Tom Warne Report, 2 March 2013
Many drivers in Maryland and the Washington region see traffic congestion as a significant problem. But there is not much support for any resolution that requires raising taxes, according to the findings of a new Washington Post poll. Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) and legislative leaders have suggested several possible solutions to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue for roads and mass transit work, including raising sales and gas taxes. They are hoping to act on one of these ideas before the 90-day session ends in April.
The poll found that barely 25 percent of Marylanders support any of the new ideas proposed that involve taxes. For example, just 26 percent said they support a new 3 percent sales tax on gasoline proposed by Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) while 26 percent said they support Miller’s proposal to allow counties to add up to 5 cents onto the 23.5 cent-per-gallon state gas tax. Just 27 percent said they support O’Malley’s alternative solution to raise the state’s general sales tax from 6 to 7 percent and earmarking the revenue for transportation.
Meanwhile 36 percent of Maryland residents say traffic congestion is a major problem and 41 percent say it is a minor problem. Twenty-two percent say it is not a problem. Residents living in proximity to the District of Columbia feel more impact from traffic, with fifty-four percent of people in Montgomery County saying congestion is a major problem. In Prince George’s County 41 percent feel the same. The poll found that those who saw a “major problem” were not any more likely to back a solution that involves raising taxes.
The highest ranking transportation proposal according to the poll was the one that did not involve a tax but has not gotten much publicity – leasing the Intercounty Connector and other state roads to generate extra revenue for other projects. The idea came from Senate president Miller, and was supported by 40 percent in the poll, with 41 percent opposed to it.
75% of the people see transportation as a major or minor problem but Maryland can only find a quarter of their residents that support paying to solve the problem. At what pain threshold will people be willing to pay to solve the problem? Apparently that point has not been reached in Maryland, nor in many other states. TW
