Del. Kathy Szeliga isn't waiting take shots at a plan to increase the sales tax on gas that Gov. Martin O'Malley is expected to announce during today's State of the State speech.
Szeliga was working the press area of the State House about an hour before the noon speech giving her two-cents on the matter.
O'Malley is expected to announce he's seeking a 6 percent increase in the sales tax on gas.
Szeliga said that if passed, the plan would mean Maryland residents would pay about 60 cents per gallon in state and federal gas taxes-about 41 cents of that would be state taxes.
The Perry Hall Republican pointed to a release sent out Tuesday night by the O-Malley campaign outlining the proposal. In that same announcement, O'Malley notes that aide to local government transportation has been largely cut and permanently reduced.
"You and I go to the gas pump and we expect the money is being spent maintaining the roads we drive on," said Szeliga.
"Taxpayers expect the money to be returned to their counties," Szeliga said. "Now (the counties) are going to have to raise taxes to maintain the roads. This is just another way of pushing taxes down on the locals."
"Taxpayers expect the money to be returned to their counties," Szeliga said. "Now (the counties) are going to have to raise taxes to maintain the roads. --------------------------- Completely agree here. Now I hear this gas tax (which as I understood it, started out much lower then the proposal now) is up to 18 cents/gallon? Seriously? Wow. O'Malley is untrustworthy, bottom line. I'm OK with seeing taxes on gasoline raised - IF (and only if) I am certain the money we pay goes specifically to improve OUR county. Not Baltimore City, not PG County, or anywhere else for that matter.
Now do I like regressive taxes like a gas tax, no.
I'm not suggesting Democrat or Republican policy ~~ taking this with a grain of sand this guy if you understand 80 % of what he says by taking out the political posturing ~~ it makes sense ~~ and sadly most Marylanders are unaware of what's been happening and is going to happen in regard to tax increases. If you feel, this has merit ~ where comfortable ~~ pass it on to your friends and business associates. We have to be our own advocates for fairness and common sense. MD Senate Minority Leader EJ Pipkin offers response to Governor O'Malley's State of the State address. (Feb. 1, 2012) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNOS1xZHrM0&feature=youtu.bea
I'm not suggesting Democrat or Republican policy ~~ taking this with a grain of sand this guy if you understand 80 % of what he says by taking out the political posturing ~~ it makes sense ~~ and sadly most Marylanders are unaware of what's been happening and is going to happen in regard to tax increases. If you feel, this has merit ~ where comfortable ~~ pass it on to your friends and business associates. We have to be our own advocates for fairness and common sense. MD Senate Minority Leader EJ Pipkin offers response to Governor O'Malley's State of the State address. (Feb. 1, 2012) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNOS1xZHrM0&feature=youtu.bea
Maryland present GAS Tax ~~23.5 cent a gal ~ proposed 41.5 cents a gallon Delaware Gas tax ~~~~ 23 cents per gal Pennsylvania Gas tax ~~ 32.3 cents per gal Virginia GAS tax ~~~~~ 19 cents per gal Washington DC ~~~~~ 23.5 cents per gal West Virginia ~~~~~~ 32.2 cents per Gal For gas tax ~~ looks like playing field is level so lets try to sell more gals at lower price to increase revenues. IDEA ~ Create higher gas volume purchases in MD (particularly) at outlets near boarding states by lowering the gas tax by 5 cents and have agreements with outlets that they will retail price their fuel 3 to 5 cent lower than AAA published avgs in our bordering states. Create a national reputation that MD is the place to buy gas. I-95 and I-70 corridors will become preferred fuel stops but word of mouth and all other electronic media. Lets move the preferred fuel stop Breezewood, PA 25 miles down the road to Hancock MD and Chambersburg PA 22 mile corridor of I 81~ 33 fueling stops down the road to Hagerstown, MD. Same for southern points of fuel stops. (It’s interesting how PA retail out lets with higher PA tax retail fuel for lower prices then MD. Suggests a lot of wiggle room to achieve the goal of ME being the East coast place to buy gas for passes thru while benefit the residents.) Where’s the ingenuity and business arithmetic acumen in our MD Assembly?