From Harford Campaign for Liberty:
We can make a difference! Learn about the Toll Increases, and how to have your voice heard!
Toll Increase PROTEST then Public Hearing at Perryville High School in Cecil County this Thursday, June 16 at 5PM
Toll Increase PROTEST then Public Hearing at the Havre de Grace Activity Center June 27 at 5PM
The Maryland Transportation Authority (MdTA), the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), and the Governor are planning to raise revenue to pay for the 8 tolls and associated infrastructure in Maryland. These include the two toll facilities that span the Susquehanna River from Harford to Cecil County ( on I95 and 40), the 2 Tunnels in Baltimore, the Bay Bridge, the Key Bridge, the Nice Bridge in Southern Maryland, and the Intercounty Connector in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties.
The MdTA is an “independent” body tasked with raising the revenue to maintain and police the bridges, tunnels, and toll roads listed above. The Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transporation is Mrs. Beverley Swaim-Staley. She was appointed to this position in 2009 by Governor O’Malley. She is also the Chairman of the Maryland Transportation Authority (MdTA). These increases are due to irresponsible planning by legislators and executives in Maryland Government!
Because of the huge costs of the Intercounty Connector in Montgomery and Prince George’s County, there is a revenue shortfall, so the tolls must be raised.
Do you use a decal at the Hatem Bridge in Havre de Grace?
The Governor and the MdTA are eliminating the use of the decals and replacing them with a $90.00 per year EZ-Pass plan ($72.00 per year plus $1.50 per month)! This will suffocate commerce between Harford and Cecil Counties!
The toll increases are laid out in the image below, courtesy of the MdTA.
Link to Toll increasses: Toll Increase Chart
http://www.mdta.maryland.gov/Toll_Increase/Home.html
You can make a difference! Steps to influencing these political appointees and stopping toll increases:
1. Call the Governor’s Office at 1.800.811.8336 and email him with this page: http://www.governor.maryland.gov/mail/
2. Email each of the Commissioners of the MdTA and ask them not to raise the tolls:
Beverley Swaim-Staley – secretary@mdot.state.md.us
Peter J. Basso – pbasso@mdta.maryland.gov
Rev. Dr. William C. Calhoun, Sr. – wcalhoun@mdta.maryland.gov
Mary Beyer Halsey – mhalsey@mdta.maryland.gov
Louise P. Hoblitzell – lhoblitzell@mdta.maryland.gov
Richard C. Mike Lewin – mlewin@mdta.maryland.gov
Michael J. Whitson – mwhitson@mdta.maryland.gov
Walter E. Woodford, Jr., P.E. – wwoodford@mdta.maryland.gov
3. Join us at the Rally and Hearings on June 16 at Perryville High School and on June 27 at the Havre de Grace Activity Center.
4. Click on the link below and submit your comments. It only takes a few minutes:
Submit Comments – Click HERE!
5. Help us get the word out by contacting friends, businesses, and neighbors about this issue! Forward this email right now!
We’ll see you this Thursday, June 16 at Perryville High School at 5PM to STOP THE TOLL HIKES!
“Because of the huge costs of the Intercounty Connector in Montgomery and Prince George’s County, there is a revenue shortfall, so the tolls must be raised.” This statement is misleading because there are other, more pressing, needs for revenue. Lost in this whining is the need “…to maintain and police the bridges, tunnels, and toll roads” including $132 million in repairs for the Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge (US 40); $121 million in work for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway (I-95); $225 million in repairs to the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial (Bay) Bridge (US 50/301); $410 million in work for the three Baltimore Harbor crossings – the Fort McHenry (I-95, I-395) and Baltimore Harbor (I-895) tunnels and the Francis Scott Key Bridge (I-695); and $21 million in repairs to the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge (US 301).
There has not been an increase in tolls for 26 years. Moreover, most of the revenue will not be from Maryland citizens but transients. Do you wish that these needed repairs be made from general funds?
YES!
Tolls have not been raised in 26 years? That is not correct. Tolls were raised in 2003.
Yes.
Liberal,
Yes. Because the transportation fund was raided and placed into the general fund. Had the fund not been raided by Gov. O’Malley there would be no need for increases.
No, this is not the case.
The toll revenue is separate from the Highway User Fund that you reference.
Toll revenue is specific to the MdTA and is used to “independently” manage the 8 toll facilities and surrounding roads. The 8 projects including the ICC require more revenue to take care of than is currently provided by tolls, so they have to raise them.
The point is not that the Governor stole the money (and both Republicans and Democrats have done this) but that the Governor does not have the authority under the Maryland Constitution to levy taxes. This is the sole responsibility of the legislature and it has been usurped by the Governor.
Remember the commercials during the 2010 election season? “Everybody knows a fee is a tax”
We need to make the legislature hold the Democrats accountable. Executive authority needs to be limited.
fox 45 did an execellent job of explaining on the news how this was a common misunderstanding and how the toll money was a seperate and dedicated fund!
Hey, )O’Malley ran on the “no taxes” ticket and took Ehrlich to task for calling them fees. I guess tolls are neither “taxes” nor “fees.” He took Ehrlich to task on the PSC commission and the BGE rates. Then he put his own commission in and did the same damn thing. O’Malley and Busch and Miller all condemned gambling and slots, forced a referendum, and screwed that all up so that the ONLY mid-Atlantic state behind the revenue times in slots is Maryland. With a budget shortage. So when HE does do slots, its messed up beyond FUBAR. And as we move to that end, the surrounding states are upping the ante wiht table games. But he wants a “dream act,” and BOOM, its in there. With the ACLU attacking those trying to make him and his kind understand what ILLEGAL is. O’Malley. Mikulski. Busch. Miller. Sarbanes. Cummings. Hoyer. Van Hollen. Ruppertsberger. Retirement and I am out of here. I suggested to my children they leave too.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!
@Proud to be a Liberal –
Not so fast inviting people to leave Maryland we need taxpaying working folks to cover the cost of government services for those of us who are on the dole and retired. If we are going to raise taxes and fees we need people to pay them.
I suggest we continue raising taxes and fees steadily and incrementally as we have been doing. Sort of like boiling a frog, and heck its good government anyway.