Delegate James Malone
The General Assembly in Maryland finally approved the budget for the next fiscal year. One of the main topics of discussion was the Maryland gas tax. Since January, when Governor Martin O’Malley proposed the increase in Maryland’s gas tax, prices at the pump have jumped more than 60 cents on average. Due to Maryland’s already weak economy, it had been thought that raising the gas tax would damage the state’s economic recovery. Gov. O’Malley has said that without the gas tax increase, Maryland is incapable of clearing a backlog of road and bridge repairs needed to keep travelers safe. However, according to Delegate James Malone, there was just not enough support for the gas tax at this time. “ Right, wrong or indifferent, the votes were not there for a gas tax and that is because our constituents have spoken loud and clear that they do not want one. With the gas prices increasing almost every day, we agree.”