Monday, April 1, 2013
Greater Greater Washington: Even with a tax increase, driving in Maryland is “a bargain.”
The Maryland House of Delegates passed a bill recently that would increase the state gas tax by more than 20 cents—to 43.7 cents—in July 2016. The news angered and frustrated Maryland residents—including commenters on Patch. One small business owner wrote that he fears the increase could hurt the growth of his business. While a 20-cents-per-gallon increase may seem enormous, a writer on the Greater Greater Washington blog claimed that overall, “The taxes the government collects on gas will still remain very near their historical low.” Between 1933 and 1973, the “inflation-adjusted” Maryland gas tax per mile was $0.03 per gallon or more, peaking at $0.04684 in the late 1930s, David C. wrote. Claims by Del. Justin Ready (R-Dist. 5A) of …
Greater Greater Washington: Even with a tax increase, driving in Maryland is “a bargain.”
The Maryland House of Delegates passed a bill last week that would increase the state gas tax by more than 20 cents—to 43.7 cents—in July 2016. The news angered and frustrated Maryland residents—including commenters on Patch. One small business owner wrote that he fears the increase could hurt the growth of his business. While a 20-cents-per-gallon increase may seem enormous, a writer on the Greater Greater Washington blog claimed that overall, “The taxes the government collects on gas will still remain very near their historical low.” Between 1933 and 1973, the “inflation-adjusted” Maryland gas tax per mile was $0.03 per gallon or more, peaking at $0.04684 in the late 1930s, David C. wrote. Claims by Del. Justin Ready (R-Dist. 5A) of …
Friday, March 29, 2013
The bill that increases the gasoline tax by as much as 20 cents by 2016 now heads to Gov. Martin O'Malley for his signature.
A tax that will increase the cost of gas by as much as 20 cents by 2016 was given final approval Friday by the Maryland Senate. The bill passed largely along party lines by a vote of 27-20. Eight Democrats joined all 12 Republicans in opposing the tax increase measure. The bill now goes to the desk of Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign the tax into law. The final vote came after legislators suspended the rules, allowing them to take both a preliminary and final vote in the same day and allow many lawmakers to leave the capital to observe Good Friday. The bill increases the state's tax on gas by more than 20 cents to 43.7 cents per gallon on July 2016. The tax would increase to 44.6 cents per gallon if the federal government …
Thursday, March 28, 2013
A preliminary vote in the full Maryland Senate could be scheduled as early as Friday.
The Senate Budget and Tax Committee Thursday approved a bill that would increase the gas tax by as much as 20 cents by 2016. Sen. Ed DeGrange, an Anne Arundel County Democrat, joined Republican Sens. David Brinkley, Richard Colburn and George Edwards in voting against the bill. The nine remaining Democrats on the committee voted in favor of the bill as approved last week by the House of Delegates. With the committee's approval, the bill could be scheduled for a preliminary vote by the full 47-member Senate as early as Friday. The bill would increase the state's tax on gas by more than 20 cents to 43.7 cents per gallon on July 2016. The tax would increase to 44.6 cents per gallon if the federal government fails to pass an Internet sales tax…
Friday, March 22, 2013
The final debate on the bill turns contentious amidst accusations that House Speaker Michael Busch cut short the debate and opportunity to vote.
Tempers flared Friday afternoon following the debate and final vote by the House of Delegates on a proposal to raise the gas tax in Maryland. When the final vote was taken, the House approved the bill 78-56 but the actual outcome, and roll call vote, remains a matter of contention amidst accusations from Republicans that the debate and final vote were ended too quickly. The bill would increase the state's tax on gas by more than 20 cents to 43.7 cents per gallon on July 2016. The tax would increase to 44.6 cents per gallon if the federal government fails to pass an Internet sales tax. The tax is also tied to the consumer price index, which would allow for automatic increases without any additional legislative action. Those increases are …
Thursday, March 21, 2013
The proposed fee increase would generate an additional $17 million annually once fully implemented.
UPDATED (10:18 a.m.)—The cost of vehicle registrations would go up as part of a proposed gas tax bill being considered by the Maryland General Assembly. The bill, which is scheduled for a final vote Friday in the House of Delegates, contains an increase of $3.50 on the cost of registering a vehicle. The additional money would be allocated to the Maryland Emergency Medical System Operations Fund. The fee increase would increase revenues by about $17 million annually. The fees will go to offset an increase in salaries offered to pilots for the Maryland State Police. The agency has 11 vacancies within its 50 pilot positions, according to the review of the bill. The base pilot salary under the proposal would increase to $70,000 and the plan …
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
O’Malley proposed the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013, which would decrease the gas tax on consumers and, in its place, tack on a wholesale gas tax of 4 percent to be phased in over the next two years.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, March 20
By Amber Larkins for Capital News Service It’s not just anti-tax Republicans who are opposed to Gov. Martin O'Malley’s recently unveiled gas tax plan. The governor also faces opposition from some rural Democrats who say their constituents would pay more and not get many benefits. The gas tax is the largest source of revenue for the Transportation Trust Fund, which is used for transportation infrastructure projects. The fund does not have enough money to continue supporting existing infrastructure, let alone new roads, bridges and mass transit systems. O’Malley proposed the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013, which would decrease the gas tax on consumers by 5 cents to 18.5 cents per gallon July 1. In its place, O’Malley’…
O’Malley proposed the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013, which would decrease the gas tax on consumers and, in its place, tack on a wholesale gas tax of 4 percent to be phased in over the next two years.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, March 20
By Amber Larkins for Capital News Service It’s not just anti-tax Republicans who are opposed to Gov. Martin O'Malley’s recently unveiled gas tax plan. The governor also faces opposition from some rural Democrats who say their constituents would pay more and not get many benefits. The gas tax is the largest source of revenue for the Transportation Trust Fund, which is used for transportation infrastructure projects. The fund does not have enough money to continue supporting existing infrastructure, let alone new roads, bridges and mass transit systems. O’Malley proposed the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013, which would decrease the gas tax on consumers by 5 cents to 18.5 cents per gallon July 1. In its place, O’Malley’s …
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Earlier this week Governor O’Malley again proposed increasing the gas tax, which, if enacted, would be his 25th consecutive tax hike.
Friday, January 18, 2013
A potential increase in the Maryland gas tax and the elimination of a gas tax in Virginia could trigger migration.
Would the promise of cheaper gas get you to cross the Potomac? Maryland's legislature will consider raising the gasoline tax for the first time in 20 years this session, Patch reported in December. In response, drivers might head south to "fill up in Virginia," a representative from AAA said. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell could make the drive across the Potomac even more enticing, with the announcement that he will seek to eliminate his state's $0.175-per-gallon gasoline tax, according to a recent Washington Examiner story. While the disparity between gas prices in Maryland and Virginia currently is almost $0.13 per gallon, that gap could widen to as much as $0.35 per gallon if Maryland raises its gas tax and Virginia eliminates its tax, The…
Milton
9:08 pm on Monday, April 1, 2013
I don't think people would be too upset if they knew this money was going to create, fix or maintain roads. The problem is, much of this money will go to fund pie-in-the-sky, public transportation boondoggles. Here's an idea: let the drivers pay for their roads via a gas tax (and don't let the politicians loot the fund for other purposes). Then, let the BRT, the Purple line and other projects pay… more ›