Posted on 02/02/2012 1:59:27 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
WASHINGTON - A day after the governor of Maryland said he would like to institute a percentage tax on gasoline, the chief executive of Virginia said he would not seek any additional taxes during a recession, particularly on gas, despite a significant demand for more transit projects.
Both states have looked to sales tax to resolve their transportation funding woes. On Monday, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley said he would like to do away with a ban on sales tax for gasoline, to add to its existing 23-cent flat tax.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has a different approach.
"I will not support an increase" in the gas tax rate, McDonnell told WTOP on "Ask the Governor" on Tuesday. Instead, he would like to see the half-cent currently taken from the 5-cent sales tax in Virginia dedicated to transportation, and increase it to .75 cents.
"It's part of our concept of leverage," he says, pointing to funds also generated from tolls and HOT lanes. "Every bit we get toward transportation is helpful."
The governor also said bars and restaurants should not be held accountable to the victims of the drunk drivers they served.
Holding restaurants responsible for patrons who drive drunk is a "step too far" under the state tort laws, McDonnell told WTOP, adding that the drunk driver still has to make a decision to go out and drive.
"We believe in individual responsbility," McDonnell says. "That's not the responsibility of the restaurant owner."
The governor cited what he says are some of the "toughest drunk driving laws in the nation," including a proposal that would require an in-car breathalyzer lock for first offenders.
We're taking a tough approach, he says, but not so far as to hold the establishment owners responsible.
(Excerpt) Read more at wtop.com ...
This is starkly contrasted against the policy in Maryland. When asked on WTOP on Monday if restaurants and bars should be held accountable [for drunk driving mishaps], O'Malley answered simply, "absolutely."
What a d*ck.
Maryland "Freak State" PING!
And there lies, for all to see, the difference between Virginia and Maryland. We like to keep MD around just to remind ourselves what the dark side looks like.
Liberals love it because it’s always someone else’s fault.
Martin O’Moron is vying to beat out Parris Spendenning for the title of worst governor of Maryland. May well make it too.
We’re pretty pleased with our governor and it would be nice to keep him around to see his programs through...but Virgina only allows one four year term and he’s out. Too bad that’s not the rule for everyone in Congress. The job started out being part-time before the members turned it into the alternate welfare system.
Is the Maryland transportation fund raided for other projects?
Thank you for helping me start my day with rip roaring laughter here in suburban Maryland.
Of course it has and for a very long time. Though the dems if pressed real hard would argue that the stolen funds given to such groups as Casa de Maryland benefit the transportation of illegal aliens from Meh-hicko and other states to this socialist corner of the USA and therefore should be consider as licit use of said fund.
The couple of times I’ve been to Maryland (on business) I crossed the Potomac on Hwy. 301 on the Nice bridge (apparently named after a former MD Governor). There’s a toll on the bridge. You have to pay to LEAVE Maryland, but not to enter it.
I live in VA.
Maryland owns the Potomac to the Virginia shoreline. They own the bridge and the tollbooths.
Yep! Maybe there`s a streak of capitalism in the MD DNA after all... charging for something that`s high in demand.. in this case, LEAVING the state.
BTW, I`ve lived in the Hampton Roads since 1995. I enjoy Virginia.
Other than the fact that he endorsed Romney and is implementing toll booths all over east VA I like him.
This is why Democrats raise taxes on 'the rich': Not to collect more revenue but to make their tax increases on us 'fair'.
It also said his job approval rating is so high here >60% because of women and minorities.
Navy sent me to Norfolk in 1979. I never left. However, if there was employment available, I move back to eastern NC where I grew up or east/middle TN where Mom was from in a heartbeat.
Love the drunk driving comment from the dimlib gov of MD - speaking of the 301 bridge over the Potomac, the first thing you see on the MD side, going north, is a liquor store! And that bridge is one of the scariest, ricketiest bridges I’ve driven on...
God bless our VA gov - he “gets” it and the state funds reflect it...
with gas prices sky rocketing, who would put a higher tax on it?...libdim MD govs, it appears...sheesh
There’s another aptly names bridge in northern MD. The Hatem Bridge. They hate me each time they make me pay a toll to cross their stupid bridge.
Oops Names = named
You’re just discovering this?
I recall seeing a F&F a few weeks ago with Lil’Marty on and Gretchen commented about the lawsuits Holder and Co. was doing against several states (Ariz, AL, SC) and, as the camera was cutting away, Lil’Marty said “they should have” [instituted the lawsuits].
Thus showeth the velvet gloved fist of the State.
It’s raided to allegedly balance the budget.
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