From the Route 40 Republican Club:
Instead of cutting their budget, politicians in Annapolis are proposing to raise taxes at the gas pump to pay for increased spending. The Route 40 republican Club is organizing a letter writing campaign in conjunction with the Maryland GOP to defeat this job killing tax.
Raising Gas Taxes on already stretched thin Marylanders will negatively impact all ready tight family budgets and Businesses who employ Marylanders. If this legislation passes, the cost of everyday life in Maryland will increase; goods and services will increase on top of the inflated cost of commuting to and from work. Gas prices are already above $3.10 a gallon and rising. With the average cost of gas estimated to hit $3.40 or more in the next year, an additional tax on gas would cripple Maryland’s economy.
The Monies raised from this tax will go to Baltimore City and Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties. Harford County residents will help pay for roads in these jurisdictions with little or no benefit to their own.
Two bills have already been proposed in the state Senate (Senate Bill 714, Senate Bill 451) to raise taxes on gasoline and the Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation Funding has recommended increasing the cost of gas.
The Route 40 Republican Club will speaking out against this new tax through a letter writing campaign and General Assembly testimony. The Club, which has over 100 members, will be writing letters and emails in the coming days. Testimony is being prepared by the Club’s board and will be presented to the General Assembly. We will be presenting updates on this issue to the club’s members at our March 10 meeting at 7pm at the Ramada Inn Conference Center in Edgewood. As this issues progresses Action Alerts will be available to our membership via electronic mail.
We must all take a stand. The Route 40 Republican urges all residents(regardless of your political affiliation) of Maryland especially those in the Route 40 corridor to to write your representatives in Annapolis and urge them to defeat the proposed increase.
Another Political Critic says
All this letter will do is convince two swing DEMs to vote for it…
Will Parker says
I applaud the organization for taking action on such a critical issue. This action will be devastating to MD.
MacG says
Minority parties do have a voice and can influence legislation. If this bill implementing new taxes passes I will hold Republicans in the Senate and Assembly responsible and will vote accordingly in the next election.
Miles Kress says
Take a look at who votes for the bill, and remember that Republicans hold 25.6% of the Senate and 30.5% of the House. If none of the Reoublicans voted the Democrats could push through the legislation themselves.
Next election vote for more Republicans.
belairfed says
Let’s see $4 gallon gas now without the tax. another 12cents on top of it – What the heck – our Grand Governor has the solution – the same solution for the rising cost of BGE bill due to his windmill initiative – just run out and buy compact flourescent light bulbs – the money you save over the next year will cover your cost for the hike in the windmill law and the hike in the gas tax.
Great to have a Governor and General Assem. moving me forward – over a freakin’ financial cliff.
Truly they are self absorbed, politically driven, union backed, elitist snobs at best and crooks at worst.
Watcher says
Where is the outrage directed towards oil companies who pay no taxes and hike up gas prices any time they wish? Doesn’t anyone on here think they should be accountable?
Brady says
Watcher – please cite your reference when saying “oil companies who pay no taxes”, I’d like to know who isn’t paying taxes.
According to this: http://www.tax.com/taxcom/taxblog.nsf/Permalink/MSUN-8DVR7U?OpenDocument they pay an exorbitant amount of taxes.
Also, are you familiar with basic economics and how commodity pricing works? Do you honestly believe the evil oil companies sit in a room somewhere and arbitrarily agree to raise gas prices on a whim? Besides, even if they do that’s not the point of this article – the gov’t needs to figure out ways to cut spending, not raise taxes on gas (or any other product or service for that matter).
Miles Kress says
Don’t forget this is the funding for the Tranportation Trust Fund (TTF). This fund has been hit by Mr. O’Malley to the tune of about $800,000,000 to balance his budgets. The money comes not only from the gas tax, but also from every plane that lands at BWI and Martin Airports, all of the vendors at BWI, every ship that docks, every passanger on a cruise, every toll collected, and every vehicle transation. Where is the accounitng for all of the funds from all of MDOT activities?
Tom Brandis says
MARYLAND,the tax me to death state. I’m a small business owner and I can’t beleive the amount of crap I get taxed on. The one that really pisses me off is the Harford County Corporate property tax. Geez, I paid sales tax on my equipment when I bought it, now Harco taxes me every year on my equipment.
Maybe I should start cheating on my taxes or only take cash as payment to avoid paying taxes on it, but I don’t. Come on, everything we do is taxed. I’m sick of it. How is a small business to survive.
This gas tax hike will hurt a lot. I’m already paying around $3.39/ gallon as of late.
Taxes suck and our govt’s need to shape up or we’re going to start to see riots like in other countries. Our govt’s spend too much and waste too much of our hard earned money.
Taxed to death Tom
frankly Speaking says
Many “small businesses” pay a tax near zero and some of them are just tax shelters to mask other incomes earned. I have seen many returns in which cars, house payments, depreciation and other costs are deducted from earned income to the point that many businesses pay next to no tax and many times along with other earned income is used to qualify for EIC payments.
Really, if owning your own business is such a hardship on you, why do it? Everyone needs to pay taxes, including business owners since they get to deduct everything under the sun.
I had a client not long ago wanting to deduct capital gains on a home which he used as a business and took the depreciation instead over the past 15 yrs, but you can’t get both the depreciation and capital gains exclusion on your home. He complained that he was being taxed to death and small business can’t survive this tax burden…now that he is retired, he only gets $1200 per month and that’s because he underpaid for years on his social security tax, thus now he has to apply for rent subsidy in order to have an affordable place to live. Don’t you love it? Pretend that you pay taxes, but not!! and then complain about it?
Porter says
@FRANKLY SPEAKING writes – “I have seen many returns in which cars, house payments, depreciation and other costs are deducted from earned income to the point that many businesses pay next to no tax and many times along with other earned income is used to qualify for EIC payments.”
Well Frankly Speaking, you are helping people evade taxes if you are preparing those tax returns for which you’ve described.
Shame on you Frankly Speaking for being duplicitous in helping “bad apple” business owners who cheat on their taxes.
Are you a criminal?
Porter
frankly speaking says
Porter-It was part of my job to report people that applied for our programs (I used to be a county employee) and I believe I stated that in prior posts. So, I am speaking from experience when I posted that many small businesses are infact ways for people to evade taxes on income earned…I don’t think knowing these things makes me a criminal.
I have probably saved enough money to the county and state by way of determining people ineligible for “needed” benefits claiming being poor and of low income, but when looking at their finances and tax returns many times purported businesses were infact cheating all other taxpayers. Due diligence did not get me a raise or a promotion, such as govt can only give you a step raise or a minimal increase in salary.
It is a complete joke that most county employees make less than the average family in the county and you guys are complaining that govt workers make too much?
I finally gave up and became a member of a private practice which pays me more $$$, bonuses and a 6% IRA match which no county employee can say. County befenfits are sweet and do miss them!!!.
Porter says
@FRANKLY SPEAKING so you think you can get a lawyer to take action against me for criticizing a person that goes by FRANKLY SPEAKING who abets tax evaders?
Are you insane?
Porter
P.S, You should be more concerned about your actions, don’t you think?
frankly speaking says
Poter-Have you been drinking again? I don’t aid tax evaders, I denied them assistance and reported their incomes to other depts and agencies in tax enforcement.
Porter says
@FRANKLY SPEAKING – I think you may have too much of that tiger blood and Charlie Sheen DNA in you.
FRANKLY you posited that business owners are all tax cheats and that is disingenuous and insulting since business owners typically have employees who gain their livelihood from these evil tax cheating scoundrels. These business owners are the economy and they contribute whereas much of government is a drain on the economy.
FRANKLY you should change your name to FRANKLY ASHAMED.
Porter
frankly speaking says
Porter- All I said is that “many small businesses pay zero”. You somehow implied that I aided businesses cheat on their taxes, don’t quite know where you got that from. I think remedial reading should be one of the things you need to do before posting stupid statements on the Dagger. You also implied that I was a “criminal” in another story. I think if you have points to make and you want to be heard, I am willing to listen, however inferring that I could somehow aid and abet tax cheats and become involved in any type of criminal activity should make you FRANKLY ASHAMED.
tax payer says
The gas tax is about everyone! If affects everyone! the people of Maryland need to stand up and fight this! Every time the cost of fuel goes up, everything else follows, being that everything comes in on a truck! I know a company that owns 4 trucks, their full bill increased by $1000 last week alone! I for one am thankful that someone is standing up to help Marylander’s fight this tax!
Why do we hear anything from the Democratic party in Maryland? This tax affects them just as much as us! They better start putting the pressure on Mary-Dulany James, or she will do just like she’s done a thousand times in the past, vote for whatever O’Malley and Busch tell her to do!!!
frankly speaking says
Porter it is all about winning and I am a winner as oppossed to you who seems to be a whinner….to paraphrase the great philosopher..Charlie Sheen!!!.