Guess people in Maryland won't be going to Virginia to get gas since they just raised their gas tax (Baltimore: 2013, how much)

[MDAllstar]

Va. Senate Finance Committee passes compromise transportation bill - The Washington Post

[pcity]

The bill just got out of committee. Hasn't been passed by the Senate or House of Delegates or signed by the governor.

Wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet.

[adelphi_sky]

There has been much argument and discussion in these forums about Virginian's paying less taxes overall than those in MD. Let them increase the gas tax. Obviously they can afford it.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by pcity

The bill just got out of committee. Hasn't been passed by the Senate or House of Delegates or signed by the governor.

Wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet.

There will be a gas tax hike. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of how much. Or Virginia along with Maryland could always just wait for this:

[pcity]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

There will be a gas tax hike. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of how much.

There will, at some point, be more revenue for transportation. How that revenue will be raised is still up in the air.

I actually would like to see it come from a higher gas tax, but the Republican-controlled House of Delegates has proven to be VERY anti-tax in the past.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

There will be a gas tax hike. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of how much. Or Virginia along with Maryland could always just wait for this:

If money to improve crumbling transportation infrastructure was a priority for our State, then why is our Governor raiding the Transportation fund every year to pay for General Fund pet projects?

I don't buy this argument at all. Maryland has more than enough to money through our existing gas tax and all the other taxes to keep bridges from collapsing. Instead, the Governor and Legislature choose to fund liberal social agenda programs with the money.

Let's not pretend our state isn't uber-weathy, or that we aren't already highly taxed. We have a major spending problem. Trying to create fear that bridges are going to collapse if the Governor doesn't get his way on more tax increases is a cheap debating tactic.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

If money to improve crumbling transportation infrastructure was a priority for our State, then why is our Governor raiding the Transportation fund every year to pay for General Fund pet projects?

I don't buy this argument at all. Maryland has more than enough to money through our existing gas tax and all the other taxes to keep bridges from collapsing. Instead, the Governor and Legislature choose to fund liberal social agenda programs with the money.

Let's not pretend our state isn't uber-weathy, or that we aren't already highly taxed. We have a major spending problem. Trying to create fear that bridges are going to collapse if the Governor doesn't get his way on more tax increases is a cheap debating tactic.

The bolded. And in O' Malley's defense (I'm gagging right now) he's just carrying on a multi-Governor tradition, although he has raised it to an art form. Besides, where else will the money come from for the new program that pays people to spay/neuter their pets?

Well, he did raise the State Income Tax on us 2 teacher ultra wealthy taxpayers.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

If money to improve crumbling transportation infrastructure was a priority for our State, then why is our Governor raiding the Transportation fund every year to pay for General Fund pet projects?

I don't buy this argument at all. Maryland has more than enough to money through our existing gas tax and all the other taxes to keep bridges from collapsing. Instead, the Governor and Legislature choose to fund liberal social agenda programs with the money.

Let's not pretend our state isn't uber-weathy, or that we aren't already highly taxed. We have a major spending problem. Trying to create fear that bridges are going to collapse if the Governor doesn't get his way on more tax increases is a cheap debating tactic.

I think counties need to start keeping their money in their own counties. Montgomery County and Prince George's County could fund the purple line on their own if they could keep their own money. I think western Maryland needs to start using their money and only their money to keep up their cities and towns. The same thing goes for the eastern shore.

Certain legislators are saying local areas should put taxes on themselves and I say go further. Keep 100% of the tax revenue for Montgomery and Prince George's County in those counties and the D.C. area and let everyone else fend for themselves. But I bet all the people in rural areas wouldn't like that. Funny how people bite the hand that feeds them.

Just as an FYI, Maryland is not rich, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Howard County, and Baltimore County are rich and pull their own weight. That is why Maryland is rich. If they kept 100% of their own money in those four counties, all these projects would be getting built right now.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

I think counties need to start keeping their money in their own counties. Montgomery County and Prince George's County could fund the purple line on their own if they could keep their own money. I think western Maryland needs to start using their money and only their money to keep up their cities and towns. The same thing goes for the eastern shore.

Certain legislators are saying local areas should put taxes on themselves and I say go further. Keep 100% of the tax revenue for Montgomery and Prince George's County in those counties and the D.C. area and let everyone else fend for themselves. But I bet all the people in rural areas wouldn't like that. Funny how people bite the hand that feeds them.

Just as an FYI, Maryland is not rich, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Howard County, and Baltimore County are rich and pull their own weight. That is why Maryland is rich. If they kept 100% of their own money in those four counties, all these projects would be getting built right now.

Go for it! When we are poorer than our WV neighbors, you know something is wrong. That something is the rules, regs, taxes, redtape, and anti-business atmosphere of Annapolis that is rammed down our throat.

I agree, all the money you send us goes right down the drain. You guys down there don't know us, don't understand us, don't want to have regional solutions to regional problems. It is one size fits all leftist policy, and it hurts the rural parts of the state. No amount of throwing money at the problems is going to fix it, only changes in policy and attitude will...........and it obvious they aren't coming.

But thanks for the more cogent argument. The bridge collapse crap was pathetic fear-mongering.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

Go for it! When we are poorer than our WV neighbors, you know something is wrong. That something is the rules, regs, taxes, redtape, and anti-business atmosphere of Annapolis that is rammed down our throat.

I agree, all the money you send us goes right down the drain. You guys down there don't know us, don't understand us, don't want to have regional solutions to regional problems. It is one size fits all leftist policy, and it hurts the rural parts of the state. No amount of throwing money at the problems is going to fix it, only changes in policy and attitude will...........and it obvious they aren't coming.

But thanks for the more cogent argument. The bridge collapse crap was pathetic fear-mongering.

I'm not sending any money your way because I live in D.C. But people in Montgomery County and Prince George's County are sending money that way. Why do people in Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Baltimore County, Howard County etc. need to support western Maryland again? How are they benefiting from their tax dollars going to the rural areas? Why should they have to support your region? See, it's thinking like that coming from you all that is the oxymoron here. You live in a subsidized area but you think you should not have to help pay for transit projects in the D.C. and Baltimore suburbs since you won't use it. Well the D.C. and Baltimore suburbs don't use any of the roads, sewers, or schools in western Maryland or the eastern shore yet you don't see them saying stop sending their money to the rural areas.