shore Association of Municipalities MML Chapter meeting in Ocean City.

Senator Colburn, a member of the Budget and Taxation Committee, advocated strongly in favor of retaining the additional $15.2 million in municipal highway user revenue (HUR) grant monies in the fiscal year 2015 budget when it was being debated in his subcommittee. Senator Colburn was steadfast in his strong support for allocation of transportation grant funding specifically for municipalities in the FY 2015 budget. This was similar to what was provided for municipalities in the previous fiscal years. Municipalities have few options when it comes to raising revenues for local road maintenance needs. Senator Colburn did not waver in his support to include the $16 million and made it clear these monies should stay in the budget. As a result, the monies were retained in the budget and will be dispersed to the municipalities.

When Highway User Revenues were first reduced by 96% in fiscal year 2010, municipal transportation funds dropped to their lowest level in history. Since then, municipalities have only received a total of 25% of what they would have received in pre-recession times. As the economy in Maryland continues to improve, it is apparent that a long term solution to local transportation project funding must be found. Municipalities cannot continue to develop budgets based on an unpredictable, year to year allocation with no sustainable revenue stream in place to address increasingly critical transportation infrastructure needs across the State.
Senator Colburn stated, “We all need to work together to explore options to reinstate a transportation partnership between the State of Maryland and its cities and towns. Next year I plan to reintroduce SB 765, which if passed will restore HURs to pre-recession levels. Under the 2009 formula, local governments would receive 30% of the statewide monies generated from all or parts of the gas tax, title and registration fees, rental car taxes and corporate income taxes, while the Maryland Department of Transportation would receive the remaining 70%. Of the 30% share, municipalities would receive 2.6% as opposed to the current .4%.”

Senator Colburn further stated, “I represent 23 municipalities, I know firsthand the significance of these HUR monies to our Maryland towns and cities. It’s not just the importance of salting and plowing snow covered roads and fixing pot holes. These very monies allow our town governments to have a 5/10/15 year street maintenance plan. And therefore, it is essential that HUR funding be maintained. This is just one of many examples of how I have always and will continue to work with MML on issues facing municipalities throughout Maryland.”

The municipalities Senator Colburn represents include Preston, Federalsburg, Denton, Queen Anne, Hillsboro, Ridgley, Cambridge, Church Creek, Hurlock, Galestown, Eldorado, Brookview, Vienna, East New Market, Secretary, Easton, Oxford, St. Michaels, Trappe, Sharptown, Hebron, Mardela Springs and Salisbury.

The MML is a voluntary, nonprofit, nonpartisan association controlled and maintained by city and town governments. They work to strengthen the role and capacity of municipal government through research, legislation, technical assistance, training and the dissemination of information for its members.