Maryland needs to increase its gas tax to pay for transportation projects across the state, the Senate president told assembled business leaders Tuesday.Sen. Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. acknowledged that could take an act of political will by lawmakers, but pledged it as a major order of business if he is re-elected in 2011 to his Senate seat and the highest position in the Senate chamber.
If Gov. Martin O'Malley is re-elected, Miller predicted that a gas tax hike would be in effect in the first year of the new term. Miller did not specify how much of an increase. Both men are Democrats in a Democratically dominated state house.
"We're paving (I-)270 with stimulus money," Miller told an invited audience of about 80 Frederick County Chamber of Commerce trustees and board members. "All we're doing is repaving. All we're doing is maintenance.
"It's an economic development issue. It's a quality of life issue, so someone at some point in time has to have the courage to move forward with the gas tax."
Federal stimulus money is limited to projects that can be ready within 120 days and directly result in jobs, Miller said.
Meanwhile, almost all of the state's major road improvement projects are on hold, as well as plans for Metro's red, purple and green lines.
"It's gonna be somewhere in the sunset until we can get some money into the transportation trust fund," Miller said.
Maryland's gasoline tax has remained at 23.5 cents per gallon since 1992, when lawmakers enacted a 5-cent increase.
The state has lost $3.5 million as fewer dollars flow in from titling and gas taxes. And despite passing a balanced budget in April, revenue estimates are down $200 million, Miller said.
Miller has urged Governors Parris Glendening, Bob Ehrlich and sitting Gov. Martin O'Malley to back the politically unpopular measure, he said.
"It doesn't poll well."
Without mentioning him by name, Miller took a jab at Frederick County Sen. Alex Mooney, a Republican who has signed a pledge not to raise taxes.
Miller called on the audience to consider who they elect next year, evoking names of past Frederick County politicians he respected -- "fiscal conservatives" who "made government work."
"Just send us somebody who can make the tough votes," Miller said.
Chamber President Ric Adams said the chamber won't oppose a gas tax.
"We realize how important it is to maintain and improve our transportation infrastructure," he said after the lunch speech. "However, we can only be supportive of such a tax if the funds are proportionately returned for infrastructure projects in Frederick County."
Adams asked Miller if there was a way to help I-270 commuters, many of whom flood through Frederick in commutes from adjacent states and points west.
"We're going to find some way to do it," Miller said. "I'm not a tax-and-spend person, believe me, I'm not. I believe that government should do what it needs to do, but in terms of transportation, we need to get people from one place to the other.
"It's an economic goal for our state," he said.
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