O'Malley's last FU to Marylanders
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-gas-tax-20150101-story.html
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-gas-tax-20150101-story.html
Gas Tax goes up 3 cents in Maryland
- Thread starter Bird Dog
- Start date
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
Yep and 9 cents in PA.
Since MD's is indexed as a percent rather than a specific amount the bitching has already started in some quarters that the amount of the increase isn't enough since the projections were made for gas being $4/gal now.
I figured that would happen....
Every state is looking for money to fix infrastructure. I don't think Maryland would be in such bad shape had they not raided the transportation fund, i.e. gas tax revenue, to pay for other things. But tacking the gas tax to the price of gas was genius, they only saw the increased revenue without the need to vote on it. Nobody would ever comment on how the tax increased, they would just blame the oil companies and the state would see a windfall.
Baja28
Obama destroyed America
Yea and a forumite was trying to razz me about it...
Still around $2.00 here (VA) even with the increase. 
Rommey
Well-Known Member
If they restore the transportation fund and only use those funds for legitimate transportation problem, I don't really have a problem with it. However, they can't complain about lower revenues when they push for higher MPG cars and then try to justify a tax rate increase.
glhs837
Power with Control
Rommey
Well-Known Member
Ha!!!!!
I did say IF...
acommondisaster
Active Member
I thought it was all about Save the Bay and green initiatives.
glhs837
Power with Control
Which if ranks up there with "if the moon were made of green cheese" on the cosmic scales of "if".....
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
Just a note, it got harder to raid the transportation fund in November because this was passed statewide:
http://ballotpedia.org/Maryland_Transportation_Fund_Amendment,_Question_1_(2014).
I'd like to know who the 288K+ morons who voted against it are.
http://ballotpedia.org/Maryland_Transportation_Fund_Amendment,_Question_1_(2014).
I'd like to know who the 288K+ morons who voted against it are.
glhs837
Power with Control
Maybe folks who realize that it changes nothing as far as raiding the fund? Like the recent "reform" of automated enforcement, this law is a paper tiger that really changes nothing.
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/ne...cle_d6685396-116a-5db5-901b-afe6493f8d76.html
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NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
You need to read the whole thing with the enabling legislation. It sets up a vote that needs a 60% majority, separate from a vote on the budget, in both houses if the Governor brings forth a bill that raids the fund.
A list of people opposed to it included most of the legislators from Montgomery, Prince George's and Baltimore City. That should tell you that it has some teeth.
The complaints in the article are legitimate but the truth is that defining a "fiscal emergency" is damn near impossible. Do we have one this coming year with a 1/2 billion dollar deficit looming? If not, what would the number be.
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RPMDAD
Well-Known Member
Right here is the catch, that prevents it from being a true lock box.
" Rep. Andrew Serafini (R-2A) said, "It's not a lockbox. It's not very difficult to get past." He deemed the three-fifths vote requirement to access the funds inadequate. Democrats held a three-fifths majority in the legislature at the time of the general election and could have therefore opened the "lockbox" along party lines.[8] "
" Rep. Andrew Serafini (R-2A) said, "It's not a lockbox. It's not very difficult to get past." He deemed the three-fifths vote requirement to access the funds inadequate. Democrats held a three-fifths majority in the legislature at the time of the general election and could have therefore opened the "lockbox" along party lines.[8] "
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
That was true then, not now. I anticipate that Hogan is going to get sandbagged by Busch and Miller the same way Ehrlich was, though. If he brings forward a budget raiding the fund (which he promised during the campaign he wouldn't) then the Democrats get to take the "protecting the citizens" position.
Just like gambling. Ehrlich tried to get slots and couldn't because Miller and Busch, especially, were morally opposed. As soon as O' Malley got in then slots were greased.
glhs837
Power with Control
Lets take a look at that, shall we....
Opposed:
Sen. Barry Glassman (R-35) Harford
Sen. Nancy Jacobs (R-35) Harford
Sen. J.B. Jennings (R-7) Eastern Baltimore County
Sen. Edward R. Reilly (R-33) Anne Arundel
Sen. Christopher Shank (R-2) Washinton
Sen. Bryan Simonaire (R-31) Anne Arundel
Rep. Susan Aumann (R-42) Northern Baltimore County
Rep. Gail Bates (R-9A) Far northern Baltimore county
Rep. Joseph Boteler, III (R-8) Northeast Baltimore County
Rep. Donald Elliott (R-4B) Frederick
Rep. Mark Fisher (R-27B) Eastern PG county (the Calvert chunk, really)
Rep. William Frank (R-42) Northern Baltimore County
Rep. Ron George (R-30) Anne Arundel
Rep. Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio (R-27B) Eastern PG county (the Calvert chunk, really)
Rep. Anne Healey (D-22) Southern PG
Rep. Rick Impallaria (R-7) Eastern B'More
Rep. Jay Jacobs (R-36) Caroline
Rep. Kevin Kelly (D-1B) Allegany
Rep. Nicholaus Kipke (R-31) Anne Arundel
Rep. Susan Krebs (R-9B) B'More County (Towson)
Rep. Susan McComas (R-35B) Cecil
Rep. Mike McDermott (R-38B) Somerset
Rep. Warren Miller (R-9A) N. Baltimore County
Rep. Dan Morhaim (D-11) NW Baltimore County
Rep. LeRoy Myers (R-1C) Allegany
Rep. H. Wayne Norman, Jr. (R-35A) Harford
Rep. Anthony O'Donnell (R-29C) Southern Calvert
Rep. Charles Otto (R-38A) Somerset
Rep. Neil Parrott (R-2B) Washington
Rep. Andrew Serafini (R-2A) Washington
Rep. Michael Smigiel, Sr. (R-36) Caroline
Rep. Donna Stifler (R-35A) Harford
Rep. Nancy Stocksdale (R-5A) Carrol County
Rep. Geraldine Valentino-Smith (D-23A) PG (Cant seem to find out what A is)
Rep. Cathy Vitale (R-33A) Anne Arundel
Rep. John Wood, Jr. (D-29A) St Marys
SO, lets count it out...... 36 against. 7 of those were Baltimore County (not any of the nays were Baltimore City, all outlying areas) and two were PG County. So, I say BS on your claim that the most of the politicians from those three locations were against it. Nobody from Montgomery or Bmore city voted against it, and the only two from PG were folks representing rural people from Calvert. It has the exact same teeth as the old provisions.
Oh, and it's four whole tax loving Dems who opposed it
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