This week Gov. Martin O'Malley said the state is "out of options" regarding much-needed transportation upgrades. I disagree. The Governor squandered an opportunity to name a new secretary to the state Department of Transportation before the start of the General Assembly session. The department is in limbo since the departure of former secretary Beverly Swaim-Staley six months ago, on July 1.
For six months, there has been a leadership vacuum in addressing massive structural problems with the transportation grid itself and the financing mechanisms needed to pay for it. Addressing transportation challenges is a key priority of this general assembly session, yet the governor inexplicably dithers on naming a cabinet secretary and defaults to raising gas taxes as a panacea.
Since O'Malley became Governor in 2007, nearly $700 million has been diverted from local transportation projects and has not yet been repaid. Chronic siphoning of such funds and the lack of a consensus on how to protect the transportation trust fund have caused O'Malley's gas tax increase and other revenue proposals to stall. Moreover, Governor O'Malley has raised taxes and fees 24 times, removing an additional $2.4 billion out of the economy annually.
There should be no surprise that there is no political will to raise fuel levies. It's the governor himself who has created a situation where there are 'no options' on addressing our transportation woes. He's raised too many taxes and fees already, refuses to offer solutions for protecting transportation monies from fund raids and won't pay back local governments for the infrastructure projects that was instead used for his favored programs.
Since a major reorganization in 1970, MDOT has never been without an official secretary for this long. MDOT is a massive organization with a $3.7 billion annual budget and 8700 employees. Even without these transportation problems, this agency is far too big to go this long without leadership.
There have been two special sessions last year in which the Senate could have confirmed a secretary. At the very least, the senate could have been - and should be - holding confirmation hearings at the start of the session this week for a new secretary. Meanwhile priorities such as protecting the transportation trust fund, restoring local transportation funds,replacing aging roads and bridges, and financing mass transit expansions in Baltimore and suburban Washington are languishing.
As a former Appointments Secretary for previous Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, I was responsible for placing senior administration officials in departments and agencies and leading the executive branch's senate confirmation process for cabinet secretaries. I know how important it is to have the right people in the right job at the right time.
Legislative analysts say the state is about $2 billion short of the money it needs to undertake projects currently approved. Some analysts project that Maryland will have no funds for new transportation projects beyond maintenance by 2018.
It's time for the Governor to lead on this issue instead of offering re-tread proposals like raising the gasoline tax that have no political support.
Larry Hogan is the Chairman of Change Maryland, a non-partisan, grassroots organization whose mission is to instill fiscal responsibility in state government. Change Maryland has 25,000 followers.
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Here is the bottom line for any and all who care: O'Malley and his buddies kicked the can down the road. There was no "balanced approach" (remember, O'Malley loves this phrase) to solving past deficits or transport funding, just accounting gimmicks and tax increases. THE STATE CONTINUES TO SPEND on other things. Now, they feel like they need money to get matching funds from the bankrupt Feds. So, he'll push the gas tax or more sales tax again. And again. So in a few months, O'Malley (white male), Mike V. Miller (white male - in power 26 years) and Michael Busch (white male) will meet in a small room. They will decide our fate and raise taxes, one way or the other. Isn't moving "forward" awesome!
With one exception, the public education system that continually dumbs down so that there will always be a bunch of losers...the majority. Lifetime politicians love this stuff...adds to the illusion..
Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits? Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes? You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does. You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does. You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does. You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does. You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does. One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
Because a large segment of society refuses to support paying the actual cost of things. Hence decades of "no new taxes" pledges and dumba$$ crap like that. Gas tax hasn't been raised since 1992 and people wonder why the transportation fund isn't self sustaining. Absolutely stupid it wasn't originally pegged to inflation and absolutely disgusting that there are people out there selfish enough to refuse to pay their fair share and replenish the fund. Boomers have got to be the most selfish generation in our nation's history with the way they've spent their whole lives supporting the run-up of deficits instead of paying the proper amount of taxes for the services they demand.
I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes. Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.
If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair. If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red. If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan .. If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.
Are you suggesting Anarchy?
Yes......history does in fact have a way of repeating itself, that's an old adage for sure. I was not sure, but after reading your comments it appeared that you wanted that "very well built old house" torn down.
Most times failure begins at the top, the roof leaks...the gutters and downspouts follow...gradually the foundation begins to fail as an end result of not repairing the problems at the top.... I would suggest that the very foundation of our Country has developed a very large crack, a very divisive crack that continues to be neglected...restoration is in order before total failure occurs.Perhaps re-building the perceived top would slow the damage...
I agree with you that our country is currently under severe stress and most of it is caused by those the public elected to office, but it's not the first time. Every generation has it's challenges. We will weather the storm and be stronger for it in my humble opinion.
Huh? Well, first off, the state's budget deficit has gone from $2 BILLION a few years ago to maybe a $100mil this year and maybe no deficit at all, depending on what month's estimates you're looking at. Secondly, you complain about O'Malley raising fees so as to address the now resolved $2 BILLION deficit...yet are also complaining that he has done nothing. Which is it? If you're going to perpetually whine in every comment you make, at least don't have the whining internally conflict from one sentence to the next, please.