Maryland needs a gas-tax hike to fund transportation needs (taxes for choo-choos)

The Washington Post ^ | January 31, 2012 | Editorial Board

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

IN THE MAELSTROM of tax increases proposed by Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), it’s easy to lose track of which are most critical. For a start, it’s useful to identify which needs have been most and longest neglected — and near the top of that list is transportation.

It’s been 20 years since Maryland raised its gasoline tax, the largest source of transportation funding. As construction costs have risen, the revenue it yields has plummeted in real terms.

At this point, Marylanders (like Virginians, who last saw a gas tax increase when Ronald Reagan was president) are not paying for the roads they’re using. Despite the opening last year of the Intercounty Connector, north of the Beltway, the state has not kept pace with the growth of traffic or development.

It would cost $12 billion to satisfy just the top transportation priority of each of Maryland’s 23 counties and the city of Baltimore — to say nothing of Maryland’s share of maintaining the Metro system, whose problems, many of them the result of funding shortfalls, are the bane of Washington-area commuters. As things stand now, the state has nothing like that kind of cash.

In keeping with the recommendations of a blue-ribbon commission, Mr. O’Malley proposes to increase the state’s gas tax substantially over the next three years. Rather than hiking the flat per-gallon charge, the governor urged a phased-in sales tax, rising to 6 percent by 2016, the same rate charged for goods. If gas prices stay where they are, the governor’s legislation would add about 21 cents a gallon by 2015.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Of course, the Post mentions nothing about the routine embezzlement of Maryland's transportation trust fund to balance the general budget.

You can see where the Post's transportation priorities lie, since they specifically mention the Purple Line and Red Line choo-choo projects.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Choo-choooooooo!

Maryland “Freak State” PING!

[castlegreyskull]

I don’t think this journalist is very smart. Saying that the proceeds from gasoline has not increased in 20 years? Not true. Also, that is not what the Governor said. The Governor said the percentage has not change. That they are leaving out is that the price of gasoline has greatly outperformed inflation, therefore has been a great source of increasing revenue for any government.

[Rummyfan]

At this point, Marylanders (like Virginians, who last saw a gas tax increase when Ronald Reagan was president) are not paying for the roads they’re using.

I don't know about Maryland, but in VA it costs almost $5 for a round-trip along the 267 Toll Road from outer Fairfax County into the District. Much more if you go to or come from further west, using the Greenway. The Metro is even more expensive, and additionally you have to deal with the hassles and costs of parking.

[Lmo56]

I live in MD - O’Malley’s proposal is a phased-in 6% hike over 3 years.

@ $3.50/gallon, the first 2% raises it to $3.57. The second 2% [@ $3.57] increases it $3.64. The third increases it from $3.64 to $3.71.

Thats ASSUMING a flat rate in gas. HOWEVER, gas prices are expected to got to between $4-$5/gallon. And the tax is NOT a flat incrase [such as 5 cents per year for 3 years].

It is a PERCENTAGE - in which the ACTUAL increase FLUCTUATES with the price of gas ...

AIN’T GONNA FLY IN ITS PRESENT FORM - OVER 60% OF MD RESIDENTS OPPOSE THIS ...

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Nor does the compost discuss the embezzlement of TARP funds.

[Lmo56]

But then where would they find the hundreds of millions of dollars annually that no one disputes is needed to build and maintain an adequate transportation network

Since the MD government routinely RAIDED the transportation budget to fund "pet projects" - it should shit-can them now and just tell the recipients [whose votes they bought] that the state cannot afford them now ...

BTW - We just had a toll increase here on all roads and bridges after the legislature found out that the new ICC Toll Road [the Inter-County Connector: aka the Road To Nowhere] WILL NOT PAY FOR ITSELF - LIKE THE LEGISLATURE PROMISED IT WOULD ...

Another BTW: O'Malley has delusions of grandeur - he thinks he can be President. BUT, a recent poll shows that 60% of MD residents think he would suck at it and WOULD NOT vote for him. You are REALLY a putz if you can't even win your own state ...

[BobL]

While it’s easy to beat up on the gas, Maryland can always take the Texas approach and basically hand over control of its highways to private companies for the purpose of monopoly-protected tolling.

[bobjam]

“While it’s easy to beat up on the gas, Maryland can always take the Texas approach and basically hand over control of its highways to private companies for the purpose of monopoly-protected tolling.”

Until the age of FDR, that’s how civil infrastructure was built. It’s the major reason why we are the only industrial country in the world whose railroads are privately owned.

[Lionheartusa1]

Maryland needs to pay down it's 38.5 Billion dollar debt by cutting the waste fraud and abuse perpetrated against the states remaining tax payers . Raising taxes hasn't worked . We are rapidly losing our tax base to states with a better tax climate . We have become just another nanny state thanks to o'malley . 10 % of the population is now made up of illegals and growing rapidly . o’mally and his liberal minions need to go quickly !!!

[sickoflibs]

He raised the state sales tax, cigarette tax, alcohol tax and now wants to raise the gasoline tax.

But we got the Dream Act college for illegals AND he is pushing for same sex marriage very strongly.

The local news said his high approval ratings are due to woman and African Americans.

[GeronL]

I think people who ride the train should pay for it, I guess that’d be $1,000 to get across town.

[Chode]

tax DRIVERS to substitute RIDERS... communism at it's finest

[griswold3]

Maybe they can drum up an ‘emergency rule’ with expensive fines like the EPA just did.

Navistar Faces EPA Fines of Up To $2,000 Per Heavy-Duty Engine
QBy Mark Drajem and Mark Clothier - Feb 1, 2012 12:25 AM ET
(NAV), the maker of International brand trucks, faces fines of as much as $2,000 for each of its heavy-duty engines because they don’t meet pollution standards, according to a federal regulation.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued an emergency rule yesterday on fines for truck-engine makers that don’t meet federal nitrogen oxides standards, without naming the company. Transport Topics reported that the regulation applied to Navistar.

[Reeses]

Communal trains, with all the muscular power centralized in the lead position, are long and hard phallic symbols bureaucrats use to rape the taxpayers. Sometimes a train is not just a train.

[kevkrom]

This was a well-timed endorsement, considering that at-the-pump prices have risen by almost 10% in the last month or so...

[RoadTest]

Mus’ be a Democrat paper - wanna raise taxes. Tax’n’spend. Build empires. Get rich! Control people.

[hal ogen]

The lefty-moron-of-Governor (o'mally) misappropriated (stole) $770,000,000 from the state highway trust fund over the last couple years to fund his favorite "black-hole" projects. Viola...now there is a shortage???????? Maryland is THE Freak state. Hold on to your freakin' wallets! The majority of Marylanders seem to like this liberal crap. Thank God that we just sold our house and are moving out of this liberal dungeon in a couple months. If we hadn't, my brain would surely explode.

[beachn4fun]

Oh yeah, this is one of my pet peeves.
I will have to see if Maryland Public Policy Institute ( http://mdpolicy.org/ )
has the numbers, but I believe that 20 years is untrue.
Maryland doesn't miss a beat when it comes to
taxing gas, cigarettes, and leisure items.
And hopefully there are enough Marylanders over 30
who remember why Maryland voted to bring the Lottery to Maryland.
And as I have pointed out in the past, and so is MPPI,
the so called "transportation funds" are scooped up
and put in the "general fund" pot to be spent on all their pet projects.
There is no "trust" or special account where this money is put to be used ONLY for transportation/roads.
We need special accounts - untouchable by govt officials - where this money is held, as well as our SS savings.

Maryland has been warned for years
about the dismal conditions of their roads and bridges.
Did they set money (Lottery) aside for this? NO.

This is just another lame a$$ excuse to say to Marylanders,
"Help! I can't control my spending so you are responsible for covering my debt."

[alarm rider]

Amen to that. We got out two years ago and moved to WV. Best thing ever and the tax savings are great. I would say to any Marylander, get out now before it gets even worse.