Our state's transportation trust fund will be bankrupt in 2017 unless more revenue comes in. As you might guess that would prevent projects like the DC Area Purple Line or Baltimore's Redline and would leave the Washington area stuck in the country's worst congestion. I won't sugar coat it, fixing this requires more revenue and the revenue on offer is a gas tax hike. Fortunately, it's a smart one, it indexes the tax to inflation and partially moves to a percentage rather than a flat basis. It's true that the gas tax is regressive, but the mass transit it funds is highly progressive. Going carless or ditching a clunker can save $7,500 a year according to AAA. Moreover, the increase needs to make up for the fact that the tax has been flat since the early nineties and on a per driven mile basis would still be notably low.
If you want to get the Purple Line, if you want to give Marylanders options other than being stuck in traffic, if you want the economic benefits from connecting our communities and the social benefits of giving people more time with their families, than please go to the Get Maryland Moving website and email your State Senator! We've managed to get the bill through the House, and tomorrow it goes before the Senate. If it passes unamend, than it goes straight to the governor, if there's amendments, we need extra petition signers all the more.
So please, contact your State Senator and tell them to Get Maryland Moving!
Recent Comments