...because Gas Prices aren't High Enough!

from the Harford County Dagger

On Wednedsay of this week, Maryland Senate President Mike Miller was proposing to raise the gas tax by 70% to $.40 cents per gallon. “Maryland families simply cannot afford this huge gas tax increase. It’s unreasonable and perilous to raise gas taxes this much, especially during tough economic times,” said Delegate Kathy Szeliga (Baltimore & Harford Counties) in reaction to President Miller’s gas tax idea.

Under the proposed bill, Maryland’s state gas tax will increase from $23.5 cents to $.40 cents per gallon and will be the 5th highest in the nation. Miller’s proposal also includes language to create two new mass transit bureaucracies that will have wide authority to raise property taxes, condemn private property and borrow money.

Tuesday, Senator Miller called House Republicans who oppose his gas tax proposal, “Neanderthals,” and “obstructionists.” In response to his comments, Delegate Szeliga tweeted, “Yabba-dabba-do, Mr. Miller,” further commenting that she hopes to obstruct and stop this massive 70% increase in the gas tax and government expansion. In response to Senator Miller’s jabs at Republicans, Delegate Herb McMillan added, “Even a caveman can see that it’s stupid to raise gas taxes when there’s no guarantee they’ll be used for roads.”

The House Republicans rolled out their transportation plan that protects transportation funding, aligns spending to favor highways and roads, and restores all the funds that have been taken from the Transportation Trust Fund. The Republican plan evoked the “Neanderthal” comments from Senate President Mike Miller who favors his own solutions for Maryland’s transportation problems found in SB 830 being heard in the Senate Budget and Tax Committee.