News out of Annapolis took a tone that is all too familiar to taxpayers in the Old Line State. Gov. Martin O’Malley wants to raise taxes yet again! This would be his 20^th time doing so, as ATR has previously noted – increasing even more his $2.2 billion in past tax increases. The Governor laid out a proposal that would represent a $3.4 billion dollar tax increase on motorists in the state over the next five years.

The plan calls for gradually raising the gas tax in order to fund infrastructure projects throughout the state. With gas prices soaring due to Barack Obama’s decidedly anti-energy policies, this is something that citizens can ill afford. In addition, Maryland has one of the highest costs of living of any state in the nation, and is facing its highest poverty level in 20 years. Residents cannot afford another one of Gov. O’Malley’s taxes to pay for more government spending.

If Governor O’Malley wants to make infrastructure a priority, he should find the funds for it in the current budget, instead of again raising taxes in an already fragile economy. Infrastructure problems may exist, but they were not created by legislators not having enough money. Rather, they were created by legislators frivolously spending the revenues that they did have. According to an editorial by the Maryland Public Policy Institute, legislators raided over $1 billion dollars from the Transportation Trust Fund to fill budget gaps in other areas.  Furthermore,  the damaging effects of O’Malley’s previous tax hikes have already been felt in Maryland, with a mass exodus of successful individuals fleeing the state in response to Gov. O’Malley’s “millionaire’s tax”.

If you live in Maryland, click here to contact your legislators and tell them to oppose Gov. O’Malley’s gas tax hike.