Miller’s ‘Baltimore Bailout’ - Gas Tax Dollars Legally Stolen For Pet Projects?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Nick Loffer – (410) 603-1836 or Nick@AFPMaryland.com
Miller’s ‘Baltimore Bailout’
Senate President Mike Miller’s would allow Baltimore City to spend gas tax revenue on schools
Despite Senate President Mike Miller’s cries for a massive gas tax hike to pay for local roads, buried in his bill is a “carve out” for Baltimore City that would grant local lawmakers the authority to spend gas tax dollars on school construction, instead of roads (page 12, lines 7-12). Legislative special exemptions like this decimate public trust and were infamously used in 2010 to coerce some United States Senators to vote for the Affordable Care Act (the “Louisiana Purchase” and “Cornhusker Kickback”). Is Miller’s “Baltimore Bailout” a similar attempt to get fence-sitting legislators to vote for his gas tax hike?
“This is just more evidence that President Miller’s gas tax hike is a bad idea,” said Americans for Prosperity Maryland’s Grassroots Director Nick Loffer. “There’s absolutely no reason left for Marylanders to ever trust Annapolis when they’re trying to legalize the very problem that got us into this mess – using gas tax dollars for pet projects.”
Contrary to Senate President Miller’s talking points, a recent Americans for Prosperity-Maryland study shows that revenue collected from state drivers is largely allocated to mass transit, not road construction and repair. Over $1 billion has been stolen from the Transportation Trust Fund in the last six years. Earlier this year, economist Mark Zandi advised the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee against passing a gas tax hike.
Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and intrusiveness of government is the best way to promote individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org
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Senate President Mike Miller
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