It's gas tax day in Annapolis
It looks as if today is going to be a big day in the effort to get some new revenues flowing into transportation in Maryland.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker and Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett are expected to testify before the House Ways & Means Committee in support of the combination of a gas tax increase and a constitutional amendment protecting the Transportation Trust Fund from raids to balance the general fund.
Meanwhile, the trucking industry and other opponents of any increase in gas taxes or registration fees will hold a demonstration against the proposals.
AAA Mid-Atlantic will be among the groups showing up to testify in favor of House Bill 1001, which would both raise the gas tax by 10 cents and build a firewall around the trust fund.
Comments
As if gas prices aren't bad enough. I know that the MD state government is doing this in an effort to get more money coming in, but I think this should pass only after a thorough review of the current transportation budget for ways to cut back. The economy is still not stable, and with increased prices at the pump already due to the unrest in the Mid-East, MD drivers do not need to have more money drained from their wallets at the pump.
Posted by: Brad | March 1, 2011 1:59 PM
Here's an idea- how about voting for a firewall around the transportation trust fund without increasing registration fees and the gas tax? By not allowing the fund to be raided for everything and anything but transportation, the money will actually be there for it's intended purpose as opposed to taking more money out of resident's pockets.
Posted by: B | March 1, 2011 3:59 PM