Miller's "Lock Box" Doesn't Protect Gas Tax Dollars for Drivers
Senator Mike Miller is trying to convince Maryland drivers that in exchange for an over 50% tax hike on gas he will place a Constitutional amendment that would prevent money from being transferred out of the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF). Miller claims that there would be enough money available to build and fix our highway system.
Drivers, don’t trust Miller’s “lock box” to ensure that your gas tax dollars are spent on roads.
Although Miller’s bill, SB829, would essentially prevent transfers out of the TTF this bill does absolutely nothing to protect tax dollars generated from motorists from being appropriated to mass transit and other entities within the TTF.
In FY 2013 motorists contributed 49% of the total TTF budget yet the State Highway Administration was only appropriated 30% of the money motorists put in for road construction and repair. $775 million of your gas tax dollars and Department of Motor Vehicle fees were handed out to other agencies within the TTF that motorists do not use.
This longstanding practice over the years adds up to billions of dollars of driver generated tax dollars that have been diverted to other pet projects, not towards roads as drivers expect.
The push to construct the Purple line and other major expensive mass transit projects casts further doubt that drivers will ever see their tax dollars invested into roads.
To fully regain the trust and confidence of drivers the every door to the Transportation Trust Fund must be locked. Each and every penny generated by the gasoline tax and driver related fees at the Department of Motor Vehicles must be dedicated strictly to the construction and repair of Maryland’s highway system.
If the status quo of robbing drivers of their dedicated funds for roads continue, Marylanders will be faced with another gas tax hike in just a few short years to “pay for road construction and repairs” again!
Click for the full AFP Maryland public testimony against Senate President Mike Miller’s bill.
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