Posted on 10/12/2011 8:09:35 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
ANNAPOLIS — A Maryland commission will likely recommend that the General Assembly gradually increase the state’s gas tax to help pay for transportation projects and road maintenance, its chairman said Tuesday.
Members of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Maryland Transportation Funding tentatively agreed on a plan that would generate more than $800 million in annual transportation revenue by raising the state’s 23.5-cents-a-gallon gas tax and hiking several vehicle and transit fees.
More than half the revenue would come from raising the gas tax by 5 cents for three consecutive years, bringing it to 38.5 cents a gallon. That rate would also be indexed, allowing for future increases due to inflation.
The state-appointed commission has been charged with recommending new funding sources to help restore the state’s depleted Transportation Trust Fund and pay for increased spending on roads and infrastructure.
Commission Chairman Gus Bauman said the group is expected to formally adopt its recommendations at its next meeting Oct. 25.
“We all knew this day was going to come, and we’re going to have to make tough decisions,” Mr. Bauman said, adding that the state’s need for more transportation funds likely exceeds $1 billion.
“The needs are above that, but it’s a good start.”
The commission considered several possible tax and fee increases before settling on a handful it could approve.
Its tentative recommendations include the phased gas-tax increase, increasing Maryland Transit Administration public transit fares, raising the 6-percent titling tax to 6.5 percent, doubling the $14 fee for emissions inspections and raising vehicle registration fees by 50 percent — from $50.50 to $75.75 for most vehicles and $76.50 to $114.75 for heavier vehicles.
The commission eliminated several options that were not directly related to transportation, including increasing the state sales tax or real property taxes.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
The democratic legislature of the Maryland State goverment has never seen a tax they didn’t like - oh, except when someone suggested extending the sales tax in order to tax lawyers’ fees.
any time you see the words “blue ribbon commission” hang onto your wallets
Hey, someone has to pay the bills! It's not going to be the freeloaders. It's not going to be the politicians. That leaves.....we the tax slaves. So get to work, you slackers!
How about a detailed accounting of where the existing transportation funds are going, along with an advance order of tar and feathers?
Moved from California to Maryland in 94. From the frying pan into the fire.
You want gas taxes? Come to CT:Connecticut’s gasoline tax stands at 41.9 cents per gallon (4th highest nationally)
We want a .02 increase so we will propose a .05 increase. When everyone goes nuts and protests we will lower it to “only .03”. The people will feel like they won something, and we will get more than we wanted.
Same old game every year (the toll increase being the latest )and people still fall for it.
Notice the "tough decisions" always mean raising taxes.
By my calculations, the commission is lying through its teeth. MD has 3.3 million cars averaging 13,400 miles per year averaging 17.1 mpg (USDOT website) At $.05 per gallon, that only works out to $143,000,000. Emmission and title fees only add $71,000,000 more. With high taxes, tourist will do their best to fill up in other states. BOHICA-They’ll quickly figure out they need yet more money.
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Thank you very much, Tolerance Sucks Rocks!
Yes, how much more to tax and how much more to spend; these are the tough decisions of our time.
Maryland Sucks.
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