Posted on 04/05/2012 5:08:25 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Gov. Martin O'Malley says he still hopes to convince the legislature to raise money for highway and transit projects — possibly by adding another penny to Maryland's six-percent sales tax and dedicating the extra revenue to transportation.
In an interview with The Baltimore Sun, O'Malley conceded that his initial proposal to apply the sales tax to gasoline is dead in the General Assembly. But he said an alternative would be a delayed implementation of that proposal, with the sales tax not being applied until gas prices fell to a certain level.
A second option, he said, would be to raise the general sales tax — which he pointedly called the "ninth-lowest sales tax in the country" — to seven percent and earmark the additional revenue to highway and transit projects. The governor said he hoped legislators would consider the options after they have completed work on the state budget and other tax issues.
"I think there might be a small window after the budget passes when we can take a deep breath and revisit the options before us," O'Malley said.
He acknowledged that his original transportation tax plan won't fly, saying "the word gas combined with tax" is anathema to many people. But he said he also believes many Marylanders realize the state needs to do more to take care of its road and transit needs. "There's a growing public understanding that this is a real problem," he said.
Transportation advocates and influential business organizations have been warning that Maryland is running seriously short of funding for much-needed transportation projects. Last year, a blue-ribbon commission recommended that the state raise an additional $875 million in transportation revenue each year.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
Moron “L’il Marty” O’Malice pushes tax hikes the way Jorge W. Boosh used to push amnesty.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
Union paybacks. The transportation fund was raided long ago.
That would be a second sales tax increase.
O Malley was talking about a ‘internet download’ fee and some law to collect online out-of-state sales taxes for those of us outlaws avoiding the O Malley sales taxes, but they seem to have realized it wouldnt work and gave up.
So, basically, the funding source that had been set up to pay for upkeep of transportation infrastructure has been used to buy votes for politicians, and is no longer available for its intended purpose. Therefore, Maryland must seek new funding for transportation, in the form of an additional tax.
“Highway projects” is the biggest scam going. The media and politicians get the public to believe that this money is going to be spent repairing some crumbling bridge but it won’t. It will go to extremely overpaid union workers, politically connected cement companies and for extremely expensive, useless electronic signs that say “don’t drink and drive” or “obey the speed limit.”
Suicide for a state as small as Marlyand.
Most of the population is less than an hour’s drive from
Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware or Pennsylvania.
Marlyand = Maryland
Come to think of it, when I was in Baltimore last summer
the locals actually seem to pronounce it “Marlyand”.
The liberals favorite bait and switch. If you want roads you need to pay higher taxes.
Wait. I thought Stimulus 1 and 2 repaired all the roads with shovel-ready projects!
I guess O’Malice wants to make Merryland THE worst state to retire in! It’s only #5 now but if he and the dims keep adding the taxes and letting queers marry, I’m sure Merryland or Gayland will reach #1. (Only 301 days to retirement...then I am out of this junk state!Back Home to Texas!)
“... Merryland THE worst state to retire in”.
I have known MANY folks who retire and leave Maryland. It is just too darn expensive to retire in. Maryland wants its people to stay as long as they are paying the taxes. Retire... you can go. In a handful of years, we will go as well. Where? No idea but I dream of the day that I see the State in my rear view mirror.
So it can be looted again.
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