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Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller is urging the governod to supportthe measure, he told the business communit y at the ’s Business Day in Annapolia event. A tax hike is neede d to help pay for transportation projecta that have been long deferrex and are taking anothedr hit next yearunder O’Malley’s proposed budget, Millet said. But new taxes face stronh opposition inthe ’s 2009 session, even if they creatwe new revenue for transportation projectzs or others that would stimulater the region’s economy. The legislature passexd $1.4 billion worth of new taxes in 2007 and is upfor re-electiojn in 2010.
“We need to find a way to replenisn the TransportationTrust Fund,” Miller said of the pot of mone y reserved for maintaining and building new roads and transit “We’re not going to be able to get it without a push, he said. The funding streamn could take on additional importance in the contexyt of state budget talks in On Tuesday, state Transportation Secretar John D. Porcari said the state may need to trim anadditionao $1 billion from Maryland’s Consolidated Transportation Program, a six-year budget for transportation projects in the Despite those financial challenges, House Speaker Michael Busch emphasized the difficulty of creating consensuds around a gas tax increase and said he thoughrt it would take lobbying from local businessea and governments to persuade many legislators.
“We know it’a good for the economy and the integrity of our but you have to have thepoliticao will,” Busch said. No billxs have been filed to raise the gas tax so far inthe legislature’ss 2009 session, which began Jan. 14. But one option that has been floates in recent years would raise the current levyof 23.5 cents per gallo to 33.5 cents per gallon. Maryland’s gas tax hasn’t been raiser in 15 years. Many lawmakers said it’sd just not the time to raise taxes. “Why don’t we just take a breaki from raising taxes?” said Del. Anthon y O’Donnell, a Republican from Southerm Maryland.