“More Maryland Tax Hikes: Is It Worth the Cost?” By Antonio Franquiz As counties across the state struggle to fund various infrastructure problems, Maryland is once again considering a tax increase for transportation projects that mirror President Obama’s broader sixyear transportation improvement plan. Earlier this week, Governor Martin O’Malley (D) introduced a bill that would increase sales tax by six percent over the next three years to gross a total of $615 million devoted to fixing up roads across Maryland. This infrastructural improvement is said to have positive repercussions on the state economy by improving business’ transportation efficiency. While few would complain about better business and a strengthened economy, there is no shortage of opposition to the proposal of increased taxes. Gasoline carries a 23.5-cent state tax under the current code, and O’Malley’s measure would tack an additional 18 cents onto this once in full effect—an initiative highly reminiscent of last year’s proposed (and failed) 15-cent hike. “Although it would be nice to have better public transportation . . . in Maryland,” said sophomore finance major Blake Harris, “I think it would be more effective to look to other strategies for raising the money.” So, with aims at raising more than half a billion dollars in taxes explicitly for transportation infrastructure improvement, residents naturally wonder where exactly all of their precious tax dollars would go. Governor O’Malley and the Department of Transportation work together to allocate funds throughout Maryland’s counties, each of which then puts the money to work on a wide range of respective projects. Mongomery County is considering an initiative to link Clarksburg to the Shady Grove Metro Station in order to increase residents’ mobility, while Carroll County is entertaining the notion of extending Maryland Route 32 farther north. Other counties anticipate similar transportation innovations if the measure is passed, all in the name of getting people where they’re going quicker and easier. Many Marylanders have trouble getting behind the measure as O’Malley has, however. With the state and nation at large in a delicate state of gradual economic recovery, some feel that higher gas prices are the last thing they need. “[Measures] like this are what push tax rates to the ridiculous levels they’re at where I’m from,” said sophomore kinesiology major David Pojman, who hails from upstate New York. “In this situation, the state government needs to say ‘enough is enough.’” “After so many tax hikes you reach a point where it’s just ridiculous,” said sophomore accounting major Michael Thompson, who agrees that O’Malley seems to be reaching too deep into Marylanders’ pockets. “I think we’re getting pretty close to that point.”

Even amongst such staunch opposition, Governor O’Malley’s proposed statewide tax increase remains in consideration as a direct means of tangible infrastructural improvement across various counties. One can expect that if the measure fails—as did last year’s 15-cent increase—more proposed tax hikes are to follow in future. This article originally appeared in the February 2012 edition of Unwind Magazine.