The 2013 Govt. Motors Chevy Silverado.
Posted on 01/30/2012 9:24:34 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
WASHINGTON - Many of Maryland's traffic woes would be alleviated by allowing a percentage tax on gasoline, the state's governor said Monday.
While speaking on WTOP's "Ask the Governor," Martin O'Malley said he would like to "phase out" the sales tax exemption on gas, which would allow a percentage tax on the fuel in additon to the existing 23-cent flat tax.
The current flat tax has not changed since the early 1990s when gasoline was about $1.08, the governor says, adding the regional arteries wouldn't be so clogged if the state had more to invest in transportation infrastructure.
"The best option...is to get away from the flat, per-gallon tax and instead move to a percentage," O'Malley said. The outdated scheme "is why we have one of the most congested metropolitan areas in the country."
That won't change on its own, he said. The gas tax is the state's primary means of funding transportation projects, and no other resources are as impactful.
"There is no one that's going to do this for us. Bridges are not like trees, that grow taller and stronger with age," he said.
China and India are not going to build our infrastructure for us, O'Malley said. "Our middle class was also built by our middle class."
The state would probably have an additional $4 billion if it had instituted this earlier, he said.
Maryland currently has a 6 percent sales tax. O'Malley's proposal would include a mechanism to alter that for gas if the price of fuel spikes.
Later on the program, O'Malley stated he would be open to raising the speed limit on the current InterCounty Connector, currently funneling the amount of traffic the state had projected, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at wtop.com ...
Raids the transportation trust fund to balance the budget, and then whines about how the roads and bridges are not going to fix themselves.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
Oh Geeze! Another irish Catholic Liberal Idiot!
What happened to my race?
AAAAUUUUUGGGGHHH!
Higher gasoline taxes = less traffic.
But wait, there's more...
Less traffic = lower gas sales = lower gross gas tax receipts, all at the cost of lower intra-state commerce, meaning lower tax receipts in other areas, and eventually higher public assistance costs.
It's the Democrat way, n'est ce pas?
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The 2013 Govt. Motors Chevy Silverado.
adding the regional arteries wouldn't be so clogged if the state hadn't wasted all that gas tax revenue on high priced labor had more to invest in used in transportation infrastructure.
OK It's fixed.
adding the regional arteries wouldn't be so clogged if the state hadn't wasted all that gas tax revenue on high priced labor had more to invest in used in transportation infrastructure.
OK It's fixed.
This O’Malley clown seems to get dumber every day.
Why waste a good thing building highway infrastructure on cheap labor when high priced union labor brings more campaign contributions through increased dues money? These dems are not stupid. Why raise campaign money the regular way when they can dip into our tax money that is paying for union dues? You nail it!
wow, I am so shocked. A liberal who wants to raise taxes on his state, who would have seen that coming. a real stunner
Yep, O Malley is the model Democrat who when he has no political competition raises our middle class taxes, and then again, and then again. First sales and tobacco taxes, then alcoholic and gas taxes. Note that the two tax increases on ‘the rich’ are just the chaser to make us swallow being raped by Democrats and raises no revenue.
And don’t get me started on O Malley and electricity and the Dream Act.
Where did O Malleywatch .com go? It was gone by 2010 when it was needed.
Md. is operating on a 38.5 Billion dollar debt. all brought on by o’mally’s admin. while Bob Ehrlich left office with a 2 Billion dollar surplus . Don’t believe it ???? google “ Maryland Debt Clock “ but first sit down .
“In 2008, Obama easily captured the state’s 10 electoral votes in a landslide victory, winning 61.92% of the popular vote to Republican John McCain’s 36.47%. It was Obama’s best performance in a southern state.”
Way to go Gov. :o
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